Chapter 3

Marina woke up and smiled right away. Today was Mr. Bilbo’s 111th birthday, and she was going to help with the party preparations. She and Pippin had come up to Hobbiton the night before, to visit with Bilbo and Frodo, and inform the man that he was going to have to stay inside Baggend until Marina came to get him when everything was ready. It was the perfect place for him, as he could work on his various projects, and none of his windows were facing the direction of the party tree, where they’d be setting up. Marina practically jumped out of bed and got dressed in her working clothes. She put on brown leather leggings first so that she wouldn’t have to worry about making sure her skirt covered everything which she was climbing trees and such. A long rose blouse of light cotton was tucked into a darker rose colored skirt of an only slightly heavier material. A brown cinch belt held the loose shirt close, but allowed her to move freely. She tied her hair into a ponytail at the base of her neck and tied a rose colored ribbon around it. Finally she slipped on her new leather boots. Then she went to the dining area to find Pippin, a sleepy Frodo, and an excited Bilbo getting breakfast.

“Good morning!” She said cheerfully to them all, getting various degrees of a good morning from them all in return. She buttered a roll and speared a sausage with a fork, and held one in each hand munching happily on both. She washed it all down with some fresh apple juice, and dragged Pippin out the door and away from his mountain of pancakes.

“But I’m still hungry!” He complained.

“You’re always hungry Pippin, and if we let you eat until you’re full we’ll be here all day. You already had one plate, leave the rest for poor Bilbo who can’t leave the house.” She turned at the front door to Frodo who had followed them. “Watch your uncle for a while, or he’ll try and sneak out. Convince him that the surprise will be worth the wait and that he should stay put.” Frodo nodded and went back to the breakfast table.

“Awww…how come he gets to eat more?” Pippin complained as they strolled down the path away from Baggend.

“Oh quit your whining Pip, we’ll have snacks all day, and tons to eat tonight. You’ll survive without stuffing your face all morning for once. It might even be good for you.”

“Good for me? How is it good if I starve to death before lunch?! You, my lady, have black heart.” Pippin teased.

“A black heart? What are you talking about? I don’t have a heart!” Marina said happily, skipping off down the road as Pippin laughed and raced after her. When they got to the clearing around the party tree, they saw that many hobbits were already working. A large group of women were comparing what they already cooked, and who was going to cook what today. The men were working on setting up tents and bringing barrel upon barrel of ale. There was already a mountain of the barrels there, and they were starting on the second. At the base of tree were the tweens around the same age as Marina and Pippin, trying to figure out what to do. Marina and Pippin went over to them.

“Hey everyone!” Marina said and was greeted in return. “I think the first thing we need to do is figure out what needs to be done!” she joked, and everyone chuckled and gathered around.

“We need tables and chairs.” “We also need a stage for dancing and the band.” “We’re going to need lots and lots of dishes.” Came the various suggestions.

“We have to hang the lights in the party tree and all the other trees in the area.” Pippin said. Marina nodded and raised her hands to quiet everyone down.

“Alright,” she started. “I’m going to start by going around to houses in the area, asking people if they have tables, chairs, or dishes that we can borrow. Who wants to join me?” About half the crowd raised their hands. “Now, those of you who want to start building the stage, will need wood and tools, and those who want to work on lights need to start collecting them and putting them together. Now off you go everyone!” Everyone scampered off to do whatever they felt like doing. It would have happened eventually even if Marina hadn’t stepped in, but she knew they needed to get started sooner rather than later. She started going door to door, asking for anything the people could donate. She found there wasn’t much running back and forth, because the people usually volunteered to bring their things to the clearing for her, and they joined in the group who was setting everything up. When she’d pretty much emptied the houses nearby, she went back to the party tree.

She saw a pile of colored paper lanterns sitting near the trunk of the party and grabbed as many as she could. She spent the next few hours climbing various trees and hanging the lanterns to that they could be easily lit and wouldn’t set the leaves in fire. She was finishing up one of the smaller trees by the road when she heard the sound of a wagon and laughter. One she knew was Frodo, and she pretty sure she knew the other occupant as well. Her suspicions were confirmed as they came around the corner, Gandalf the Grey steering the pony down the road right past her. She smiled and waited until they went past her tree, then dropped to the ground gracefully. Gandalf stopped the cart and looked at her in surprise.

