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Old 08-27-2006, 01:36 PM   #277
Folwren
Messenger of Hope
 
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States.
Posts: 5,228
Folwren is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.Folwren is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
Everything was finally slowing down. The dwarves and elves were picking up instruments, about to begin their promised songs, a group outside the door of the inn was listening to tales of another dwarf, and everyone else was waiting for the music. Dick sat down thankfully in the kitchen with a sigh. Gable and Cela were still working side by side at the counter, finishing up the necessary work.

Dick glanced up when he heard his name called from just outside the door. “Dick?” Lilly came into the kitchen, her shawl draped over her shoulders. “Dick, have you seen Daisy and Dorlind? I haven’t set eyes on them since they were in here eating dinner.”

Dick shook his head. “I don’t know where they are. Oh, wait,” he said after a pause. “I think I can guess. There’s a dwarf outside telling some story or other about a dragon, I think. They asked me earlier if they could listen, but I don’t think I answered them. They’re probably out there. Why?”

“I’m ready to go home and put those two to bed. They’ve got to be tired out.”

“They probably are,” Dick said, smiling. He took out his pipe and a pouch with some leaf in it. “Find them, and if they are listening to the story, let them stay until it’s finished.”

“Alright, dear. I’ll do that.” She leaned across the table for a kiss and once she’d gotten it, she headed towards the door. “Goodnight, Cela and Gable,” she said as she passed.

Lilly quietly made her way around to the front of the inn. A single lantern, it’s shutters fully opened, lit the darkness outside of it. In the circle of light, the dwarven storyteller sat, a handful of an audience around him, deeply enthralled in his story. Directly before him sat two children that Lilly didn’t know, and to his right sat the twins. An elf sat listening also, to her great surprise, his bright eyes fixed on the dwarf. Lilly took a step forward, her eyes fixed on the elf. This was certainly not one of that race who had come earlier.

She stopped outside the ring of light to wait and listen until the tale was ended.

--

Dick

The innkeeper sat at the kitchen table. He turned his unlit pipe around in his hand, looking hard at it, considering. After a moment, he sighed and put it away again. He stood up.

“I’m going to go check on that poor fellow who came in here and simply collapsed,” he told Gable and Cela as he walked towards the door. “If he’s awake, he may want something to eat, so I’ll be back shortly and tell you.”

He noticed the two Cir’s at a table. A collection of instruments lay there and the two of them, and one of the dwarves, seemed to be choosing what they would play. One dwarf already had a flute in his hand and he quietly played a simple tune, as though in practice. Dick smiled in their direction as he passed.

The quiet of the corridor met him as he passed through the door. He walked as quietly as he could (hobbits can be very quiet) up the hall. When he reached the door of the unknown guest’s room, he quietly turned the knob and eased it open.
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