* Gandalf walked, smoked prodigiously, and mused ... apparently heedless of the web of conversations being woven around him. From time to time, anyone paying attention might have caught him muttering something like, "No, not torches. Wouldn't do. Candles, more like. Wonder if They might oblige? Lanterns. And sparklers, they could be handed round. If that fool of a horse spooks, so be it." or like, "Songs first, perhaps an instrumental can proceed our coming. Songs, then speech, once we've gotten their attention. The Bards first sing, then myself speak ... Have to introduce Poppy of course, can't just send her in unannounced, far too risky." and like, "Keeping far enough back, that will be of the utmost ... "
* ... until finally the wizard, unable to see a tree for the forest, veered his future-seeing steps smack dab into an elm just off the path. With a sheepish cry of "Ouch!" Gandalf rejoined the others living in the present, a few stray leaves adorning the top of his pointed hat and ground into his cloak, but altogether none the worse for wear. *
[ December 22, 2002: Message edited by: Gandalf_theGrey ]
|