“Hello Gandalf!” she said happily waving to him and Frodo. “Here for Bilbo’s birthday?”

“Yes, how could I miss it?” Gandalf asked her with a friendly smile. “My dear, you look lovely, I’m sure I’m not the only one who can’t wait to see you all dressed up tonight.” Marina blushed deeply and shook her head.

“Not as far as I know sir.” She said. “But speaking of the party, I should get back to work.” She nodded back to her tree. Gandalf nodded.

“I’ll see you later, I trust you and your friend won’t be causing any trouble tonight.” he said teasingly, and she smiled.

“No promises there Gandalf!” she climbed back up into her tree as the wagon rolled off, and smiled to herself. Gandalf being here meant fireworks, and his were always so lovely! She couldn’t wait until it got dark enough that he’d start setting them off. They made her feel like one of the younglings once again.

Eventually, everything was ready except the hobbits themselves. Marina looked around for Rosie Cotton. They’d planned on getting ready together, and were both excited. Once they found each other, they went to Rosie’s rooms in the Green Dragon to prepare. They took quick baths, brushed each other’s hair, and helped each other to get dressed in their party clothes. Finally, they put on simple makeup, and did each other’s hair. Marina was putting ribbons in Rosie’s hair when her friend’s nervousness started to kick in.

“Do you think the ribbons will be too much with the flowers? I don’t want to be over dressed.” She said softly, turning her head to try and see Marina’s handiwork in the mirror. Marina made her look straight ahead once more.

“Hold still. And no it won’t be too much. Besides, I know a certain gardener who loves it when you wear ribbons in your hair.” Marina teased. Rosie blushed deeply, a smile creeping onto her lips.

“Do you really think so?”

“I know so! He can’t keep his eyes off of you normally, but when you wear ribbons in your hair, he stares at you almost constantly!” Rosie looked at her hands in her lap, trying to hide her smile. “You really like him don’t you?” Marina asked her, all seriousness now. Rosie nodded.

“I do. He’s kind, and strong…it’s hard to explain.”

“No offence, but he’s not…well the brightest candle.” Marina pointed out. She knew Sam’s good heart was worth more than brains, but she didn’t want Rosie liking him for the wrong reasons.

“I know, and it doesn’t matter! When it comes to certain things, Sam is more brilliant than the most talented of minstrels. He has a way of knowing what needs to be said, and says them as if he were a poet himself. And he has a heart of gold. Unlike most men who try and woo me his feelings are real, and he doesn’t want to make a move simply because he is completely oblivious to my feelings for him.” Marina had to smile at Rosie’s adamant tone. Like Sam, Rosie was a simple girl with a simple heart. And all she wanted was a simple life. And Sam would be able to give that to her. She hugged her friend around the shoulders from behind.

“You two are so perfect for each other. Make sure he realizes that tonight, alright?” She told Rosie, who nodded resolutely.

“But first, we’ll need to make our first impressions on our lads!” Rosie said, hopping up from her seat in excitement. She grabbed Marina’s arm and dragged her down the stairs, off to find the boys.

Pippin, Sam and Frodo strolled along. They were to meet the girls in front of the Green Dragon, but Frodo insisted that they take their time. ‘Girls are always slow’ He kept saying. And so they walked along in no rush. When they arrived, they automatically assumed that they’d be waiting for a while longer, and stood around, each drinking a mug of ale. Then Frodo tapped their shoulders and pointed behind them.

“Gentlemen, I think they beat us here actually.” He said, sounding slightly in awe. Sam turned quickly, and his jaw almost hit the ground. Pippin turned as well, wondering what they were going on about. He noticed Rosie right away. Her blond curls were intertwined with tiny blue and white flowers and blue ribbons. Her blue dress was pretty as well, and her cheeks were pink as she noticed Sam staring. She pointed them out to the girl she was talking to, and when her companion turned, Pippin felt his own eyes go wide.

