I woke up early, the sun light pouring into my bedroom. I stretched my arms out and yawned as I smiled to myself. Today was going to be a blast.

I took the rags out of my hair, causing my dark locks to bounce up and down. After carefully styling my hair, I selected a lacy green dress that I was going to wear that day, which brought out my evergreen eyes. I smiled to myself once more as I looked in the mirror.

He will surely notice me in this, I thought. But he always did. And always will...

I rushed out of our hobbit hole as quickly as I could. I couldn't wait to see him. We had important matters to discuss.

"Fara Galpsi, where on earth do you think you're going?"

I let out a groan and slowly turned around.

"Mother, I told you last night," I said. "I'm going to assist Rose and Melba with the potlatch today."

"Very well," my mother said. "Don't do anything reckless."

"Who, me?"

She rolled her eyes as I scampered out of the little house. I wasn't going to help Rose and Melba. I was going to see him.

I walked over to Bag-End, Underhill and stopped at the gate. Posted on it was a sign that read: No admittance unless on party business.

I raised an eyebrow. What was this all about?

I opened the gate and cautiously approached the round, green door. I knocked on it hesitantly.

"Go away!" An old man's voice ordered sharply.

"Bilbo, it is I, Fara," I said with an eyeroll.

"Fara who?"

I let out a groan. "Fara Galpsi..."

"A Galpsi!" he exclaimed. "What do you want??"

"Bilbo, please, it's me. Where is Frodo?"

I heard the pitter patter of footsteps, then suddenly the large door opened a crack. The old Hobbit's face appeared in the door way.

"He went out to the East Farthing woods a while ago..."

"Why...?" I asked.

"To go see Gandalf!" he snapped.

"Gandalf?!" I exclaimed. "Gandalf is coming!?"

"Yes yes yes yes..." he said, annoyed and waving his hands. I let out a small shriek as I bounced up and down.

"See you tonight, Bilbo!" I ran down his pathway and through the gate.

Twirling around, I made my way to the woods. I hadn't made it even halfway there yet when I saw his cart rolling along, with Frodo in tow.

I smiled brightly and waved my hand violently. Gandalf chuckled and Frodo smiled back. Gandalf told him something, and Frodo hopped off the wagon and ran over to me.

"Fara..." he said.

"Frodo..." I returned. We looked at each other seriously for a moment before bursting out laughing. Gandalf rode past us.

"Ah, nothing compares to the joy of hobbits."

"Gandalf!" I exclaimed.

"My dear little Fara..." he said. "How good it is to see you again!"

"How I have missed you, Gandalf!"

I jumped up and hugged him. He patted my back.

"And I you, my dear..."

I jumped off of the cart and stood next to Frodo.

"I have some business to attend to with Bilbo, but I shall see you later tonight at the party, if I am not mistaken?" he asked.

I nodded my head. "Of course!"

"Ah, good...Well, I'll be on my way then."

Frodo and I waved as Gandalf rode off.

Frodo turned to me on his heel, slightly leaning forward.

"Sooo..." he said.

"What is it?" I teased.

"Have you thought about my offer?"

"Offer? What offer?" I teased further.

He rolled his eyes and smiled.

"Com'mon Fara. You know perfectly well what offer."

"Ohhhh, that offer..."

"Yes, silly."

"Well..." I looked down at my feet and bit my lip coyly. I looked back up into his sparkling blue eyes gleaming with curiosity. "I would be honored to, Frodo."

He grinned bigger than I had ever seen him smile before as he leapt at me. We landed in the tall grassy field together. I let out a small shriek, but soon after we were both laughing.

"Oh Fara," he said, putting a hand under my head, lifting it up. "What are we going to tell everyone? When are we going to tell everyone?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. And honestly I don't care." I lifted an eyebrow. "But I do know one thing."

"And what might that be?"

I reached up and gave him a kiss on the lips. I could feel him smile as he kissed me back. I pulled away and smiled at him.

"That."

He gave me a wicked grin.

"We must tell our friends first, of course!" he exclaimed. "We have to tell Sam, and Merry, and Pippin, and...and Gandalf, and-"

"Slow down, Frodo!" I said with a laugh. "What about Bilbo?"

"What about him?"

