𝔙𝔞𝔩𝔨𝔶𝔯𝔦𝔢
" drink and dance the night away "
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
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Gandalf pushed the gate of Bag End open, Maleficent chuckling at the sing hung on it, and made his way up the stone path to the door. The woman followed behind him closely as her wings fluffed up excitedly. It had been a while since she last saw her dear friend and she was going to make up for her absence. She just didn't know how yet. Gandalf rapped on the door with the bottom of his staff before a muffled and familiar voice came from behind the green wood.
"No thank you! We don't want any more visitors, well-wishers or distant relations!"
The brunette laughed and called out to the hobbit "what about very old friends?"
The round entrance, still the same shade of forest green as 60 years ago, creaked open and an elderly man appeared. His curly hair had long gone grey but his round eyes still held that playfully spark of adventure and youth. Bilbo gave the two sorcerers looks of disbelief as he stepped further into the light of the outside.
"Gandalf?" He laughed weakly "Maleficent?"
"Bilbo Baggins!" The old wizard boomed with a joyful laugh. They pair hugged before the hobbit shuffled around the man towards the winged woman. She crouched and opened her arms with a bright smile. They embraced tightly, the woman's feathers quivering in excitement, while the old halfling laughed. They're missed each other more then they thought they had.
"Still as beautiful as ever I see" Bilbo chuckled as he pulled back.
Maleficent placed a small kiss on his forehead "while you haven't aged a day!"
"Come on, come in! Welcome, welcome! Oh, here we are."
Bilbo retreats back into his home and holds the door open for his friends as he ushered them in. Maleficent took a deep breath of that familiar and homely smell that instantly made her relax and sigh with contentment. As the door closed behind them, everything unfamiliar was locked out and they were surrounded in the air of safety. He took Gandalf's hat and staff, Maleficents own one being shrunk to fit into her dress pocket, and began to walk deeper into his home.
"Tea?" Bilbo called over his shoulder "Or maybe something a little stronger? I've got a few bottles of the Old Winyard left. 1296. Very good year. Almost as old as I am! Hahaha! It was laid down by my father. What say we open one, eh?"
"Just tea, thank you." Both Maleficent an Gandalf answered.
Gandalf backs into a the chandelier then turns and bumps his head onto the beam. He let out as gasp as the brunette woman chuckled softly. He rubs his forehead and walked into Bilbo's study. Maleficent followed, wings tucked tightly to her back, with her head bowed so her horns didn't scrape the ceiling. It had happened a few times before. The old wizard looked at the papers on the desk, a map of The Lonely Mountain among them. Bilbo continues to talk to the two about what there was to eat.
"I was expecting you sometime last week. Not that it matters. You come and go as you please. Always have done and always will. You caught me a bit unprepared, I'm afraid. We've got cold chicken and a bit of pickle... there's some cheese here. Oh no it won't do. We've got raspberry jam, an apple tart... But not much for afters – Oh, no, we're all right. I've just found some sponge cake."
Bilbo entered the study, looking for Gandalf and Maleficent, who had left "I could make you some eggs if you'd like- Oh. Gandalf? Mal?."
Gandalf peers into the study from the kitchen behind Bilbo. The woman was bustling about getting cups for them, being careful with the older china.
"Just tea, thank you."
"Oh, right." Bilbos huffed before stuffing a small cake into his mouth "You don't mind if I eat, do you?"
Gandalf sat down at the table which was now set with cups. Maleficent sat beside him with her ankles crossed under her dress. "No, not at all."
A sharp knock rocked the green door as a shrill woman's voice came through the wood. Maleficent huffed and leaned forward in her seat to peer down the hall at the door. She couldn't see out the window.
"Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins!" The woman cried out angrily.
Bilbo throws himself towards the wall, choking on his food, in a desperate attempt to hide. Then he turned to his two friends, and whispered harshly. His eyes were wide with terror.
"I'm not at home!"
He tiptoed over to the window in the study, taking a peek at who was outside. Maleficent waited patiently for a name but she already had an inkling about who it was.
