The Unexpected Unparty!

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Esty read the duck's note and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. How touching to hear this once from one of the silent watchers who haunted the Barrow unseen! Too often it seemed that only spiders, not real persons, were behind the numbers on the guest list. She waved a wordless good-bye at the retreating duck.

She then turned to Lommy, whose question had aroused her curiosity. "You have a present? I don't know if you should bother the Wight right now - he might be resting. But couldn't I open it for him?" she asked hopefully. Lommy pondered the idea with some trepidation - would the Wight be angry if disturbed or more angry if his present was opened by someone else?

The party was more a conversational gathering by now than a festivity, but Esty didn't mind. She enjoyed chatting with old friends like Hilde and alak, Oddwen, Formy and Bêthberry just as much as getting to know some of the newer members, like Gwath, Eönwë, the redbearded Dwarf, and the Dark Elf.

But during a lull in the conversation her thoughts wandered back to parties of yore. Ah, there had been singing and dancing then, veritable feasts and numerous guests. She recalled names that were now only legend in the Barrow, and remembered nights spent with chatting, and days not long enough to read all of the contributions and to reply to the most interesting ones. It hardly seemed possible that so many years had passed...