It was Marina, and she looked gorgeous! She wore an un-dyed cotton blouse, with sleeves that went just past her elbows. Over it was a sleeveless, pale green dress. A deep green sash pulled it tight around her waist, giving it definition. It tied in a bow in the back, the ends reaching the back of her knees. Her hair had been allowed to remain loose tonight, a crown of roses and leaves resting gently on her head, green ribbons hanging from it to wind with her rich brown curls. But her face was what caught his attention most. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement, and her brown eyes sparkled with happy mischief. Her smile was so lovely tonight, that he wished he could carry an image of it around with him forever. He felt he would never despair again if he could just see Marina looking this lovely all the time. When she noticed them, her smile grew and she waved, leading Rosie over as well.

“There you lads are! What took you so long?” she exclaimed jovially, not even noticing the stares she was receiving from the three and others around them. Pippin rushed to answer her question.

“Frodo kept saying there was no rush because girls were slow.” He managed to get out. Frodo elbowed him, but the girls just laughed.

“I should probably go get Bilbo; he’s probably ready to go mad right about now!” Marina pointed out. She hitched up her skirts and dashed off to Baggend. When she got there, she knocked on the round door. Bilbo himself opened it before she got to the third knock. She giggled as he smiled a bit sheepishly. “Ready?” she asked him and he nodded. He held out his arm and she took it, feeling like a great lady. They got to the party area to find it supposedly deserted. Bilbo looked around.

“Well it looks…nice. You did a good job doing this all by yourself.” Bilbo said, knowing perfectly well that everyone was hiding. It didn’t help that most of the party goers were completely obvious in their hiding places. So many people hid in one tent that the sides were bulging and wiggling. Feet stuck out from the many tables, and the arms reaching to dip their mugs into ale barrels showed where hobbits hid behind them. Marina giggled, playing her part.

“I’m afraid very few people could make it. I suppose that we’ll just have to eat all this food ourselves!” At that, a few of the more dense hobbits jumped up in protest. Everyone else jumped up shouting ‘Surprise!’ trying to cover up for the other’s mistake. Bilbo laughed and clapped, enjoying the entire show thoroughly. As a result everyone started clapping for him for his birthday. He bowed graciously and gestured to her.

“Let’s all congratulate my lovely escort!” he exclaimed, and as Marina blushed the clapping started up all over again. He leaned closer to say something and she turned an ear to hear him over the ruckus. “You do look lovely tonight my dear.” He was saying, and she smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

“It was all for you Mr. Bilbo. Happy Birthday.” She said into his ear and skipped off into the crowd. Just as she found her friends, Gandalf started setting off his fireworks, and she joined them in cheering.

An hour later the party was in full swing. Everyone was eating, drinking and having a grand time. Marina and Pippin laughed as Frodo pushed Sam out onto the dance floor to join Rosie.

“I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks they’re an obvious couple!” Marina exclaimed, watching them twirl around the dance floor. “I’m going to go get a slice of Mrs. Relna’s cherry pie, anyone else want some before it’s all gone?” she asked and both Pippin and Frodo raised their hands. She laughed as she wound her way through the various tables and tents. Finally, she reached Mrs. Relna’s table of pies. She was famous for her desserts, which was saying something in the hobbit community.

“Why little Marina! Why I haven’t seen you since…well, since you were shorter than I!” Mrs. Relna exclaimed, and Marina laughed. Mrs. Relna was indeed short, and for a hobbit, every centimeter made a large difference. It had only been two years ago that Marina was shorter though, she had shot up an entire two centimeters since then.

“Good evening Mrs. Relna, having a good time?” she asked the older woman.

“Oh yes indeed. 111 years of age, Bilbo shall outlive us all at this rate! He still looks as handsome as he did years ago.” She said with a wink. “Now then my dear, I’m guessing you didn’t come over just to chat, did you want something in particular?” she asked, waving at her table of desserts. Marina smiled.