"What do you think his reaction will be? I mean, he's pretty much the only Hobbit in the entire Shire who didn't get married before he was 60."

"I don't believe he'll think ill of our engagement, Fara. What makes you say that, anyway?"

I tilted my head. "Well...not but 10 minutes ago, I knocked on your door at Bag-End, and he seemed incredibly rude and unsociable. He didn't even remember who I was."

He sighed and leaned back in the grass. I leaned back with him, slipping my hand into his.

"It's just this party," he said. "Our pesky relatives have been bugging us all week and he's grown quite tired of it. Trust me, he'll be fine after tonight."

"Then we just won't tell him tonight then." I winked at him. He chuckled.

"Surely."

"Hey, anything new on Samwise?" I asked. "Does he like Rose?"

He sighed again. "I don't have a clue! He's so girl shy. I can never read his emotions. Maybe that means he does, since he never answers when I ask him. What about Rose?"

"She definitely likes him. He's all she talks about anymore. Frankly, I'm getting a little fed up with it, I wish something would just happen, you know?"

He nodded. "Oh, do I know."

I smiled and scrunched my nose.

"Com'mon!" he said cheerily, suddenly hopping to his feet. He offered his hand out to me. I grabbed it and he pulled me to his feet. "I'll walk you to the tavern."

I laughed. "If you insist."

__________________________

The night finally arrived. I was so relieved to get off of my shift. Melba, Rose and I walked to the Lake together, where the party was being held.

"Can you believe that Bilbo Baggins is 111 years old?" Melba exclaimed. "That's like...how long dwarves live!"

Rose and I laughed. "Haven't you gone to school, Melba?" Rose teased. "Dwarves live far longer than that."

Melba rolled her hazel eyes. "I am not in the mood to be teased right now."

We sat down at a table together.

"And why might that be?" I asked. "You're normally the fun one."

Melba slumped down. "I don't even think he realizes I exist."

"The Took?" I asked. "Pippin?"

She nodded solemnly. "He just...I don't know. Sometimes I feel things that I haven't felt about someone before." She looked up, a twinkle in her eyes. "About him."

Rose rested a hand on her arm. "Don't worry Melba. Pippin is too wild to settle down right now anyhow. Just wait a few years. He can't remain unmarried forever."

"That's true..." she sighed. "I just feel so left out."

"How do you figure?" I asked, sipping my punch.

"Well, Rose has Sam to deal with-"

"Hold on a minute. I don't even know if he likes me or not. He's a pretty private person, in case you haven't noticed."

"Yes, but at least he notices you!"

Rose rolled her eyes.

"And you!" She exclaimed, pointing at me. "Frodo is constantly doting on you."

"Doting on me?!" I asked, shocked. "What?!"

"You know very well what I am talking about."

"Care to elaborate?" I asked with a glint in my eye.

"No. No I do not," she said stubbornly.

I rolled my eyes. "Sure..."

Rose looked up and slightly gasped.

"Speaking of Frodo..." she said.

I looked up. Frodo was striding up to us as Sam lagged timidly behind.

"Frodo," I greeted. "It's good to see you."

He smiled and embraced me in his arms.

"How was work?" he asked.

"Tedious and unprofitable. But then, what else is new?"

He laughed heartily. He looked over my shoulder at Rose and Melba.

"Care if I steal her for a spell?" he asked them.

"Why...?" Mebla asked.

"To dance, of course!" he replied cheerily.

"I think that's a good idea," Rose said, standing up. "I think I will dance a little bit myself."

"Good." Frodo smiled. "Perhaps I might convince Samwise to join you..." He winked.

"That would be nice..." Rose sighed.

"Aren't you coming, Melba?" I asked.

She slumped down. "No thanks. I think I'll wallow here in self pity."

I rolled my eyes.

"Are you ready, my dear?" Frodo asked.

I nodded. "Let's go!"

We ran off into the open area where the people were dancing.

"What's the matter with Melba?" he asked as I danced around him.

"She likes Pippin," I explained.

"Ha! Well that's a terrible fate to bind yourself to."

"I know. Remember how all of the girls were after him when we were little?"

He laughed and nodded. "And how he was completely clueless!"

I laughed with him. "Still is, apparently."

