𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 | 𝘈 𝘏𝘰𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺

𝘉𝘢𝘨 𝘌𝘯𝘥'𝘴 𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴

Small bare feet slap quickly against the wooden floor as a curly dark haired girl rounds the corner quickly into the hallway as she searches each of the rooms for her uncle. She had unfortunately gotten distracted with her drawings, curled up in her room next to the small hearth that had slowly been going out with every ticking minute the girl had her focus on the worn notebook in her hands.

She had only looked up once, and that was only mere minutes ago when she realized that Bag End was far too quite for the two residents that lived there. Usually she could hear her uncle pacing around in his study, or beginning to prep for dinner. She froze on the spot.

Dinner. She took off towards the kitchen now, remembering that tonight she had previous plans with her closest friend in the Shire, Lilibet Brandybuck. Maris had been invited by Lilibet to have dinner with her and her mother, Bluebell Brandybuck, but the young girl was not too enthused to be heading over there for a meal. She would much rather have been here at home with her uncle enjoying a cup of tea and the biscuits that were made the previous day. Instead she would be surrounded by two of the most talkative women in the Shire.

Maris would have to endure, not that she minded all that much, the prattle about the most recent rumors the two Brandybuck's had been privy to. And the dark haired girl wished with all her might that they would cancel, or it would rain, or for something to happen to have her stay home. Perhaps she could find her uncle's stash of pipe-weed and claim to have fallen ill. But Maris knew that if any of this would happen, Ms. Bell would simply send Lilibet over if she was not on time. And oh did Amaryllis Baggins enjoy being late.

Or in her terms, everyone was simply early.

But Maris didn't want a brazen Lilibet inviting herself in. She would stay until late, and both Baggins needed their sleep. Plus Maris didn't want to subject her uncle to anymore of Lilibet's gossiping.

"Uncle?" Maris called out, hopeful for an answer from the kitchen. Yet she was only met with silence.

A heavy sighed escaped her as she rounded the corner into the kitchen to grab the cinnamon cookies she had made that morning for the dinner tonight. Upon reaching for the basket, Maris quickly took notice to the piece of parchment that sat on the table, weighed down by one of the painted rocks Maris gave to Bilbo.

Smiling fondly, she picked the painted rock up and placed it back in the bowl that held many other painted rocks. One for each year since she has been here with Bilbo.

Focusing her gaze back to the note, Maris lets out a small laugh as she reads the first couple words Bilbo had written:

"Do NOT let Lilibet Brandybuck into my house Amaryllis Baggins. I mean it! Do NOT be late again!"

There was more to the note, but Maris knew that when her uncle used her full name, he meant business. So she quickly tossed the note back on the table and rushed out the door towards the other end of the Shire.

─── ⊹⊱✿⊰⊹ ───

By the time she had arrived to Lilibet Brandybuck's home, the sun had already begun to fade in the sky. Maris had been admiring the colors of the sunset, wishing she could go home and capture the moment, when the door swung open to reveal one Bluebell Brandybuck. But before Maris could say anything, the older woman ushered her inside quickly towards their dining room.

"Good evening Ms. Bell." Maris mustered out as she was led, well more like pulled, to where she could only assume Lilibet was.

"You were almost late Amaryllis." Maris flinched slightly at the mention of her full name again. "I was just about to send my Lili to come retrieve you!" Maris only gave a weak chuckle as she wrung her hands together.