Conversations In Bag End

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Despite your utter confusion about being lost in a strange world, Gandalf did his best to make you relax. He'd try to keep lively conversation going as you wheeled your way up to a small home dug into the earth. You were grateful for his calming nature, and uplifting spirit. Before you entered the dwelling though, Gandalf made it strictly obvious to you just who these little people were. They were not dwarves or midgets, but a different race you've never heard of before. They were called hobbits. 'Halflings' to people of normal size. Besides being very short and having unnaturally large leathery feet, they would've been considered very normal in our world. Maybe a bit reclusive when it came to harsh realities, but all in all, a very pleasant people.

Bag End, as Bilbo had called it when he welcomed you, was a cozy estate dug deep into the earth. Made up of a maze of circular tunnels, you were quite surprised at how much sunlight the place got despite being underground. It would have been much more pleasant for you if everything had been just a hair taller! More than once you hit your head on a doorway or the chandelier, leaving a nasty memory. Your pain tended to interrupted by questions about your schooling from Gandalf just before he left to gather some reasonable garments for you.

In truth, most of what you knew was elementary stuff, but they seemed highly impressed with your level of knowledge. And occasionally when you wanted to really impress them, you'd break out the hardest class you knew and tested yourself in it. Most of the time Bilbo stared at you like you were speaking another language, except for Gandalf. Who stood there with a very surprised look on his face. Actually it bloated your confidence to new levels with the thought of being highly intelligent... But the truth was you weren't really... You were considered average among your peers at school. This just tested how much of that information you had retained. It still had you mightily encouraged.

Though it took a while for your current embarrassment to be cured, Bilbo was kind enough to lend you a blanket to at least cover yourself until Gandalf returned. To your surprise Bilbo was much kinder than Gandalf had made him sound. Apparently he wasn't normally like this, but for some reason he took an immediate liking to you. His unnatural curiosity got the better of him when he had heard you had absolutely no idea where you were, and nobody knew where you were from. You tried to describe your home in the best way possible, making it sound entirely boring for yourself, but for someone like Bilbo the adventure bug started nipping at his heels again.

His excitement carried him on this rampage about his old adventures which ended in him digging up old maps and trinkets. He showed you a map of middle earth, which was worn with age and use. As far as you could tell the land mass still continued onto the west... How big was this place? Was it possible you were still on earth after all? No... Judging by how many miles was in between each country, you knew it wasn't possible. But you were still curious, "So, has anyone explored beyond the map? I mean taken a cartographer and mapped out the rest of the world? Beyond... Rhûn, is it?"

Bilbo shook his head, "Not that I've heard of! Though that would be quite the adventure!"

You studied the map in hopes of some sign of earth. Some way you might be able to get home, but could find none, dragging your hopes through the dirt. You were quickly distracted by a new voice, cheery and full of life, "Uncle, your guests are waiting. The party is about to start!"

You turned to see a younger hobbit, very handsome for his stature with the brightest blue eyes you have ever seen. They grew wide at the sight of you sitting wrapped in a blanket near the fireplace, "Oh, hello! I don't mean to interrupt..."

Bilbo's smile grew at the sight of the hobbit, "Oh, ___! This is my nephew, Frodo Baggins."

He sort of skipped in stride to reach out for your hand with a bright smile, making his eyes twinkle, "I'm very pleased to meet you miss ____! I hope my uncle has been sociable."

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