B2MeM Challenge: Art Supplies: N-41, "Easel"; Food: N-41, "Tarts"
Format: Tribble (tripple drabble, 300 words)
Title:The Portrait
Genre: Character Study
Rating: G
Warnings: N /A
Characters: Bilbo, Frodo, Calla Brandybuck (OFC)
Pairings: N/A
Author's Notes: Calla Brandybuck is one of my OCs, and has appeared in a few stories, most notably "Cousin Calla". She is one of Frodo's Brandybuck cousins, and he took art lessons from her during the time he lived in Brandy Hall. Dahlia, who is briefly mentioned, is another OFC, Merry's nursemaid.
Summary: Cousin Calla is painting a very special portrait.

Calla tucked a stray curl behind her ear, glancing from the sketch upon her easel to the subjects in front of her. From Halimath to Foreyule one of her subjects had grown.

Never mind, she anticipated that, and it was no problem. A few swift adjustments to the sketch and she picked up her palette to begin painting.

They sat before her, the older hobbit seated, holding a book, the younger standing behind, his hand on the older one's shoulder. Both looked stiff and nervous.

But Calla wasn't the sort of artist who required her subjects to sit unmoving for hours. She was far more interested in capturing the play of light and shadow upon faces animated and unaware. Without looking up from her paints, she said, "Frodo, have you told Cousin Bilbo what Merry did to the mince tarts last Mersday?"

She was rewarded by a peal of laughter from Frodo, and glanced up. There! That was the glow of paternal pride and genuine interest she'd hoped for on Bilbo's face, and Frodo was flushed with glee as he spoke. "Ha! Uncle Bilbo, the little imp slipped away from Dahlia. He and Beri sneaked into the second kitchen, lifted the tops off the mince tarts and ate the filling!"

Now Bilbo laughed. Calla found herself falling into that state of mind in which part of her was utterly absorbed with the task of choosing brush, stroke and colour, while another part was acutely aware of every nuance of her models.

"They might have got away with it, if their breath had not reeked of fruit and spices when the trick was discovered. Merry was angry when Uncle Rory blamed Beri on account of his being older. 'It was my idea, Grand-da!' "

Calla laughed. This was going to be fun.