Post by Sevanstarre on Jul 23, 2012 13:26:23 GMT -5
Fishing! What better way to spend a day? The chance to kick back in the sun, dangle a line in the water, and just... rest. Maybe even catch some food, too. And of course, talk to Morninglorie. Sevanstarre couldn't wait to get started.
He'd been so busy, lately, on the front lines. Fighting over and over again to secure Tuckborough, the Prancing Pony, south Bree, and so many other places - each with a seemingly never-ending supply of baddies, who for some reason always seem to be led by a General with the same name. He'd fought side by side with Puffrey, Lorissa, Snona and numerous other friends, switching wildly between motivating his friends and crushing the morale of his enemies, and despite his initial reservations, he was really enjoying it.
But a chance discussion with Puffrey had helped to remind him of everything he'd left behind, in his desperate crusade to be the best motivator and healer he could be. What would be the point, if one didn't stop to enjoy life on the way? Wasn't that the responsibility of a minstrel? Shouldn't he be spreading joy amongst his friends? Didn't he owe it to his friends to see them and spend time with them away from the front lines of battle?
Didn't he owe it to himself?
Sevan had resolved to take a day off, and who better to spend it with than his sweetheart? They had a wonderful morning together, talking, playing music, joking and laughing. Sharing a pie or three. And just after lunch, since Sevan had decided how they'd spend their morning, he asked what Glorie wanted to do for the rest of the day, vowing he'd follow her wherever she wanted to go.
Glorie chose fishing. Sevan hadn't been expecting that.
He'd only been fishing once before, and for some reason he couldn't really remember it. But he still had the fishing rod that Cuarlang had made for him within his first few days in the kinship, and it was mere moments before they were walking down the Shire homesteads, hand in hand, towards the water. Glorie insisted on calling it a " pon' ", but Sevan had a very clear mental picture of what a pond looked like, and privately decided that this was a lake.
They set up at the edge of the dock. Two buckets, two rods, two Hobbits, one afternoon. What could be better?
In moments, Glorie had set up her fishing line, baited her hook, cast off and was looking expectently at Sevan. It was around about this point where he started to have his first doubts.
"Wha'sa matter, Sevan? It'sa easy!"
"Yeah, I know, but..." Sevan peeked into his bags. His fishing pole had somehow come undone, leaving a giant mass of line wrapped around everything and, against all probability, tying every single one of his instruments together. He sat down on the dock to undo it.
Ten minutes later, he was still working at it. Glorie had already caught two fish by this stage, in between giggling at him. He couldn't help but feel gently wound up.
"Yew need a han', Sevan?"
"No, thank you. I've got this."
Why can't I just shout at the fish from up here? It works with everything else.
Another five minutes passed.
"Yew sher?"
Sevan rolled his eyes. "I'm sure. Thank you."
Just... get that undone... from the pibgorn. Why'd I bring the pibgorn? Why am I even carrying it? Who chooses to play a pibgorn? Wait, I've got it...
Sevanstarre finally freed his fishing line and jumped up with a cackle of triumph, nearly tipping his bag off the dock. Glorie smiled encouragingly, reeling in her fifth fish. Or was it sixth? Sevan wasn't sure. Still, it's not like they were having a contest.
What the heck is a pibgorn, anyway...
Five more minutes passed.
"Yew dunno 'ow ta cas' a line, do yew?"
"I'm fine. Thank you, dear."
Sevanstarre gently walked to the very edge of the dock, using his body to shield his actions from Glorie's view, and dropped the line unceremoniously into the water by hand. Glorie giggled as he walked back, trying to pretend she hadn't noticed. Sevan tried to shoot her a stern look, but as always, he devolved into giggling. Despite himself, he was beginning to think he might come to enjoy fishing after all.
Another five minutes, another fish from Glorie. "So... yew'a gonna catch anytin'?"
"Yes, dear," Sevan replied, a bit grumpily. "I'm just waiting for the right time."
"Mhmm..." Glorie giggled and returned her attention to her line.
It took him another twenty minutes. Once he was fairly sure he had a fish hooked, but he'd been too busy chatting with Glorie to notice. Once... no, twice, he'd reeled in a clump of weeds. Very pretty weeds, but still weeds. A few times he'd been distracted by Glorie's fishing technique, and once he swore he'd seen her cast her hook directly onto a fish, from above. But finally, he did it. A sharp tug on the line, a little battle of strength, a curse word or two, and Sevan stood proudly, dangling his first fish of the day over his bucket, grinning like a pumpkin. Glorie cheered enthusiastically as he carefully unhooked it from his line.
"What type of fish is this, Glorie?"
"It'sa dace! Ooh, yay! Yew juss catched dinner."
Sevan stopped smiling.
Of course, growing up on a farm, he'd been well aware of where his food had come from. He'd helped out in every single stage of the transition that farm animals went through between birth and dinner. But fishing had always escaped his understanding. Now, understanding was dawning, and he wasn't liking it one bit.
