It soon transpired that there was a lot to adventures that the songs and
tales did not mention. For example, nobody had told Nob that sleeping on
the ground was so uncomfortable. In fact, camping was downright horrible.
Nob was lying between what looked suspiciously like it had come out of the
wrong end of a horse, and Gonâd, who insisted on huddling for warmth.
Which, quite frankly, was a ridiculous notion, as the night was warm, but
Gonâd was apparently cold.
It was making Nob rather uncomfortable. He was afraid that the thing he feared most might happen. Of course, it could happen in any way on the adventure, but right now, with a hefty man wrapped round him, snoring away, it seemed most likely to happen here. Nob carefully extricated himself from the unnecessary embrace, exacting a little mumble.
Curled up on the ground, Nob decided he would probably never sleep, as it was so incredibly difficult. Every angle he lay at, he found another stone to dig into him. And that song about the elf-maiden just wouldn't leave his head. It was going round and round and round so it was impossible to relax.
O, an elf-maiden is fair, Charming golden hair, For that I do not care,
It's beneath what she wears
What did an elf-maiden keep under her skirts, Nob wondered. No. Must concentrate on sleep. Think sleepy thoughts. Bed. Elves didn't sleep. Maybe they- A warm drink. Blankets. Skirts. Ankles. Knees. Thi- Bed. Lovely cosy bed. Elf-maiden.
When one falls asleep with a full mind, one generally tends to have bizarre dreams. Very bizarre ones. Nob dreamt of flying, of walking into rooms, of tall towers. He saw a ring. How nice to put his finger in it. Strange things happened if he did that. Stick the finger in, and that felt nice. And then he saw the flaming Eye which he had heard of in stories. A ring, a flaming eye, a tower. What a bizarre dream.
He awoke to the sound of lute music.
"I had a lovely dream," Gonâd said. "It was about how I lived up to my name of Gonâd the Gallant. Which, by the way, I just gave to myself because it sounds good. Don't you think it sounds good? Anyway, I was such a hero, and I was in battle and I rescued some maidens and everybody loved me. Did you dream? By the way, you moved in the night. Do you sleepwalk? Oh well. Tell me of your dream." Nob told of what he had seen in his dreams, and how he had heard all of these things in stories.
"Ha!" Gonâd responded. "That's not your overactive imagination based on stories."
"Oh?"
"Certainly not! You need to get yourself a maiden. You see, the eye represents the woman because the way you described it, it looks like- well. And as for the tower… you filthy little hobbit, you. How did you feel when you- ahem- fingered the ring?"
"It felt like I was… supposed to do it."
"On the way I'll take you to a tavern with a back room. You dirty little hobbit."
It was making Nob rather uncomfortable. He was afraid that the thing he feared most might happen. Of course, it could happen in any way on the adventure, but right now, with a hefty man wrapped round him, snoring away, it seemed most likely to happen here. Nob carefully extricated himself from the unnecessary embrace, exacting a little mumble.
Curled up on the ground, Nob decided he would probably never sleep, as it was so incredibly difficult. Every angle he lay at, he found another stone to dig into him. And that song about the elf-maiden just wouldn't leave his head. It was going round and round and round so it was impossible to relax.
O, an elf-maiden is fair, Charming golden hair, For that I do not care,
It's beneath what she wears
What did an elf-maiden keep under her skirts, Nob wondered. No. Must concentrate on sleep. Think sleepy thoughts. Bed. Elves didn't sleep. Maybe they- A warm drink. Blankets. Skirts. Ankles. Knees. Thi- Bed. Lovely cosy bed. Elf-maiden.
When one falls asleep with a full mind, one generally tends to have bizarre dreams. Very bizarre ones. Nob dreamt of flying, of walking into rooms, of tall towers. He saw a ring. How nice to put his finger in it. Strange things happened if he did that. Stick the finger in, and that felt nice. And then he saw the flaming Eye which he had heard of in stories. A ring, a flaming eye, a tower. What a bizarre dream.
He awoke to the sound of lute music.
"I had a lovely dream," Gonâd said. "It was about how I lived up to my name of Gonâd the Gallant. Which, by the way, I just gave to myself because it sounds good. Don't you think it sounds good? Anyway, I was such a hero, and I was in battle and I rescued some maidens and everybody loved me. Did you dream? By the way, you moved in the night. Do you sleepwalk? Oh well. Tell me of your dream." Nob told of what he had seen in his dreams, and how he had heard all of these things in stories.
"Ha!" Gonâd responded. "That's not your overactive imagination based on stories."
"Oh?"
"Certainly not! You need to get yourself a maiden. You see, the eye represents the woman because the way you described it, it looks like- well. And as for the tower… you filthy little hobbit, you. How did you feel when you- ahem- fingered the ring?"
"It felt like I was… supposed to do it."
"On the way I'll take you to a tavern with a back room. You dirty little hobbit."