"It's the Sackville-Bagginses." Bilbo hissed.
"I know you're in there!" The woman hissed again.
"Wasn't she the one that stole your spoons?" The witch hummed. Bilbo told her about when he came back, they were auctioning off his things and that Lobelia was running off with his silverware. Bilbo nodded sharply.
"They're after the house. And I still haven't gotten all my spoons back!"
Bilbo turned around briskly and quietly entered the kitchen again, still whispering as a frown settled on his aged face.
"They've never forgiven me for living this long." He went over to the little round window in the kitchen and looked out "I've got to get away from these confounded relatives hanging on the bell all day. They never give me a moment's peace! I want to see mountains again. Mountains, my dear! And then find somewhere quiet where I can finish my book. Oh, tea!" Bilbo took the tea off the fire with a towel.
"So you mean to go through with your plan, then." Gandalf huffed.
"Yes, yes. It's all in hand. All the arrangements are made." Gandalf opened the lid on the pot "Oh, thank you."
"Frodo suspects something." Maleficent pointed out as she sipped her freshly poured tea. It was made perfectly with a good bit of milk and a lot of sugar.
"Of course he does. He's a Baggins!" The hobbit huffed proudly "Not some block-headed Bracegirdle from Hardbottle."
"You will tell him, won't you?" She pressed.
"Yes, yes." Bilbo huffed.
"He's very fond of you." Maleficent smiled softly.
"I know. He'd probably come with me if I asked him. I think in his heart, Frodo's still in love with the Shire. The woods, the fields. Little rivers. I am old. I know I don't look it, but I'm beginning to feel it in my heart"
He began to with the golden ring in his pocket subtly. Gandalf notices this but keeps silent. Bilbo sits down and joins Gandalf and Maleficent at the table as he sighed from tiredness.
"I feel thin. Sort of stretched like butter scraped over too much bread. I need a holiday. A very long holiday. And I don't expect I shall return. In fact, I mean not to."
Gandalf and Bilbo later sat outside Bag End, each with a pipe in their mouth. Maleficent was crouched by the flower bed, not being a smoker, and was fixing some of the flower beds. She used her magic to make them flourish in the night like little jewels and made the bluebells shine softly like little lanterns. The two looked at the field where the party is to be held, the tents set up and the lanterns being lit as night approaches. Maleficent glanced at them and smile at the old hobbit as he blew a smoke ring.
"Old Toby." Bilbos voice was content and soft "The finest weed in the Southfarthing."
Bilbo blew a second ring of smoke which was bigger than the first. Gandalf smiles and blew a ship of smoke, sailing trough the smoke ring that Bilbo made. It disappeared and faded into the night as Maleficent sat beside them.
"Gandalf, Maleficent, my old friends this will be a night to remember."
A huge firework explodes ever the party field below, showering the crowd in sparks, which disappear right before they hit the Hobbits. A lot of Hobbits dance, eat, drink and talk with each other. Maleficent laughed as she span and danced with a small little girl, other children admiring and cooing over her wings. Bilbo greats guests before Maleficent sat her self down on a bench with a huff. Her wings were lose against her back, brushing the floor as she took deep breaths to calm her racing heart. She hasn't had this much fun in years.
Frodo was dancing, and so was Rosie. The brunette witch watched them and laughed when Frodo waved at her excitedly. Sam was watching from his seat beside her, looking at Rosie wistfully as he slowly began to blush. Frodo dropped down beside beside him with a huff.
"Go on Sam! Ask Rosie for a dance." The black haired boy pushed softly.
"I think I'll just have another ale."
"Oh, no, you don't. Go on!" Frodo pushed his friend towards the field where he was instantly pulled into dancing with Rosie. Maleficent laughed with the young hobbit. The woman's laughter was cut short as Frodo sprang from his seat and grabbed her hand. Her wings curled against her back quickly as she danced with her friends nephew. After tiring out the witch by dancing nonstop, Frodo ran off to find his uncle. Maleficent huffed and sat down with a hand over her heart. Her pale cheeks were flushed with color while her ruby red lips were pulled into a beautiful smile. Her eyes flickered upward when a large firework exploded in a flurry of red and orange sparks.