"You mean..."
"Yep! Now we'sa gots ta clean it, gut it an' f'llet it. An' cuts its 'ead off!"
Sevanstarre took a moment to picture this process, with the fish gently squirming around in his hands. Finally, he summed up all his thoughts.
"Ew."
He dropped the fish into the bucket with an unceremonious splat, and lowered his line into the water once again. Glorie giggled, finishing her little battle with what was probably her hundredth fish, and nuzzled gently into his shoulder.
The rest of the afternoon passed, and presently the sun began to set. Sevan caught himself five more fish, and though his pace was a lot slower he was definitely beginning to enjoy himself much more. Plus, he was certainly beating Glorie on the weed tally. Finally the last rays of the sun reflected off the water, and they cast off one last time.
Resting his line in the water, Sevan gently turned to take Glorie's free hand. Glorie smiled and listened as he began to talk. He shared the thoughts he'd been thinking all day - all about his love for her, and how he hoped they would spend forever together. He didn't mind where, or how. He was even prepared to stop his travelling ways and settle down, though he did breathe a small sigh of relief when Glorie informed him he didn't have to. In fact, she wanted to join him! He hadn't been expecting that. Maybe they really could be together forever...
A sudden, sharp tug on his fishing line almost jerked the rod completely out of his hand. Sevan span awkwardly to grab it back, twisted his foot against one of the planks of the dock, and overbalanced - pitching head-first over the dock. His flailing body caught awkwardly against his bucket as he tried desperately to grab a handhold, and moments later he hit the water, face first. Sevan resurfaced just in time to see all six of his fish gently floating away from the dock.
Glorie collapsed in laughter, just managing to lower her fishing rod to the dock before she dropped it. She sat down on the edge of the dock happily, next to her bucket full of fish, trying to stifle her giggling as the sun completed its journey and night fell. A minute passed, and the silence was broken by a cricket chirping on the greens behind her.
Two minutes later, Sevan's voice floated up from underneath the dock. "Not a word."
Glorie shook her head happily, dangling her legs over the side of the dock and staring off into the distance.
That night, Sevan carefully hung his damp clothes in front of his fireplace and snuggled into his bed back in Bree. Just before he fell asleep, he retrieved his songbook from under the bed and, after tapping his teeth with his pencil for a moment, turned to the back page. That was where Sevan wrote his little inspirational quotes and passages. He considered things for a moment, and then wrote:
Anyone who pits their wits against a fish, and loses, has it coming.
He'd been so busy, lately, on the front lines. Fighting over and over again to secure Tuckborough, the Prancing Pony, south Bree, and so many other places - each with a seemingly never-ending supply of baddies, who for some reason always seem to be led by a General with the same name. He'd fought side by side with Puffrey, Lorissa, Snona and numerous other friends, switching wildly between motivating his friends and crushing the morale of his enemies, and despite his initial reservations, he was really enjoying it.
But a chance discussion with Puffrey had helped to remind him of everything he'd left behind, in his desperate crusade to be the best motivator and healer he could be. What would be the point, if one didn't stop to enjoy life on the way? Wasn't that the responsibility of a minstrel? Shouldn't he be spreading joy amongst his friends? Didn't he owe it to his friends to see them and spend time with them away from the front lines of battle?
Didn't he owe it to himself?
Sevan had resolved to take a day off, and who better to spend it with than his sweetheart? They had a wonderful morning together, talking, playing music, joking and laughing. Sharing a pie or three. And just after lunch, since Sevan had decided how they'd spend their morning, he asked what Glorie wanted to do for the rest of the day, vowing he'd follow her wherever she wanted to go.
Glorie chose fishing. Sevan hadn't been expecting that.
He'd only been fishing once before, and for some reason he couldn't really remember it. But he still had the fishing rod that Cuarlang had made for him within his first few days in the kinship, and it was mere moments before they were walking down the Shire homesteads, hand in hand, towards the water. Glorie insisted on calling it a " pon' ", but Sevan had a very clear mental picture of what a pond looked like, and privately decided that this was a lake.
They set up at the edge of the dock. Two buckets, two rods, two Hobbits, one afternoon. What could be better?
In moments, Glorie had set up her fishing line, baited her hook, cast off and was looking expectently at Sevan. It was around about this point where he started to have his first doubts.
"Wha'sa matter, Sevan? It'sa easy!"
"Yeah, I know, but..." Sevan peeked into his bags. His fishing pole had somehow come undone, leaving a giant mass of line wrapped around everything and, against all probability, tying every single one of his instruments together. He sat down on the dock to undo it.
Ten minutes later, he was still working at it. Glorie had already caught two fish by this stage, in between giggling at him. He couldn't help but feel gently wound up.
"Yew need a han', Sevan?"
