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Nurumaiel · 04-16-2004, 01:18 PM

A shiver went through Anson and he put out a hand to stop Gorby, forming on his lips the word stop. Yet he never spoke that word. Rather, he stopped himself and a different kind of shiver went through him. A shiver of excitement. For a brief moment he was back in the Shire with Gorby and they were mere children. They had just discovered a secret trapdoor by Merry Brandybuck's home and were debating over whether they should open it or not.

He could smell the grass as they crouched down by it, soft curls falling in their round, inquisitive faces. Gorby had wanted to open it right away; Anson had been afraid there might be a monster locked up inside there, something Meriadoc had caught in his adventures. Gorby had gone into a long narrative of what they would do to the monster when it came up, ending with it lying slain and the two hobbit children crowned heroes for saving the Shire, and Anson had relented... in that point, at least. His next objection was that Meriadoc might not like it. Gorby hadn't been able to answer that, but he didn't care.

Gorby had pulled open the trapdoor, babbling something about hidden treasure, and when the slow creaking had died away and there was nothing but a murky blackness and a deep pit that seemed to go on forever he had lightly jumped in without hesitating. Anson, too terrified to stay by himself though the sunshine surrounded him, had followed.

Inside they had found nothing... nothing? Nay, they had found hidden treasure of a sort. All sorts of pretty baubles sat here and there, bright-colored balls and richly painted toys. They had gazed about in awe, their little fingers yearning to touch those toys and play with them. And then they had heard that loud laugh and turned and, oh the horror, seen Meriadoc Brandybuck, his gaze fixed straight at them, laughing. Anson had always felt awed by Merry Brandybuck and a bit uncertain about them. It wasn't natural for a Hobbit to go have adventures. For a moment it flashed through his mind that Meriadoc Brandybuck had gone on adventures because he was insane and now he was going to lock them up in that dark room forever.

But Meriadoc had ceased to laugh and looked about him with a helpless gesture at all the toys. "I see you've found this little lair," he said. "My children's lair." He had paused a moment, then a broad smile had come to his face. "Would you like to play with the toys?" he had asked. The two children had not answered, for they were still rather surprised, but they had eagerly leapt at those bright things and had spent a merry two hours playing, and Meriadoc Brandybuck had actually played with them.

Anson stared at this new trapdoor and a little smile flickered across his features. They might not find toys but perhaps they'd find something delightful, such as pipes and tobacco. And if they found a monster they'd just have to carry out Gorby's plan of yore.... what a shock Lira would have when she returned and found they had slain a fierce monster.

He touched Gorby's shoulder. "Let's open it."

04-16-2004, 01:18 PM	#206
Nurumaiel Vice of Twilight Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: on a mountain Posts: 1,121	Anson A shiver went through Anson and he put out a hand to stop Gorby, forming on his lips the word stop. Yet he never spoke that word. Rather, he stopped himself and a different kind of shiver went through him. A shiver of excitement. For a brief moment he was back in the Shire with Gorby and they were mere children. They had just discovered a secret trapdoor by Merry Brandybuck's home and were debating over whether they should open it or not. He could smell the grass as they crouched down by it, soft curls falling in their round, inquisitive faces. Gorby had wanted to open it right away; Anson had been afraid there might be a monster locked up inside there, something Meriadoc had caught in his adventures. Gorby had gone into a long narrative of what they would do to the monster when it came up, ending with it lying slain and the two hobbit children crowned heroes for saving the Shire, and Anson had relented... in that point, at least. His next objection was that Meriadoc might not like it. Gorby hadn't been able to answer that, but he didn't care. Gorby had pulled open the trapdoor, babbling something about hidden treasure, and when the slow creaking had died away and there was nothing but a murky blackness and a deep pit that seemed to go on forever he had lightly jumped in without hesitating. Anson, too terrified to stay by himself though the sunshine surrounded him, had followed. Inside they had found nothing... nothing? Nay, they had found hidden treasure of a sort. All sorts of pretty baubles sat here and there, bright-colored balls and richly painted toys. They had gazed about in awe, their little fingers yearning to touch those toys and play with them. And then they had heard that loud laugh and turned and, oh the horror, seen Meriadoc Brandybuck, his gaze fixed straight at them, laughing. Anson had always felt awed by Merry Brandybuck and a bit uncertain about them. It wasn't natural for a Hobbit to go have adventures. For a moment it flashed through his mind that Meriadoc Brandybuck had gone on adventures because he was insane and now he was going to lock them up in that dark room forever. But Meriadoc had ceased to laugh and looked about him with a helpless gesture at all the toys. "I see you've found this little lair," he said. "My children's lair." He had paused a moment, then a broad smile had come to his face. "Would you like to play with the toys?" he had asked. The two children had not answered, for they were still rather surprised, but they had eagerly leapt at those bright things and had spent a merry two hours playing, and Meriadoc Brandybuck had actually played with them. Anson stared at this new trapdoor and a little smile flickered across his features. They might not find toys but perhaps they'd find something delightful, such as pipes and tobacco. And if they found a monster they'd just have to carry out Gorby's plan of yore.... what a shock Lira would have when she returned and found they had slain a fierce monster. He touched Gorby's shoulder. "Let's open it."