The first streaks of red and orange were being painted on the dark clouds, and the soft lighting in the east heralded the beginning of a new day. Nell threaded carefully and quietly up a winding path, past many brightly coloured hobbit holes, till she reached the largest of them all at the very top of the hill. The rythmic pattern of hoofbeats stopped and brought Laurie from her sleep. She straightened, rubbed her eyes, and grinned to find herself right at Bilbo's door. Though she had never seen it before, Nell had known right where to go and Laurie knew it as Bag End since it was the largest and most impressive hobbit hole she had ever seen. She dismounted and smoothed the wrinkles from her white dress. White is not the best colour to travel in,she thought with a sigh as she tried to brush the dust away. She straightened her shoulders and rang the doorbell.
A few moments later, a hobbit with a large belly and curly brown hair (quite the usual description for a hobbit, but what really set him apart was his bright, keen eyes) appeared, looking a little miffed at having his first breakfast interrupted. His eyes swept curiously over Laurie's dress and it was quite clear he was wondering what on earth brought her to his home so early in the day. Laurie curtsied and spoke first.
"Mr. Biblo Baggins, I presume?" He nodded in assent so she continued. "I bear a letter from Cami of the Green Dragon; she sent me to deliver it with all haste." Laurie pulled the letter from a pocket in her dress and bent to give it to the small hobbit. Bilbo broke the seal with another curious glance at Laurie, and commensed reading it carefully. By the time he reached the end, Biblo was nearly dancing with excitement, a very funny sight for a hobbit. He grabbed a quill from inside the house and scribbled a reply on the back.
"Wonderful!" he exclaimed. "Send this back straightaway!" But then he hesitated, remembering his manners. "Oh dear, terribly sorry, very rude of me, would you like some breakfast before you go?"
Laurie smiled a little, and though her stomach gave an audible rumble, she declined. "It will only make the excellent food at the Green Dragon taste even better." And before he could protest, she had mounted once more and was off.
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