"No, thank you. I've got this."
Why can't I just shout at the fish from up here? It works with everything else.
Another five minutes passed.
"Yew sher?"
Sevan rolled his eyes. "I'm sure. Thank you."
Just... get that undone... from the pibgorn. Why'd I bring the pibgorn? Why am I even carrying it? Who chooses to play a pibgorn? Wait, I've got it...
Sevanstarre finally freed his fishing line and jumped up with a cackle of triumph, nearly tipping his bag off the dock. Glorie smiled encouragingly, reeling in her fifth fish. Or was it sixth? Sevan wasn't sure. Still, it's not like they were having a contest.
What the heck is a pibgorn, anyway...
Five more minutes passed.
"Yew dunno 'ow ta cas' a line, do yew?"
"I'm fine. Thank you, dear."
Sevanstarre gently walked to the very edge of the dock, using his body to shield his actions from Glorie's view, and dropped the line unceremoniously into the water by hand. Glorie giggled as he walked back, trying to pretend she hadn't noticed. Sevan tried to shoot her a stern look, but as always, he devolved into giggling. Despite himself, he was beginning to think he might come to enjoy fishing after all.
Another five minutes, another fish from Glorie. "So... yew'a gonna catch anytin'?"
"Yes, dear," Sevan replied, a bit grumpily. "I'm just waiting for the right time."
"Mhmm..." Glorie giggled and returned her attention to her line.
It took him another twenty minutes. Once he was fairly sure he had a fish hooked, but he'd been too busy chatting with Glorie to notice. Once... no, twice, he'd reeled in a clump of weeds. Very pretty weeds, but still weeds. A few times he'd been distracted by Glorie's fishing technique, and once he swore he'd seen her cast her hook directly onto a fish, from above. But finally, he did it. A sharp tug on the line, a little battle of strength, a curse word or two, and Sevan stood proudly, dangling his first fish of the day over his bucket, grinning like a pumpkin. Glorie cheered enthusiastically as he carefully unhooked it from his line.
"What type of fish is this, Glorie?"
"It'sa dace! Ooh, yay! Yew juss catched dinner."
Sevan stopped smiling.
Of course, growing up on a farm, he'd been well aware of where his food had come from. He'd helped out in every single stage of the transition that farm animals went through between birth and dinner. But fishing had always escaped his understanding. Now, understanding was dawning, and he wasn't liking it one bit.
"You mean..."
"Yep! Now we'sa gots ta clean it, gut it an' f'llet it. An' cuts its 'ead off!"
Sevanstarre took a moment to picture this process, with the fish gently squirming around in his hands. Finally, he summed up all his thoughts.
"Ew."
He dropped the fish into the bucket with an unceremonious splat, and lowered his line into the water once again. Glorie giggled, finishing her little battle with what was probably her hundredth fish, and nuzzled gently into his shoulder.
The rest of the afternoon passed, and presently the sun began to set. Sevan caught himself five more fish, and though his pace was a lot slower he was definitely beginning to enjoy himself much more. Plus, he was certainly beating Glorie on the weed tally. Finally the last rays of the sun reflected off the water, and they cast off one last time.
Resting his line in the water, Sevan gently turned to take Glorie's free hand. Glorie smiled and listened as he began to talk. He shared the thoughts he'd been thinking all day - all about his love for her, and how he hoped they would spend forever together. He didn't mind where, or how. He was even prepared to stop his travelling ways and settle down, though he did breathe a small sigh of relief when Glorie informed him he didn't have to. In fact, she wanted to join him! He hadn't been expecting that. Maybe they really could be together forever...
A sudden, sharp tug on his fishing line almost jerked the rod completely out of his hand. Sevan span awkwardly to grab it back, twisted his foot against one of the planks of the dock, and overbalanced - pitching head-first over the dock. His flailing body caught awkwardly against his bucket as he tried desperately to grab a handhold, and moments later he hit the water, face first. Sevan resurfaced just in time to see all six of his fish gently floating away from the dock.
Glorie collapsed in laughter, just managing to lower her fishing rod to the dock before she dropped it. She sat down on the edge of the dock happily, next to her bucket full of fish, trying to stifle her giggling as the sun completed its journey and night fell. A minute passed, and the silence was broken by a cricket chirping on the greens behind her.
Two minutes later, Sevan's voice floated up from underneath the dock. "Not a word."
Glorie shook her head happily, dangling her legs over the side of the dock and staring off into the distance.
That night, Sevan carefully hung his damp clothes in front of his fireplace and snuggled into his bed back in Bree. Just before he fell asleep, he retrieved his songbook from under the bed and, after tapping his teeth with his pencil for a moment, turned to the back page. That was where Sevan wrote his little inspirational quotes and passages. He considered things for a moment, and then wrote:
Anyone who pits their wits against a fish, and loses, has it coming.