The crowd starts to clap and cheer as they watch. The red cluster shifts and grows bigger, a pair of wings bursting into existence as the original spark shifts and turns into the head of a dragon. The crowd gasp and screech, running from the firework as it drew near. Maleficent watched as it flew above her, the hobbits dropping to the ground. The dragon dissolved above the cliffs before aloud exploration ripped through the night and masses of summer colors burst to life in the night. The crowd and Maleficent cheered and clapped at the magnificent magical firework.
"Speech, Bilbo, speech!" A hobbit in the crow cried out before said hobbit climbed onto the stage. He bowed playfully. Maleficent stood in the back with the old wizard and clapped with the rest of the part goers.
"My dear Bagginses and Boffins, Tooks and Brandybucks, Grubbs, Chubbs, Hornblowers, Bolgers, Bracegirdles and Proudfoots."
"Proudfeet!" A Hobbit in the crowd called out gruffly. Bilbo shook him off and everyone laughed. He continued his speech.
"Today is my 111th birthday! 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 than half of you half as well as you deserve."
The hobbits seem to not know how to take what Bilbo just said. They look at each other in confusion. Bilbo pulls the ring out of his pocket and strokes it behind his back. Gandalf watches closely, suspecting something, while Maleficent tilted her head in confusion. Frodo watches, his smile slowly vanishing.
"I, uh, I have things to do. I've put this off for far too long.I regret to announce this is the end! I am going now. I bid you all a very fond farewell." His eyes flickered to his nephew "Goodbye"
Pain and dread instantly shocked Maleficents heart as she cried out of shock, wings shuddering and legs giving out. Her slim hand flew to her chest as her eyes clenched shut. Shudders rushed down her spine. She hasn't felt him in almost 60 years yet a soon as Bilbo disappeared it all came flooding back. Gandalf dropped to her side, eyes swimming with worry, but she brushed him off as the pain faded. He knew what was wrong.
He helped the drained woman to her feet and, before the hobbits could question what they saw, whisked her away to Bag End. They raced up the winding road of the Shire, Maleficents wings dragging behind her slightly ,before they came to the familiar garden. The door was unlocked so they entered the dimly lit home. Bilbo was bustling about as he laughed to himself and packed a big.
"I suppose you think that was terribly clever." Gandalf's deep voice frightened Bilbo, making the old hobbit gasp and place a hand over his heart. His fear fell away into laughter, not noticing Maleficent leaning against the wall heavily. Her hear still beat painfully fast while her mind was racing with dark memories and thoughts.
"Come on, Gandalf! Did you see their faces?"
The old wizard ignored his jest and instead hissed in a warning ton "There are many magic rings in this world Bilbo Baggins and none of them should be used lightly."
"It was just a bit of fun!" The hobbit counter before sighing "Oh, you're probably right, as usual. You will keep an eye on Frodo, won't you?"
Bilbo continues packing his stuff for the journey with less enthusiasm than before. Maleficent watched, each breath being labored and tired, but smile sadly.
"Two eyes. As often as I can spare them."
"And you, Maleficent? He's very fond of you"
The witch smiled and stood straighter "I plan to stay a while. I have had enough traveling to last me a lifetime"
Bilbo smiled and nodded approvingly "I'm leaving everything to him."
"What about this Ring of yours, is that staying too?" Gandalf pointed out as he watched his friend closely.
"Yes, yes. It's in an envelope over there on the mantelpiece." He sighed. Gandalf went to the mantelpiece looking for the envelope, giving the brunette woman a concerned glance as he passed, but froze when the hobbit continued to speak.
"No. Wait, it's here in my pocket." He pulled out the Ring and stared at it intently. His voice grew hoarse and wispy as his finger ghosted over the gold band."Heh, isn't that–? Isn't that odd, now? Yet, after all, why not? Why shouldn't I keep it?"
