The Ring of Power

Chapter 1

Fire danced in the navy sky. Colors of blue, green, red, and yellow rained through the night. Loud cheering and the tunes of music almost drowned out the noise the fireworks were causing. Children run through the field, trying to catch the ruins of the fireworks. The women of Hobbiton gossiped as they sipped from their teacups. The men with their feet resting upon the wooden table laughed joyously, clanging mugs of ale against each other, toasting.

So far the party had gone well. Two young hobbits sat at a rectangular table laughing while drinking their ale. Frodo along with every other hobbit rejoiced Bilbo Baggins birthday.

"Oh come on, Sam," Frodo grinned ear-to-ear as he prodded his gardener. "Ask Rosie for a dance!" Sam groaned, not feeling the need to embarrass himself at the moment as much as it seemed tempting to. "I think I'll just get some more ale." He got up ready to walk to the make shift bar. Frodo, with a mischievous smirk took hold of Samwise. "Oh, no you don't!" he shoved Sam onto Rosie making them dance.

He chuckled as he watched his good friend prance around with the bar maiden.

0000000000000000000000000000

Meriodac and Peregrin, also known as Merry and Pippin the legendary pranksters among Hobbiton, crouched silently along the tent's outer walls as they watched Gandalf the Grey, master of the fireworks and also wizard, through they didn't know that, unloading a medium sized rocket and shoot it off, chuckling before joining the party again.

Once the old wizard was out of sight and out of mind the young hobbits hoisted each other up onto the rather tall wooden carriage. Their eyes gleamed as they swept over the marvelous firecrackers. Pippin rummaged through the load looking for an exceptional one.

He held up a small blue rocket. Merry sighed in exasperation, "No, no the big one!" It took a moment for Pippin to find a big enough one to settle their chaotic needs. He pulled a swirly red firecracker and the hurriedly shuffled off to a nearby tent. Pippin shoved the pale, thin stick into the ground inside the tent and lit the bottom.

Merry looked at him in horror. "You're supposed to stick in the ground." He exclaimed pushing it to Pippin. "It is in the ground." Pippin pushed it back. Merry glared. "Outside, you fool!" They began throwing it at one another. "It was your idea!"

BOOM! Crackle, crackle. They firework had shot up straight through the tent, covering the Took and Brandybuck in soot. The chattering hobbits outside clapped and gasped as it streamed through the air. It erupted into a stream of crackling orange and gold taking the shape of a dragon. The poor hobbits clapped and cheered until they caught sight of the dragon swerving around and fly with its wings out toward the partyers. Shire folk of all ages, shape, sizes, and smell screamed and yelled, running for shelter. A shape of fire was heading right toward them; it was surely understandable that they fled!

The children took their toys, the women, snatched their children, and the men stuffed their pockets with as much food as their pockets could hold. If this was going to be their last meal it would at the least have cakes! The crowd of hobbits ducked and watched the dragon fly over them and explode into a hundred flares. They cheered for their lives and the good entertainment.

Pippin and Merry, still caked in soot grinned in satisfaction. "That was good!" they said and, "lets get another one!" they said. Just as they did Gandalf snuck behind them.

"Meriodac Brandybuck and Peregrin Took." He sighed, pulling on their pointed ears to face him. "I might've known. Dish duty."

0000000000000000000000000000

"Speech, Bilbo! Speech!" many shouted as Bilbo took the stage. "My dear Bagginses and Boffins, Tooks and Brandybucks, Grubbs, Chubbs, Honeflowers, Bolgers, Bracegirdles, and Proudfoots!" Bilbo announced. As their names came up so did their cheers."Proudfeet!" one of them called, but Bilbo just waved him off.

"Today is my 111th birthday!" Queue the cheers, "But alas, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to live among...such excellent and admirable hobbits. I don't know half of you half as well as I should like...and I like less of you as well as you deserve." He left the Halflings of Hobbiton to ponder if that was a compliment. Bilbo stuttered, reaching into his from vest pocket. "I have things to do." He fiddled with something from behind his back. "I have put this off for far too long." He whispered.

