Fantasy Sleep Saga (Season 2) All Episodes

A warm welcome to season two of this fantasy sleep saga,

Where you are the main character.

Throughout this bedtime story series,

You will spend autumn and winter in the rolling hills of your homeland,

Celebrating all of the festivities.

You will also delve into the deep dwarven kingdoms,

Embark on another adventure with the wizard and the ranger,

And visit an enchanted little village that is hidden away from the rest of the world.

Here,

There is magic,

Wonder,

And mystery waiting around every corner.

But first,

Let us take a moment to relax.

We will do a short,

Guided breathing pattern called 3-4-5.

This will allow you to slow down and relax,

Preparing your body and your mind for a wonderful,

Peaceful rest.

When you are ready,

Breathe in through the nose for three,

Hold for four,

And breathe out for five.

Let all of it go now.

Again that's in for three,

Hold for four,

And release,

Blowing away the thoughts of yesterday,

Today,

And tomorrow.

Again,

In for three,

Continue to breathe in this way in your own time,

And with each breath out,

Allow your body to sink just that bit deeper.

And,

Gradually,

Allow the breath to fall back into a natural rhythm.

Enjoy this new peace flowing through your body.

And now,

Let us continue our fantasy sleep saga.

It is a cozy late afternoon on a cool summer's day,

And you are strolling through a small woodland accompanied by your trusty companion,

The ranger,

Who wears a sage green cloak and light leather armor.

His pony,

A brown and white lowland,

Trundles alongside you,

Carrying two packs of supplies and swishing their tail in a perfect rhythm as the three of you weave through the forest path.

Beams of sunlight pierce the woodland canopy,

Creating thin golden spotlights on the floor and a shimmering emerald glitter above that ripples through the leaves.

There is a wonderful sense of peace and calm here.

You feel no desire to rush,

Despite the fact that very soon you will be back home.

As you walk together,

You and your ranger chat idly.

He mentions that after he has escorted you back to your house under the hill,

He has another adventure to see to far up in the north,

And that could mean he is away for a while.

Nonetheless,

He hopes to be back in these parts sooner rather than later,

And you reassure him that whenever he is nearby,

He is more than welcome to stop over for a spot of tea.

You emerge from the woodland now through a small tunnel of trees,

And are greeted by a vast landscape of rich green hills,

Bathed in golden sunlight as far as the eye can see.

You take a deep breath,

Inhaling this fresh,

Healing air,

And smile,

Knowing that your house is only a short walk away.

You begin to stroll through the tall,

Thick grass that comes up to your waist,

But that is warm and soft to the touch.

Butterflies flit above the glades,

And the smell of fresh,

Country air is a comfort to you.

The ranger taps your shoulder and points above,

And you see two beautiful birds of prey,

Red kites to be precise,

Weaving across the wisps of cloud.

The ranger gives a low whistle,

And the birds swoop down in one fluid motion,

Flying towards you now.

One of the kites lands on the ranger's arm,

And the other perches itself on your shoulder,

Giving your ear an affectionate nip.

I'd like you to meet some friends of mine,

The ranger says with a smile.

Whenever I am not here,

These two keep watch over this land,

And report back to me anything I have missed.

They are attuned to my scent,

And could find me even if I were a hundred miles away.

So,

If you should ever need me,

Come to this spot,

Find my friends,

And they will do the rest.

You feel a wave of reassurance washing over you,

Just knowing that near or far,

Your ranger will be able to protect you is incredibly comforting.

You stroke the kite on your shoulder,

And thank the ranger for all of his help and his companionship on your adventures.

Do not worry,

My friend,

He says,

There are many more to come,

More with the wizard and new companions,

I am sure,

And I have no doubt there are a few more chapters left for our own adventures together.

The red kites fly up now,

And resume their place in the clouds,

Watching over you.

Together,

You walk very lazily over the next hill,

Allowing your pace to be slow and steady,

Feeling the enchanted earth under your feet.

And with every step,

Your breathing becomes deeper and longer,

And with every step,

You feel more at peace.

Before you know it,

The golden rays have turned to a soft red sunset,

And you have arrived at a small stone bridge crossing over a familiar winding river.

Ahead of you now is a maze of track roads leading off in all different directions,

And through the hills,

You see houses nestled under the grass,

With little chimneys poking through,

Puffing out a soft silver steam.

Finally,

You have made it back to your village.

Over in the distance,

You can see the famous party field,

The market square,

And the local tavern.

There are many halflings mingling together,

Some carrying fresh fruit and vegetables,

And others carrying baskets of bread,

Fish,

Or homemade clothes and trinkets.

You take the lead now,

Gesturing for your ranger to follow,

And you walk through the winding dirt track road,

Smiling at some passersby and greeting other halflings in their gardens as they rock gently in their chairs and puff on their pipes,

Enjoying the sunset and bathing in the pinkish-red light.

There is a soft,

Cool breeze that flows between the hills,

And it carries with it the faint smell of the lavender fields nearby,

The scent of freshly mown grass and the riverside,

The smells of home.

You guide the ranger through the heart of your village,

And due to his very tall stature,

He receives a few curious looks.

Most of them are welcoming and friendly,

But there are a few raised eyebrows,

And as you share a glance with your companion,

You cannot hide your shared laughter.