"I think you should leave the Ring behind, Bilbo. Is it that hard?" Maleficent advised as she kept her distance from the hobbit and that monstrous and powerful ring he held in his hand. She could feel the malice and hate rolling off it, surrounding the band and filling the room like a smog, while her chest jumped in pain. Her great wings curled again her back tightly.
"Well no." Biblo hummed before his voice snapped and turned angry and defensive. "And yes! Now it comes to it. I don't feel like parting with it. Its mine. I found it! It came to me!"
"There's no need to get angry." Gandalf tried to calm the hobbit, who shuffled about nervously as he held the cursed ring closer. He shifted on front of the pale witch.
Bilbo turned towards Gandalf with a furious look on his face. His voice was rough while his lips, normally covered with a jolly smile, were pulled into a viscous snarl. "Well, if I'm angry, it's your fault!" His voice went wispy and dark as he continued to stroke the ring "It's mine! My own. My precious."
"Precious?" Maleficent hissed as she took at step closer "Its been called that before, but not by you."
"Argh!" Bilbo cried out making the witch reel back slightly "What business is it of yours what I do with my own things!"
"I think you've had that Ring quite long enough." Gandalf hissed as he took at stride towards the halfling.
Bilbo shook his fists at the wizard as he growled, almost like a cornered animal, at him "You want it for yourself!"
Maleficents mouth dropped open in shock as she gasped out her friends name, appalled at the accusation, while Gandalf took a threatening step forward. Shadows snaked across the wall, the firelight dimming in the presence of magic, while the wooden beams seemed to creak and moan.
"Bilbo Baggins!" The old man's voice was dark as Bilbo jumped back towards the wall behind him in fright "Do not take me for some conjurer of cheap tricks. We are not trying to rob you."
The room fade again into beautiful fire light as Gandalf softened his voice "We're trying to help you."
Bilbo rans into Gandalf's arms, weeping, while Maleficent pushed herself off the wall and towards her friends. She placed a gentle hand on the hobbits shoulder, Bilbo placing his own weathered one over her own. His watery eyes met her own and she gave him a calming and loving smile.
"All your long years, we've been friends. Trust me as you once did. Let it go." Gandalf encouraged gently.
"You're right, Gandalf. The Ring must go to Frodo. It's late. The road is long. Yes, it is time."
The old hobbit picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder before walking towards the door. It creaked on its golden hinges as it opened and started to walk out. Maleficent called after him, worry still laced in her velvet voice, while the firelight danced in her jewel like eyes "Bilbo, the ring is still in your pocket."
Bilbo stops and looked at Maleficent before realization flickered across his face "Oh, yes.."
He took the golden Ring out of his pocket and looked at it with a stern face. Dark whispers and hate radiated from the plain looking piece of jewelry. Maleficent narrowed her eyes at it but smiled at the hobbit. Slowly, he tipped his hand, letting the ring fall to the floor. It slammed to the floor with a heavy and flat thud. It did not bounce for the weight of the evil it carried was unmeasurable. Quickly, Bilbo strode out, but stopped a few strides from the door and took deep calming breaths breaths. His eyes were clear while his heart felt light. Gandalf and Maleficent came out after him with light footsteps. He turned to them with a wishful smile.
"I've thought of an ending for my book" Biblo hummed softly ":"And he lived happily ever after to the end of his days."
"And I'm sure you will, my dear friend." Gandalf's voice was soft as himself and Maleficent lowered themselves to his height.
"Goodbye, Gandalf." Biblo said solemnly as they shook hands.
"Goodbye, dear Bilbo"
"Goodbye, Maleficent"
The witch smiled and placed a small kiss on his forehead "Goodbye, my dear"
He turned and skipped out of the gate, down the road going east, singing softly into the star filled night. Maleficent stood and watched with a calm gaze as her old friend started his final journey.
"Until our next meeting." The wizard smiled.