Bilbo spoke louder, much more stern tan he did before. "I regret to announce this is the end! I'm going now. I bid you all a very fond farewell. Goodbye." And then suddenly he disappeared. The hobbits were in uproar! Some fell out of chairs, some dropped food and cursed, some peered around trying to see if they could find him, but to no luck. Bilbo Baggins had disappeared.

0000000000000000000000000000

"I suppose you think that was terribly clever." Gandalf surprised old Bilbo. He had crept back up to his home under the Hill and began gathering his things. Gandalf the Grey was not impressed and standing behind him. Bilbo scoffed her did think it was terribly clever. "Come on, Gandalf! Did you see their faces?" he laughed imaging them. Gandalf was not laughing, nor was he in a good mood. "There are many magic rings in this world, and no one of them should be used lightly." Bilbo whined, "It was just a bit of fun!" Gandalf did not think that. He thought it was cruel after seeing dear ole Frodo's distraught face. "Oh, you're probably right, as usual."

"You will keep an eye on Frodo, wont you?" Gandalf gave him a grim nod. "Two eyes. And as often as I can spare them." His old friend did not know what the wizard had gotten himself into. Bilbo gathered choice items. "I am leaving everything to him."

"What about that ring of yours?" Gandalf tried to make it sound natural and light, as if it did not matter either way, but it did. It certainly did. "Yes, yes. Its in that envelope by the mantelpiece." He smoothed over his pockets, feeling the ring. "No, wait, it's...here in my pocket." Bilbo marveled at his golden ring, his precious. "isn't that-isn't that odd, now? Yet, after all why not?" he grew suspicious, while Gandalf grew cautious. "Why shouldn't keep it?"

"I think, you should leave the ring behind. Is that so hard?" Gandalf was not feeling well about what was to come. "Well, no. And yes. Now it comes to it, I don't feel like parting with it." By each word he was growing angrier and angrier. "Its mine! I found it! It came to me!" Gandalf was now surely very cautious. "There's no need to get angry." Bilbo screamed, "Well, if I'm angry its you fault!" Bilbo stroked his ring. "It's mine. My own. My precious." Now this caught the old wizard off guard and slightly scared for his old friend. No one had said that but...Gollum. If the ring is poisoning his mind lke it did its previous owner, then he will surely find a way to get it from Bilbo.

"Precious? Its been called that before, but not by you."

"What business is it of yours what I do with my own things?" Bilbo was raging now. This has gotten out of hand. It has now become a full on war between the old friends. "I think you have had that ring quite long enough!" Baggins shook his hands violently. "you want it for yourself." But he regretted it as soon as it escaped his lips.

The light room instantly grew dark and the walls shook. "BILBO BAGGINS, DO NOT TAKE ME FOR SOME CONJURER OF CHEAP TRICKS! I AM NOT TRYING TO ROB YOU!" the room lightened as did the mood. "I am trying to help you." Gandalf said softly as Bilbo embraced his old friend, whimpering. "All our long years, we have been friends. Trust me as you once did. Let it go." Bilbo did not hesitate. He nodded his head as if under a spell. "You're right, Gandalf. The ring must go to Frodo."

Bilbo continued to pack his bag before shouldering it. "It's late, the road is long. Yes, it is time." Bilbo grabbed his walking stick and opened his hobbit hole door. Gandalf sighed, "Bilbo, the ring is still in your pocket." Bilbo stared at the ring, still very much tempted by its power. His hand tilted slowly and dropped it on the floor. He started out the door, "I thought up an ending for my book. 'And he lived happily ever after to the end of his days.'"

Gandalf hugged his friend, not wanting to let go. "And I'm sure you will, my dear friend."

"Goodbye, Gandalf."

"Goodbye, dear Bilbo." Bilbo walked out his gate.

"The road goes on and on..."

"Until our next meeting."