Heirs in Waiting - by Larner

[blslarner]

Author: Larner
Title: Heirs in Waiting
Rating: G
Theme: Waiting
Elements: Otho would have been Bilbo's heir, but for the adoption of Frodo. He read the will carefully and snorted. It was, unfortunately, very clear and correct (according to the legal customs of hobbits, which demand among other things seven signatures of witnesses in red ink

Comments

[shirebound]

And so a momentous decision is made! If Lobelia, et al. had treated Bilbo with kindness and respect, many things might have been different.

[blslarner]

Oh, I suspect that had Lobelia and Otho not been such prats far more pleasant happening would have fallen their way over the years of their marriage. Thanks so, Shirebound!

[starbrow]

This makes so much sense! I love that Bilbo gives the Sackville-Bagginses chances, but enough' enough! It all feels so hobbity - all that entangled family drama!

[blslarner]

Oh, yes. After all, family drama is often the most acrimonious, particularly when one side is prone to such selfish tendencies as those displayed by the Sackville-Bagginses! Thanks so, Starbrow.

[hhimring]

So in a way, Lalia is to blame--but only because she gave Lobelia the opportunity to do her worst!
You come up with interesting explanations why Otho and Lobelia were so obsessed with Bag End.

[blslarner]

The Master himself indicated that Otho wished to be Baggins as well as Sackville Family Head, so that idea is definitely Tolkien's. So I only had to imagine just why Lobelia would wish to be mistress of Bag End so.

Tolkien indicates that the wives often, perhaps usually, shared the duties of family headship with their husbands, and that after the death of her husband she insisted on remaining the Took rather than surrendering that duty to Fermumbras along with the title of the Thain when her husband and his father died. As she was born a Clayhanger, it appears she hated to give up all of the signs of rank she'd gathered to herself on marrying as she'd done; and now it appears that Lobelia Bracegirdle Sackville-Baggins has similar ambitions. Heh!

[lindahoyland]

Good for Bilbo to write his dire relations out of his will!

[blslarner]

Well, if anyone deserved to be disinherited, I'd think it would be Otho and Lobelia! As for Lotho--well, he managed to get himself done in through his own hubris, poor sod.

And what can I say, other than that great minds tend to think alike? Heh!

[dreamflower02]

What a fun take on Bilbo's decision! As you know, much of your ideas and mine run along the same lines, though we differ a good deal in the details!

But I have always enjoyed the thought of the S-Bs comeuppance when they are finally denied their wishes!

[blslarner]

Oh, yes, great minds DO tend to think alike, or so they say and I've seen confirmed. And I do like to think that somehow Lalia was involved in that decision.