Drabble response for dreamflower02

[auntiemeesh]

Title: Dawn's Early Light
Fandom: LotR
Rating: G
Prompt: 'We must away, ere break of day' Bilbo, The Hobbit
Disclaimer: I own nothing and make no profit.
Betaed by: dreamflower02

Dawn's Early Light

Getting up before dawn - it had always been a concept he agreed with in theory. Get up bright and early, watch the sun come up while tramping through dew-scented grasses and then find a nice little glade or stream to sit by while having a bit of something to eat and crystal clear water to drink.

The actual practice, now. That was something else again entirely. He would go to bed with the best of intentions, walking stick leaning by the door, some seedcake and cheese already bundled up in the pantry, all ready to go. Somehow, though, betwixt dusk and dawn, things changed, and he would roll out of bed, bright-eyed and ready for the day well after the sun had come up.

Looking back, he would have thought his trek with the dwarves would have changed that if nothing else, but after his triumphant return to the Shire (well, he thought it was triumphant, even if no one else thought it was much of anything but an ill-timed bother), his desire to sleep in of a morning was even stronger. He no longer even planned to be away before the break of day. He stayed up late in the evenings writing about his adventures or translating elvish poetry and then slept as late as he could possibly manage in the mornings.

It was only after young Frodo came to stay that mornings began to appeal to him once again. Somehow, the youthful enthusiasm that Frodo displayed for such things as sunrises and pre-dawn hikes was contagious, and once again Bilbo found himself crawling out of bed, bumping his shins on furniture in the dark and cursing his inability to say no to his energetic cousin. But then they would go outside, into a dawn so quiet, crisp and clean, stars just beginning to fade in the sky, early birds calling out to each other, and he would remember why this was a good idea. Then, ever so softly, he would begin to hum and soon he’d be singing, teaching Frodo the Dwarf song that started his adventure or any of the many other songs he knew or had made up along the way. Apparently, pre-dawn hikes were much more enjoyable when not accompanied by grumpy, gold-hungry dwarves.

By the time Bilbo was ready to leave Bag End and go on another great adventure, he wasn’t too terribly surprised to discover that sleeping in, while great in theory, couldn’t hold a candle to those early morning rambles and he wasn’t at all surprised, some months later, happily ensconced in Rivendell, to learn that those pre-dawn romps with Frodo were what he missed the most.

Comments

[shirebound]

But then they would go outside, into a dawn so quiet, crisp and clean, stars just beginning to fade in the sky, early birds calling out to each other, and he would remember why this was a good idea. Then, ever so softly, he would begin to hum and soon he’d be singing

those pre-dawn romps with Frodo were what he missed the most

This is lovely. So glad I checked LJ one more time before logging off for the evening! I'll try to appreciate "the crack of dawn" a bit more tomorrow morning. :)

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I have to admit, I fall on the theoretical side of appreciating early mornings. Sunrise can be very beautiful, but given my druthers, I'd much rather still be asleep. :)

[eve11]

Aw, this is very sweet. And this line made me snicker: Apparently, pre-dawn hikes were much more enjoyable when not accompanied by grumpy, gold-hungry dwarves.

hee!

And, after reading this, maybe I'll start appreciating my sunrises a little more too, since I've got to be up for them :)

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Good luck with that sunrise appreciation thing. I'll leave it to you. :)

[grey-wonderer.livejournal.com]

This is so very true. Getting up is much more enjoyable if you have someone to do things with waiting for you and encouraging you. I imagine Bilbo missed a great many things once he arrived in Rivendell. This was lovely.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Someday I'll have to try having a morning person around to teach me the value of pre-dawn. Until then, I'll leave it to the hobbits. :)

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

I really loved how you brought this piece full circle. From him being alone,to Frodo's moving into him, but that last line is so deeply moving: it sums up how much he misses Frodo and the Shire.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'm glad you liked it. :)

[lily-the-hobbit.livejournal.com]

he wasn’t at all surprised, some months later, happily ensconced in Rivendell, to learn that those pre-dawn romps with Frodo were what he missed the most.

Aww. This is very sweet. A great way to show how much Bilbo loved his nephew.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :)

[dreamflower]

Thank you so much for this, dear! I love the voice you've given Bilbo.

And there can't be too many Bilbo fics.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! I don't write Bilbo much and this blocked me for a long time, and then the other night it just all flowed out. I'm glad you liked it. :)

[ani-no-mouse.livejournal.com]

That's really nice! But, I have to admit - now that classes are over and I can set my own schedule a bit more flexibly - taking post-dawn walks is what I'm enjoying most! (Actually, today was the first day I've been healthy enough to go for a full-length walk, but it was a nice one, along Pearidge Farm Road. And the dogs were even fairly well-behaved!)

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're feeling better. Will the dogs allow you to sleep in long enough to manage post-dawn walks?

[ani-no-mouse.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah. It gets light at about 5:30, so making them wait until the sun is at least up is really not pushing them too much!