The Allure of Books
Mar. 26th, 2017 01:24 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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b2memB2MeM Prompt and Path:Books, Red
Format:Short Story
Genre:Gapfiller
Rating:PG
Warnings:None
Characters:Bilbo, Elrond, Gandalf, Erestor
Pairings:None
Creator’s Notes:Tolkien provided the sandbox, I merely play with the bucket and shovel he left behind. No profit of any kind is made from my fanworks.
Summary:Bilbo travelled after his famous Birthday Party, finally ending up in Rivendell where he lived until his final journey to the Havens and the Everlasting West. What could keep a hobbit happy in an elven sanctuary for so many years?
The Allure of Books
He was welcomed by a seneschal and shown to a chamber that was prepared for him with smaller furniture, a couple of comfortable chairs in front of a hearth and a sturdy but elegant bed with feather ticking that was set lower to the floor than elves would require. After he had an opportunity to refresh himself with a bath and a small meal, Gandalf knocked on Bilbo's door.
"Bilbo? If you're ready, Lord Elrond would like to welcome you to Rivendell."
"Oh, oh my. Well," said the old hobbit, bustling about, putting on his waistcoat, checking to make sure his neck scarf was properly tied, and pulling a quick comb though his hair. "We mustn't keep him waiting, must we? Do I look all right?"
Gandalf chuckled kindly. "You look just fine, Bilbo. It is the hobbit he wants to meet, not the clothing." He turned and indicated the open doorway. "Shall we?"
After a short walk down a connecting passageway, Gandalf stopped at a nondescript door and knocked firmly. "He sometimes gets involved in his work and doesn't hear the knock," he whispered to the hobbit.
"I heard that, Gandalf," came a voice from the other side of the door. "Enter, my friends. Please, come in."
Bilbo walked into Elrond's study, his eyes scanning the shelves of books and scrolls, the broad windows allowing excellent natural lighting. Elrond's large desk was set in indirect light under a glazed rooftop opening allowing for even more diffused light. His eyes moved repeatedly to the shelves, their books calling to him. Multicolored bindings of red, green, blue, and brown, mixed in no seeming order. His hands itched to see them closer.
"Welcome to Imladris, Bilbo Baggins," Elrond said as he came around his desk to stand in front of the hobbit.
"Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo," Bilbo replied, barely tripping over the Elven words.
Elrond smiled at the courtesy exhibited by his newest resident. "I hope your rooms are set up to your satisfaction? If there is something you need, merely mention it to me at any time."
"Well, to be honest, there is just one thing," Bilbo stammered out, then stopped, uncertain, rocking from foot to foot. He took a deep breath and started again. "Just one small thing."
Elrond looked at him encouragingly, and squatted down to better look the hobbit eye-to-eye. "Please, what can I do to make you feel welcome and at home here?"
"Books."
"Books?" Elrond repeated, casting a quizzical glance at Gandalf who seemed to be holding in laughter.
"Yes, well sir, I've got these wonderful shelves in my room, but no books on them. They're naked … empty. Gandalf said you have a wonderful library, and I'm a bit of a scholar … well, I dabble in history and lore and songs and stories and," he coughed in embarrassment. "Books, sir elf. I need books."
Elrond laughed gently as he stood back up. "Books you want, and books, my small-statured scholar, you shall have. Come with me. I shall introduce you to our Librarian, Erestor." They walked into the hallway and started retracing their steps toward the hobbit's chambers, stopping at a door located halfway between Elrond's study and Bilbo's rooms. "Mind you, if you return anything in poor condition or put a book back in the wrong place, he is fierce. But if you are a true scholar, Erestor will become your best friend and he will find the most amazing tomes for you."
Elrond threw open the door to the library and Bilbo walked in, his breath leaving him as he saw row upon row of books as far as he could see. "Oh my!" he squeaked. A lean, dark-haired elf in a sensible robe with a few ink stains on the front lapel turned a corner, stopped, and bowed in their direction.
"Lord Elrond."
"A scholar to introduce to you, Erestor. This is Bilbo Baggins from the Shire. He will be living here now and he wanted to see the library. I trust I can leave him in your capable hands?"
"An honor, sir." The elf turned his attention to Bilbo. "What are you currently studying?"
"Well, I was working on an examination of different forms of the 'Lay of Lúthien'," Bilbo answered as he walked toward the Librarian.
"Oh! Have you ever read Daeron's original version? Of course, the actual parchments were lost during the aftermath of the War of Wrath. However, we have a transcription from late in that Age, carried out by a refugee. It is a fascinating scroll. How's your ancient Sindarin?"
Erestor disappeared into the stacks followed by Bilbo who was excitedly expounding on the differences between linguistic variants over time.
"I think he'll be very happy here, Elrond," Gandalf said as the two old friends left the library and began the return to Elrond's study. "It's kind of you to open your doors to a hobbit."
"I am looking forward to getting to know him. He is quite an extraordinary person, is he not? I think Erestor may have finally met his match." The two friends were laughing as they turned the corner.
