The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - The Lonely Star -- Chapter 4

piosenniel · 11-11-2002, 03:50 AM

The Dragon paced on the deck of the Star, her tail twitching with each step. She had listened to Ancalimon speak to the Hobbits of the nearing arrival of Ulmo, and the Choosing which would then take place. All of the Hobbits and many of the Hobbrim were now preoccupied with who might choose to become Hobbrim and who might stay Hobbit. Tension ran high, as friends and family found they each had their individual preferences which might sunder them forever from one another.

Angara snorted, a wisp of smoke escaping her snout. ‘ And, I suppose he’ll make another one of his grand entrances in a cresting wave of water and spume, and then go thee-ing and thou-ing all over the place to impress the Hobbits and Hobbrim!’ She shook her head and clacked her sharp teeth together in irritation. ‘Hmmmph! You would never catch a Dragon being so pompous!’ Her tail waved dangerously as she stood there thinking. ‘He’d better not frighten my little ones,’ she murmured in a rumbling voice. ‘I’ll send him and his overblown phrasings packing back to the rest of the high and mighty Valar if he does!’

A sudden, sharp laugh from behind caused her to twirl menacingly toward the offending sound. It was Ancalimon, his face red with barely suppressed mirth. He turned away from her, thinking to walk a way for a bit to get his laughter under control.

She reached out a claw and pinned the hem of his robe to the ship’s deck. He stopped short, his shoulders heaving, then turned, wiping the tears from his eyes. ‘Perfect!’ he gasped, collapsing on the deck in laughter.

Angara stood over him, gold eyes twirling in irritation. ‘Perfect is a given, if you are referring to me,’ she intoned, ‘but what I want to know is what you were referring to, and why were you laughing?’

Ancalimon sat up, and took a deep breath, regaining a semblance of composure. He looked at the Dragon and considered his words carefully. ‘I have come to ask a favor of you, Old One.’ he said. ‘I had feared you might not hear me out or that I might have not thought clearly enough about this in regards to you.’

‘Could you be more elliptic in your approach?’ she said, arching her plated brows at him. ‘You have rightly named me Old One, and I grow older by the moment as you eke out your answer.’ Her claws tapped ominously on the wooden deck.

‘Then let me speak plainly, Dragon.’ returned Ancalimon, holding her gaze. ‘Once the Choosing is done, and the Hobbrim left here to live and grow as a people, I would like you to take the position as their Defender. I doubt that many, if any, of other races will find their way to this isle, but I would not have the peaceful existence of the Hobbrim disturbed for any reason. Their survival will be critical to the survival of what we now call Middle-earth, and what will have many other names in other times, other Ages. Will you do this for them and for us?’

Angara’s heart leapt within her at the prospect of this task set before her. Yet still she played the coy Wyrm, as she was wont to do. ‘You say I shall have the position of Defender?! Now just how far shall my discretionary powers extend with regards to this responsibility?’ She inched closer to the seated man, awaiting his answer. He could tell she was hooked on the idea, and he drew her in expertly, letting her all the while think she had the upper hand.

They talked for a long while, chewing thoughtfully over the ideas of each, until, finally, she had a set of guidelines she felt appropriate to her and he felt the best interests of the Hobbrim would be served. Tomorrow, they would both meet with the leaders of the Hobbrim families and present this plan to them. Both wanted to avoid the appearance of taking any rights of decision-making away from them.

Ancalimon watched as Angara turned and strode off to tell Pio what she had accomplished. He saw her almost skip with pleasure as she considered this proposal of his. He chuckled at the measures she took to hide her eagerness to do it. ‘What an irascible, soft hearted Old Wyrm!’ he said to himself quietly, smiling.

‘I heard that!’ she said, pausing in mid stride and turning her head to look at him. She smiled a toothsome smile. ‘And thank you!’

[ November 12, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

11-11-2002, 03:50 AM	#387
piosenniel Desultory Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat..... Posts: 7,779	The Dragon paced on the deck of the Star, her tail twitching with each step. She had listened to Ancalimon speak to the Hobbits of the nearing arrival of Ulmo, and the Choosing which would then take place. All of the Hobbits and many of the Hobbrim were now preoccupied with who might choose to become Hobbrim and who might stay Hobbit. Tension ran high, as friends and family found they each had their individual preferences which might sunder them forever from one another. Angara snorted, a wisp of smoke escaping her snout. ‘ And, I suppose he’ll make another one of his grand entrances in a cresting wave of water and spume, and then go thee-ing and thou-ing all over the place to impress the Hobbits and Hobbrim!’ She shook her head and clacked her sharp teeth together in irritation. ‘Hmmmph! You would never catch a Dragon being so pompous!’ Her tail waved dangerously as she stood there thinking. ‘He’d better not frighten my little ones,’ she murmured in a rumbling voice. ‘I’ll send him and his overblown phrasings packing back to the rest of the high and mighty Valar if he does!’ A sudden, sharp laugh from behind caused her to twirl menacingly toward the offending sound. It was Ancalimon, his face red with barely suppressed mirth. He turned away from her, thinking to walk a way for a bit to get his laughter under control. She reached out a claw and pinned the hem of his robe to the ship’s deck. He stopped short, his shoulders heaving, then turned, wiping the tears from his eyes. ‘Perfect!’ he gasped, collapsing on the deck in laughter. Angara stood over him, gold eyes twirling in irritation. ‘Perfect is a given, if you are referring to me,’ she intoned, ‘but what I want to know is what you were referring to, and why were you laughing?’ Ancalimon sat up, and took a deep breath, regaining a semblance of composure. He looked at the Dragon and considered his words carefully. ‘I have come to ask a favor of you, Old One.’ he said. ‘I had feared you might not hear me out or that I might have not thought clearly enough about this in regards to you.’ ‘Could you be more elliptic in your approach?’ she said, arching her plated brows at him. ‘You have rightly named me Old One, and I grow older by the moment as you eke out your answer.’ Her claws tapped ominously on the wooden deck. ‘Then let me speak plainly, Dragon.’ returned Ancalimon, holding her gaze. ‘Once the Choosing is done, and the Hobbrim left here to live and grow as a people, I would like you to take the position as their Defender. I doubt that many, if any, of other races will find their way to this isle, but I would not have the peaceful existence of the Hobbrim disturbed for any reason. Their survival will be critical to the survival of what we now call Middle-earth, and what will have many other names in other times, other Ages. Will you do this for them and for us?’ Angara’s heart leapt within her at the prospect of this task set before her. Yet still she played the coy Wyrm, as she was wont to do. ‘You say I shall have the position of Defender?! Now just how far shall my discretionary powers extend with regards to this responsibility?’ She inched closer to the seated man, awaiting his answer. He could tell she was hooked on the idea, and he drew her in expertly, letting her all the while think she had the upper hand. They talked for a long while, chewing thoughtfully over the ideas of each, until, finally, she had a set of guidelines she felt appropriate to her and he felt the best interests of the Hobbrim would be served. Tomorrow, they would both meet with the leaders of the Hobbrim families and present this plan to them. Both wanted to avoid the appearance of taking any rights of decision-making away from them. Ancalimon watched as Angara turned and strode off to tell Pio what she had accomplished. He saw her almost skip with pleasure as she considered this proposal of his. He chuckled at the measures she took to hide her eagerness to do it. ‘What an irascible, soft hearted Old Wyrm!’ he said to himself quietly, smiling. ‘I heard that!’ she said, pausing in mid stride and turning her head to look at him. She smiled a toothsome smile. ‘And thank you!’ [ November 12, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ] __________________ Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.