Following Frodo~ My Unexpected Journey

Chapter 7~ Welcome

"Come there is much to be done." Gandalf said motioning for me to follow him deeper into Bilbo's house. I timidly followed him.

 When we walked past a mirror I gasped. I had changed. My kinky blonde waves had smoothed out, they were now soft and reached my ribcage. It was a healthy and shiny gold color. My gray eyes now had blue and green specks in them surrounded by thick eyelashes. My lips were full and red, my skin completion were glowing and I looked healthy and calm. I looked, dare I say pretty? Maybe, after all of this time the Shire was also a healing place? Everything was happier and healthier here, it made sense. Hobbits were simple creatures

My outfit was also changed, on my feet (since I wasn't technically a hobbit) were tan boots that laced up to my ankles. I had tan capris on, they were comfortable and felt like leggings that hugged my body nicely. I had a blue button up shirt on that was tucked into my capris and suspenders that were brown on. It looked like Frodos outfit in The Fellowship movie!

"Ow!" I shouted as my forehead smacked into the ceiling. Rubbing the sore spot I heard Gandalf chuckle.

"Mind your head Arella." I rolled my eyes playfully, still rubbing my head.

"I'll keep that in mind."  Then an idea hits me. "Gandalf?" I asked as he continued walking through the house and I kept ducking under everything.

"Yes?" He turns to me raising one of his large grey eyebrows.

"Could you shrink me down to the dwarves size?" I question nervously twisting the bottoms of my now long hair.

"I--I suppose I could." I smile and he lifts up his staff chanting some words under his breath before slowly tapping the top of my head. With a gentle zap I started to shrink until I would easily be able to fit through all of the doorways without knocking my head off.

"Thank You Gandalf." A throbbing hits my arm and I bite my lip against the pain. I squint while examining the long jagged scare on my arm. It mustn't have been a poisonous blade or I would be just like Frodo was in The Fellowship, pale skin and strange colored pus coming out of my eyes. But that didn't mean it hurt any less.

"No, No, No!" A little Bilbo comes out he is only a couple inches shorter than me because I'm as tall as the dwarves now.

"Ah, Mr.Bilbo." Gandalf begins. "I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure." Bowing slightly taking off his long grey hat tipping it at the hobbit.

"No, I want you out of my house-now." Bilbo exclaims throwing his little body onto Gandalf trying to push him out. If you couldn't already tell he barley managed to shake Gandalf who just stood there with an amused look on his face.

"You will give me a bad reputation, you know how Maude is peering to the windows all the time making up rubbish gossip, true I love a good story as much as the next, but not when it's about me." His little voice said strained.

I smile at the little farce between the wizard and dwarf, but my eyes wonder around the home. Wow, Peter Jackson was very accurate with his portrayal of a hobbit home. It's spot on. Little furniture and clothing are scattered about in the room I assume is the bedroom, but that is the only messy place in the whole house, every other room is neat and you could probably eat off the floor, though I wouldn't recommend it. Hobbits were tidy creatures as well I could learn a lesson or two from them.

"Please." Bilbo turned to me. His eyes wide and pleading. "GET HIM OUT OF HERE!" He shouts stomping his bare foot. His breath comes out in little angry puffs and his face is beat red.

"Don't give me that look, Blibo, I can't take it."

"You leave, then I'll stop."

"Ugh." I look to Gandalf for help, but he merely laughs at me. Wow aren't you a help?

"Fine but I have to do this first." I take a menacing step towards the little hobbit, letting a dark expression cloud my face. Standing on my tip toes I try to tower over him.

He shakes a little and I feel bad for only a second then I do something I've wanted to do forever. I pinched Bilbo Baggins cheeks. He lets out a huff but I'm not done yet, I ruffle his hair and poke his noise then lift him up in a huge hug spinning him around.

"All right, all right, you've had your fun now be gone." Bilbo mutters under his breath.

"Wait, I have wanted to do this forever give me a couple more seconds to let it all sink in."

I shut my eyes and stand there squeezing the crap out of Bilbo then place him down on the ground.

"Ok, I'm done, let's go."

"Bye Mr.Bilbo." Gandalf and I say at the same time. I look up at the wizard who sends me a

"You're not going to just leave are you?" I whisper because I knew Bilbo was looking at us through the window.

"Well there isn't anything I'm going to do that can make him join me." He said sending me another wink. Then using his staff draws the symbol on Bilbo's door, for the dwarves to follow. My stomach dropped. Kili. I had been so rude to him and I needed to apologize.

"Now we must wait." Gandalf said and began to walk towards his cart. "I know, I shall show you around The Shire, maybe we could grab a drink at the Green Dragon." My eyes wide I nodded. Never in my wildest most nerdish dreams did I ever believe I would be getting a tour around The Shire with Gandalf as my guide.

"I'm ready."

***

When we exited Green Dragon I felt so giddy. I don't know if it was the beer (which I wasn't suppose to have) or the drunk hobbits that I had danced with. I'm not sure but I hadn't been so light hearted and happy in a long time.

"So, back to Bilbo's?" I asked as we got into Gandalf's cart. It was a poorly crafted wooden box with rickety wheels. The horse pulling our cart was old with a grey mane and tale. Gandalf said his name was Dugon I thought he looked more like a Dusty.

The ride to Bilbo's was quiet but not an awkward quiet more like a comfortable silence. The sky was dark and the little peepers were out. The stars were twinkling and there was a light wind breezing through cooling down everything. Gandalf smoked his pipe but it didn't smell bad like a cigarette it smelled almost sweet, comforting.

"Here we are." He said pulling Dugon to a stop. I looked at Bilbo's house, there was light in all the window and loud sounds swirling out of the house and into the night air. The dwarves had arrived.