Format:Short Story
Genre:Gapfiller
Rating:PG
Warnings:None
Characters:Bilbo, Elrond, Gandalf, Erestor
Pairings:None
Creator’s Notes:Tolkien provided the sandbox, I merely play with the bucket and shovel he left behind. No profit of any kind is made from my fanworks.
Summary:Bilbo travelled after his famous Birthday Party, finally ending up in Rivendell where he lived until his final journey to the Havens and the Everlasting West. What could keep a hobbit happy in an elven sanctuary for so many years?
The Allure of Books
He was welcomed by a seneschal and shown to a chamber that was prepared for him with smaller furniture, a couple of comfortable chairs in front of a hearth and a sturdy but elegant bed with feather ticking that was set lower to the floor than elves would require. After he had an opportunity to refresh himself with a bath and a small meal, Gandalf knocked on Bilbo's door.
"Bilbo? If you're ready, Lord Elrond would like to welcome you to Rivendell."
"Oh, oh my. Well," said the old hobbit, bustling about, putting on his waistcoat, checking to make sure his neck scarf was properly tied, and pulling a quick comb though his hair. "We mustn't keep him waiting, must we? Do I look all right?"
Gandalf chuckled kindly. "You look just fine, Bilbo. It is the hobbit he wants to meet, not the clothing." He turned and indicated the open doorway. "Shall we?"
After a short walk down a connecting passageway, Gandalf stopped at a nondescript door and knocked firmly. "He sometimes gets involved in his work and doesn't hear the knock," he whispered to the hobbit.
"I heard that, Gandalf," came a voice from the other side of the door. "Enter, my friends. Please, come in."
Bilbo walked into Elrond's study, his eyes scanning the shelves of books and scrolls, the broad windows allowing excellent natural lighting. Elrond's large desk was set in indirect light under a glazed rooftop opening allowing for even more diffused light. His eyes moved repeatedly to the shelves, their books calling to him. Multicolored bindings of red, green, blue, and brown, mixed in no seeming order. His hands itched to see them closer.
"Welcome to Imladris, Bilbo Baggins," Elrond said as he came around his desk to stand in front of the hobbit.
"Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo," Bilbo replied, barely tripping over the Elven words.
Elrond smiled at the courtesy exhibited by his newest resident. "I hope your rooms are set up to your satisfaction? If there is something you need, merely mention it to me at any time."
"Well, to be honest, there is just one thing," Bilbo stammered out, then stopped, uncertain, rocking from foot to foot. He took a deep breath and started again. "Just one small thing."
Elrond looked at him encouragingly, and squatted down to better look the hobbit eye-to-eye. "Please, what can I do to make you feel welcome and at home here?"
"Books."
"Books?" Elrond repeated, casting a quizzical glance at Gandalf who seemed to be holding in laughter.
"Yes, well sir, I've got these wonderful shelves in my room, but no books on them. They're naked … empty. Gandalf said you have a wonderful library, and I'm a bit of a scholar … well, I dabble in history and lore and songs and stories and," he coughed in embarrassment. "Books, sir elf. I need books."
Elrond laughed gently as he stood back up. "Books you want, and books, my small-statured scholar, you shall have. Come with me. I shall introduce you to our Librarian, Erestor." They walked into the hallway and started retracing their steps toward the hobbit's chambers, stopping at a door located halfway between Elrond's study and Bilbo's rooms. "Mind you, if you return anything in poor condition or put a book back in the wrong place, he is fierce. But if you are a true scholar, Erestor will become your best friend and he will find the most amazing tomes for you."
Elrond threw open the door to the library and Bilbo walked in, his breath leaving him as he saw row upon row of books as far as he could see. "Oh my!" he squeaked. A lean, dark-haired elf in a sensible robe with a few ink stains on the front lapel turned a corner, stopped, and bowed in their direction.
"Lord Elrond."
"A scholar to introduce to you, Erestor. This is Bilbo Baggins from the Shire. He will be living here now and he wanted to see the library. I trust I can leave him in your capable hands?"
"An honor, sir." The elf turned his attention to Bilbo. "What are you currently studying?"
"Well, I was working on an examination of different forms of the 'Lay of Lúthien'," Bilbo answered as he walked toward the Librarian.
"Oh! Have you ever read Daeron's original version? Of course, the actual parchments were lost during the aftermath of the War of Wrath. However, we have a transcription from late in that Age, carried out by a refugee. It is a fascinating scroll. How's your ancient Sindarin?"
Erestor disappeared into the stacks followed by Bilbo who was excitedly expounding on the differences between linguistic variants over time.
"I think he'll be very happy here, Elrond," Gandalf said as the two old friends left the library and began the return to Elrond's study. "It's kind of you to open your doors to a hobbit."
"I am looking forward to getting to know him. He is quite an extraordinary person, is he not? I think Erestor may have finally met his match." The two friends were laughing as they turned the corner.
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