“I need three slices of your cherry pie. I have two lads waiting on them, and I dare not keep them waiting!” she told the woman, who laughed. Mrs. Relna got out three slices of the cherry pie on small plates and waved goodbye as Marina left, already busy with someone else. When she placed the pie in front of Pippin and Frodo they both toasted her with their mugs, and dug in happily. She ate slower, enjoying every bite of the delicious pie. It really was the best in the Shire, and she didn’t want to waste a crumb of it. As she savored her last bite, she saw Gandalf shoot off another large firework. ‘He must have larger fireworks than that.’ She thought to herself, and it sparked an idea in her brain. She grabbed Pippin’s arm and pulled him from the table, ignoring his protests. “Oh shush, I have an idea!” she said in his ear. He shut up immediately, knowing that this was going to be good. She led him behind a tent and they looked around the corner to see Gandalf’s wagon of fireworks. Pippin got the idea right off and grinned.

“Perfect!” he whispered. Marina smiled, and they crept forward. Pippin scrambled into the wagon while Marina kept a look out for anyone coming. He lifted normal green firework and she rolled her eyes.

“No, a big one!” He dug around and his eyes went wide as he pulled up a huge red dragon shaped firework. Marina clapped her hands quietly, very excited. What a boom that would make! Pippin climbed back down to the ground just as someone came their way. Marina pushed Pippin into a tent nearby and pulled the flap closed behind her. When she turned around he pushed the firework at her, kneeled and lit the fuse before she could protest. Realizing she was holding a lit firework she pushed it back at him.

“It’s supposed to be stuck in the ground!” she whisper shouted to the idiot.

“It was in the ground.” He pushed it at her and she retaliated.

“Outside.” She finished angrily.

“Hey, this was your idea-” he said, and was about to insult her when the thing exploded. Marina fell backwards, thankful that the firework hadn’t been aimed at her face when it went off. She heard Pippin scream like a little girl, and looked to make sure he was alright. His face was completely black and his hair stood on end but he was fine. She lay back and giggled. Pippin looked at her oddly. Her hair was fine, but a large sooty smudge went across her nose and one cheek. He laughed at her. “Hehe, you’re all dirty!” Marina just sat up and looked at him.

“Pippin, your face is completely black, who are you to be calling others dirty?” She giggled again as Pippin touched his face with a finger that came away filthy. He then realized his hair was sticking up in all directions and she laughed harder. Finally, she looked up to see the firework they’d set off flying high, pulling the entire tent with it. Then, at the height of its climb, it exploded in the most fantastic display she’d ever seen from a single firework. She sighed happily and stood, watching the magnificence.

Then as Pippin stood up beside her, the thing condensed into a red ball of flame, and started swooping down to the party. It unfurled wings and a majestic head appeared as well. And suddenly, a full out dragon was flying low over the party! Pippin pulled her down to the ground with him as the things belly went right over their heads. They rolled over and watched as it flew off into the distance, fading into sparks and finally exploding once again. If the first display had been incredible, this one was magnificent! Marina didn’t think she’d ever seen so many different colors in her life! She cheered along with everyone else, and Pippin pulled her into a standing position once more.

“That was good.” She whispered satisfactorily.

“Let’s get another one!” Pippin said. Marina didn’t even get the chance to bop her friend upside the head for such a dumb idea when someone placed a very large hand on each of their shoulders. They both looked up to see Gandalf looking slightly annoyed and slightly amused. Thankfully he didn’t look angry. She smiled guiltily, knowing Pippin was doing the same.

“Marina Brandybuck and Peregrine Took.” He sighed. “I might have known.” He didn’t say another word, simply leading them to the washer’s tent where the hundreds of dishes were constantly being washed so that they could be used once again. The two lads working there now both had sooty faces, and Marina had to giggle. Gandalf nodded his head to them and they dropped their aprons and dashed away, cheering to be joining the party once again. “Get to work you two.” The wizard said. Marina and Pippin looked at each other and sighed, but went to work.

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Alright, now we're getting somewhere! Welcome back to your feature presentation everyone, I hope you enjoy it! Especially as I find a way to integrate my more recent changes into the chapters I already had written . Wish me luck and please review! It inspires me to write every time I get a review, so the more I get the faster the next chapter will be up :P

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Whisperwings