Frodo looked around. "Where is he, anyway?"

I rolled my eyes. "He's a Took. He could be anywhere. He's probably off reeking all kinds of havoc with Merry."

He nodded. "I can't believe we're relatives." He looked over his shoulder. "I'm going to talk to Sam." He winked at me.

"Work your magic."

He squeezed my hands and ran off over to Samwise, who was sitting quite forlorn on a picnic table with a drink.

He said a few words to him then suddenly pushed him at Rose, who started dancing with him. He looked at me and the two of us laughed.

I sat down next to him.

"Have you told anyone yet?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I want it to be a surprise."

"Likewise. I don't want to take any spotlight away from my uncle tonight. It is his birthday, after all."

I smiled and looked up at the stars. Something bright was heading our way. My smiled vanished.

"Frodo..." I breathed. "Frodo!" I tapped him shakily.

"What is it, Fara?" he asked.

"Dragon!"

He looked behind him and gasped. A large, red and glowing dragon was flying towards us. The other Hobbits started to shriek and cry out.

"Get down!" He shouted. He dived at me and covered my head as we landed on the ground.

The dragon just missed us as it flew over the glassy lake and up into the sky. It suddenly exploded into brilliant fireworks. The other hobbits clapped and cheered and I let out a sigh of relief. So it wasn't a real dragon.

Why had Gandalf set off a firework so risky? Especially making it travel through a party or hobbits? Then it struck me. Pippin.

The night went on and Bilbo stepped up to start a speech. It went well until he said something quite awkward. No one laughed. And he just stood there, babbling and mumbling to himself. Frodo as I exchanged a look of worry.

"I will be going now," Bilbo said. "Farewell."

He suddenly disappeared! Everyone gasped and whispered.

"Frodo," I said. "What's going on?"

"I have no clue..." He replied.

People started coming up to us.

"Frodo! What has happened to your uncle?"

"Where has he gone?"

"Is he dead?"

"Has he gone mad?"

"I don't know!" Frodo exclaimed. "I don't know anything! I'm just as shocked as you are!"

"He's been unsociable all week!" An old hobbit explained. "There's got to be something wrong with him!"

"Fara, let's go." Frodo pulled me by my arm.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"I'm taking you home."

"Why?"

"I need to resolve this."

"Very well."

He brought me to my house.

"Listen," he said. "I have a feeling something is very wrong right now. But I don't want you to worry, alright?"

I nodded slowly. "Alright."

"I'll come to see you tomorrow."

I nodded again. "Tomorrow."

He leaned in and kissed my cheek. "I promise."

He ran off to Bag-End.

I couldn't sleep that night. Despite what Frodo had said, I did worry.

The sun hadn't risen yet, but the sky was turning from a dark blue to a light one.

I rose up as looked out my window. The lights were on at Bag-End. I dressed warmly, since it was October, and set out to Underhill.

"Frodo?" I asked as I knocked on the door.

He, Sam and Gandalf emerged from the door.

"Frodo, what's happening?"

"Fara," he said, embracing me. "Something's come up."

"What?" I pushed him off. "Frodo, what's going on?"

"I can't tell you right now. But my Uncle's gone. And he left something to me. I have to take it to Rivendell. And only I can."

"What?" I asked, shaking my head. "This is so sudden! Rivendell is so far away! What is it that you need to take?"

"I can't tell you!"

"Frodo," Gandalf said. "We have to leave before they find us."

"What? Who?!" I exclaimed. Tears sprung to my eyes. "What's happening?"

"Listen, I'm going to be leaving now," he tried comforting. "I'll be gone for a while."

"Do you promise you'll come back?" I asked.

He nodded his head and looked at me with his baby blue eyes. "I promise, Fara," he said sweetly.

"And you won't forget me?"

"Not for a second."

I jumped up and wrapped my arms around his neck. He nuzzled his head into mine. "I promise. Nothing is going to happen."

"I love you, Frodo," I weeped. "Be safe."

He nodded. "Of course."

"We have to leave. Now!" Gandalf said. He and Samwise started off.

Frodo leaned in and kissed me. "Farewell, my love."

He ran off to catch up to them. I stood and watched as they disappeared over the hill. My heart suddenly ached.

_________________________

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