little gentleman

Bilbo thought the headache was just from the fatigue of the journey, but the next day he found that not only was the headache unrelieved, but he also had a sore throat and dry mouth, and he was obviously ill.

The Rosso family received another invitation from King Thranduil, asking them to have tea in the afternoon.Rosso thought it would be in bad manners not to go, but in view of Bilbo's health, both Rose and Merry were uneasy.

"I can stay with you, Bilbo," said Merry.

"Dear cousin Merry, although I am also very worried about Bilbo's health, King Thranduil's note clearly stated that 'Mr. Baggins and his nephew are invited to come to the humble house together', it would be impolite for you not to go. "Rosso disagreed with Merry staying.

"But it is inhumane to leave a sick companion at home. King Thranduil will definitely forgive my absence." Meri still insisted.

Bilbo pushed Merry's arm: "Merry, you go, I'm just a little unwell, and I'll be fine after a day of rest." Bilbo knew his health condition, and he believed that he would get better soon.

"You see, Mr. Baggins said so." Rosso said and pulled Merry away.

"But..." Merry was involuntarily dragged away by the lumbering Rosso, and looked back at Bilbo uncertainly before going out.

When everyone had left, Bilbo stretched contentedly, raised his soft little arms above his head, and let them down to rub his curly hair. He said to himself, It’s unimaginable that the Rosso’s family will spend an afternoon quietly! Even if you’re a little unwell, this afternoon will still be wonderful.” He walked slowly towards the kitchen, a little dizzy, but it didn’t prevent him from performing his cooking skills.He prepared simple tea for himself--simple by Hobbit standards--and cleared away the small table by the window in the drawing room, which was the sunniest spot in the room and was very warm.While the water was boiling in the kettle, Bilbo's four licorice cakes came out of the oven, and he put them on lovely plates, poured the boiling water into the teapot, and served them all on the little tea-table by the window.

Bilbo had just poured himself his first cup of tea when there was an untimely knock on the door.Bilbo put down the teapot with some displeasure, but suddenly a little anticipation arose: maybe it was Dan who came to visit him!He ran briskly to open the door, with an unconscious smile on his face.

Outside the door is Thorin.

Bilbo's smile froze on his face in embarrassment, but he found that Thorin was different from usual. The handsome face of the King of the Mountain was obviously worried.

"How do you do... come in please," stammered Bilbo.

Thorin's reaction was half a beat slow: he was fascinated by the appearance of the hobbit, the little guy's plump face was flushed with low fever, his curly hair was playful and cute, and he looked lazy and casual.

"I heard that you are ill." Thorin's tone was a bit stiff.

Bilbo felt strange. Thorin seemed to want to show that his purpose was to visit a sick person, but this tone really doubted his sincerity.

"It's just a little ailment, and it'll be over soon," said Bilbo. "Please take care of me."

Then there was an unsettling silence, when Bilbo invited Thorin to sit down with him, poured him a cup of hot tea, and gave him two licorice cakes reluctantly.

Sorin frowned and looked at the cake on the plate. In the afternoon tea of ​​the royal family, there would not be a whole piece of big cake, they would only eat small pieces that had been cut.And this amount is too big, dwarves have a lot of food, but few people eat to their heart's content during afternoon tea time.

Bilbo did not realize this, and was happily cutting his cake into uneven pieces with the knife.Sorin looked at him with gentle eyes, and the appearance of those nimble little hands holding the small table knife was a pleasant picture. Apart from being with his sister and nephew, it was difficult for Sorin to think about other things. Feel happy.Hobbits always have a happy expression when they eat. It is a kind of joy from the heart. Only people who live a simple and optimistic life can have such an expression.

"Don't you think it's not to your taste?" Bilbo's doubtful voice woke up Thorin who was in a daze.

It was only then that Thorin realized that he had been staring at Bilbo. The other party's tea had already gone down more than half, but the tea in front of him had not moved at all.He quickly picked up the teacup and brought it to his lips, the tea was already half cold.

"You don't like licorice cake?" asked Bilbo cautiously. He didn't know the taste of the royal family, but the hobbit's biggest worry was not being able to satisfy the appetite of his guests.

"Uh... no, I like it very much." Thorin hurriedly cut open the cake, picked up a small piece and put it in his mouth, it was even more delicious than imagined, "Very good, you are an amazing cook."

Bilbo smiled with satisfaction, and though Thorin was not a welcome guest, at least he had good taste: "I'm not much of a cook, but I dare say my licorice cake is the best in the Shire! "

"I believe." Thorin smiled a rare, dignified smile that made his melancholy blue eyes all the more charming.

