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Old 01-09-2004, 03:43 AM   #37
piosenniel
Desultory Dwimmerlaik
 
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat.....
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Sting

Gondor

‘Move over, Wenny. I want to see, too!’

Isilmir reached down and grabbed his little sister by the wrist, pulling her up to the wide branch of the red oak. The tree sprawled conveniently near the high walled fence that ran about the grounds of their home. Gilwen scooted further down the limb, making room for Cami as she clambered onto the rough platform.

‘Do you see him yet?’ Cami squinted into the distance, along the line of the narrow track leading west from the South Road to their front gate. ‘No,’ said her sister, pushing a clump of leaves down that obstructed her view. ‘But we can’t miss him,’ she giggled. ‘He’s as big as those stone statues in the White Tower!’ Cami looked skeptically at Gilwen, her brow furrowing. ‘No, he’s not,’ she declared after a few moments’ recollection. ‘Not by half,’ she said, emphasizing her argument with a decided smack to her sister’s bare arm. ‘Hey! Watch it!’ growled Gilwen, an annoyed look on her face. She raised herself up, sitting cross-legged on the limb as she rubbed her arm.

Cami scuttled out of reach and tucked herself in close to Isilmir. ‘Hold still, you two!’ he hissed at them. ‘I can’t see clearly with my spyglass with both of you bouncing about like big bunnies. The girls sat quietly for a few moments as Isilmir tried to focus the small, telescoping brass tube. The smaller girl, her attention waning, pulled on the sleeve of his shirt. ‘Do you see him . . . yet?’ she whispered. Her brother sighed, shaking his head ‘no’, and pushed the two parts of the spyglass firmly together.

‘Well I see something,’ said Gilwen, her eyes lighting up. The other two followed the direction of her gaze – away from the road and toward the house. On the broad kitchen windowsill, Cook was just setting out trays of small honey-cakes to cool. Their honey glazed tops glistened in the morning’s sun, beckoning.

The children, their plans to spy out the arrival of their guest now replaced by a mission more promising, climbed down from their leafy platform. Prizes in sight, they stole near the tempting sweets, mouths watering in anticipation.

Last edited by piosenniel; 04-07-2004 at 11:56 AM.
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