Bilbo's spoon fell to the floor.

The sound of the spoon falling pulled Bilbo out of Thorin's blue-eyed spell, and as he stooped to pick it up he complained inwardly of his gaffe, how he was making a fool of himself in front of the king like a country boy who had never seen the world. ?Although he is indeed a countryman who has never seen the world.

But the spoon fell to Thorin's feet, and it was impossible to pick it up unless he crawled under the table.While Bilbo was hesitating, Thorin picked up the spoon and put it in his hand.

"Thank... thank you." Bilbo felt his face was going to burn, the most embarrassing thing was to be seen by this arrogant guy!

"Are you not well?" Thorin looked dreamily at Bilbo's flushed face. "It seems that the climate of Mirkwood is not suitable for you little hobbits."

Dwarves are not much taller than hobbits!Bilbo retorted inwardly.

"No, I'm just not careful... I'm not always like that, I mean I'm usually a cautious person, Hobbiton people think so, at least I don't usually drop my spoon on the floor..." Bilbo explained incoherently.

Bilbo didn't notice, Thorin's expression became more gentle, and the king said slowly, "You must like Hobbiton very much."

"Every hobbit loves Hobbiton, our grandparents lived there," said Bilbo proudly.

"But Mr. Rosso Sackville Baggins has moved out." Thorin looked at the tidy living room. "It seems that he married a good wife."

"Little Mei is a good girl, and I'm sorry she's married so far away," said Bilbo. "It takes days and days to go back to her mother's house."

"As far as I know, the income of Sackville Baggins and his wife is not bad, and they should be able to afford the travel expenses." Thorin was thinking about another problem.

Bilbo thought annoyed that these high royals would never understand the troubles of common people, and he said, somewhat angrily, "But hobbits don't like to travel, and it makes us sad to be so far from home."

Thorin moved his chair closer, leaned forward, and said with a smile, "I suppose you won't stay in Hobbiton forever?"

Bilbo was startled by Thorin's strange behavior. He sat stiff in his chair, looked nervously at Thorin who was approaching, and could not speak a word.

Seeing Bilbo's embarrassment, Thorin realized that his behavior was inappropriate, and hurriedly moved his chair away: "I mean, you like adventure stories, and you also yearn for the outside world. You shouldn't limit your eyes to a small place. One day you will embark on a journey full of surprises."

Bilbo smiled and shook his little head. "I have dreamed of it, but it was decades ago, when I was a boy wielding a wooden sword."

At this time, the Rossos and Merry came back, and Thorin got up to leave.

After Thorin left, Merry said to Bilbo in surprise, "My God! He came to see you! My dear Bilbo, I think Mr. Thorin must be in love with you!"

"I don't think so. He looks like an unexpected visitor," laughed Bilbo.He didn't know why Thorin came, maybe he didn't want to be embarrassed by staying in King Thranduil's palace - Legolas must be there too.

Meili shook her head: "So he came to see you! I thought he just didn't want to sit in the same room with us!"

Merry told Bilbo what had happened today: when the Lothors and Merry arrived at the palace, they saw Thorin and Dann there, and a strange young dwarf, but Legolas was not there.When they explained to King Thranduil the reason for Bilbo's absence, Thorin hurriedly left, saying that he needed to leave for a while.

"It seems that he came to see you specially!" Merry said with certainty, "Mr. Thorin must like you, he seems to have noticed you a long time ago!" Merry recalled that Thorin had invited Bilbo when he was in Shire. dancing, and at the time, as he himself was enduring Rosso's advances, he paid no attention to Bilbo's affairs.

"Ha! If that noble king likes hobbits, he should know that hobbits don't like unexpected visits!" Bilbo was still dismayed at having to give Thorin half his tea, and the hobbits didn't like it. They are not stingy, but they hope that the host will be notified before the guests come to visit, so that they can prepare enough food to entertain the guests, otherwise it will appear that the host is not generous and hospitable.

"Oh, Bilbo! he's a dwarf!" laughed Merry, thinking of another thing. "Have you written to Frodo? I'm going to the inn with Missy, and I can send you a letter. "

Bilbo took out the sealed letter and gave it to Merry. He was very worried about his dear nephew, and was looking forward to ending his journey in Mirkwood and returning to Frodo.

But leaving means being far away from Legolas again. Thinking of the beautiful elf prince, Bilbo felt a little melancholy.But he was not as melancholy as he thought, Xiaomei's banana pie soon lifted his spirits, and the physical discomfort from last night to this morning suddenly disappeared.