There are halfling children playing on the hillside,

And there is a great hustle and bustle in the market square as a solo musician plays a gentle tune on a wood flute.

It is a melody of the countryside that sings to the sunset and dances across the evening air.

It is undoubtedly wonderful to be back amongst all this.

However,

After an incredibly long journey,

The only thing on your mind is walking through your front door,

Brewing up a pot of tea and heading straight to sleep.

You shuffle through the crowd and start to work your way down a long,

Winding path,

Slowly leaving all the busyness behind.

The stars are revealing themselves now,

One by one,

As the last light of sunset fades on the horizon.

They pulse in a hypnotic rhythm and start to fill the air with a symphony of sleep,

One that quietens your mind,

Relaxes your body and soothes your soul.

And now,

You shuffle over a small wooden walkway,

And the path curves round to the left,

Gradually working its way uphill.

Finally,

Straight ahead of you is your lovely garden,

Your little house under the hill,

And your perfectly round front door waiting for you,

All illuminated by a soft golden lantern.

You stand at your wooden gate and gaze out across the hills.

The view overlooks the entirety of your homeland,

And you have to admit,

Despite all of your adventures so far,

There really is no place like home.

There is a familiar peace and comfort that mingles in the air,

And below,

You can see the nighttime markets in full flow,

The river weaving through the valleys and glistening under the moonlight,

And the little golden lanterns outside each house,

Pulsing like fireflies in the night.

The ranger stops in his tracks and holds out a hand to you.

This is where we bid farewell for now.

I must continue on this road,

But you can see in his eyes that he is weary and almost falling asleep.

Instantly,

You suggest that he come inside.

There is plenty of room to rest by the fire,

And he can leave tomorrow.

The ranger smiles politely,

Opening his mouth to reply,

But you insist before he even gets the chance to speak.

Thank you,

My friend.

I will away at the light of dawn,

Being sure not to disturb you.

The ranger fastens his pony to your garden fence and feeds them an apple,

Whispering an elvish prayer under his breath.

You wander over to your herb garden,

Plucking a handful of chamomile flowers and snipping off a few stems of lavender.

Then,

You unlock your door and the two of you head inside.

You hang your cloak on the coat rack as the ranger shuffles around,

Gradually lighting the oil lanterns on the wall and patches of golden light start to illuminate the room.

Then he moves to the stone hearth,

Puts down some logs and lights the fire.

You are greeted by a wave of warmth and the familiar cozy comforts of home as you take in all the details of your living room.

You walk over to the kitchen sink,

Filling a cast iron kettle with water and adding the lavender and chamomile.

Then you hang the pot over the fire,

Kick off your shoes and finally flop down on your big cozy armchair,

Wrapping yourself up in your favourite blanket.

Your body is warm,

Your mind is empty,

Your eyes are heavy.

As your blinks become slower,

You feel yourself drifting in and out of a light sleep.

Your breath is slow and deep and you are so relieved,

So at peace.

It is the best feeling in the world to be back home.

The kettle begins to bubble and boil and your ranger gestures for you to stay where you are.

He takes the kettle and pours the two of you a nice hot cup of tea.

He passes you a mug and you feel this warmth in the palms of your hands.

You can drink it,

He says,

The temperature is perfect.

You take your first sip and another and another as the tea gently coats your mouth,

Your tongue and your throat.

You feel the effects immediately.

Your head becomes even heavier and you feel the magic of sleep creeping ever closer.

You rest by the fire,

Enjoying the peace,

The quiet and the stillness and sipping away at your tea.

You give permission now for your body to surrender,

To sink into your armchair.

Permission for your mind to empty of any remaining thoughts and permission for your eyes to close.

The ranger takes away your mug and you feel it slip away from your grip as your arms hang heavy on your lap.

Rest easy,

My friend,

The ranger reassures you.

You are completely safe here.

I look forward to our next meeting and to many more adventures together.

Remember,

I am never too far away.

And with these words,

You realize how safe and protected you truly feel in this moment.

You feel so lucky to live in this beautiful place and to have companions that will always look after you.

Your breath is slow,

Like a calm ocean caressing the shoreline,

In and out,

In and out.

The fire crackles low and steady and a soft orange glow flickers on the walls.

The cushions underneath you grow softer and you feel yourself sinking even deeper into comfort and tranquility.

As the twilight envelops you,

The stars outside will sing you to sleep and the moon will keep your dreams beautiful,

Full of magic and adventure.

It is time to let go.

It is time to let go.

It is time to let go and drift off into a perfect sleep.

You wake up in your soft,

Cozy bed.

You are inside your house under the hill,

Enjoying a quiet,

Lazy morning.

The porthole window to your right is wide open,

Letting in a lovely,

Fresh breeze and the autumn bird songs ring in the distance.

If you could,

You would stay here for the entire day,

Sipping tea and tending to your plants in the garden.

But this is no day to slouch.

Today is the day of the famous pumpkin festival and you have an exciting adventure ahead.

In fact,

You are expecting a special visitor any time soon,

A very dear friend.

With that,

You gently kick your feet out of bed and take your time to change into your favourite outfit this morning,

Enjoying the slower pace that life here provides.

As you wander sleepily into the kitchen,

The morning sun beams through the porthole window in front of you,

Creating a dazzling golden spotlight on the wooden floor of the kitchen.

The many plants by your window are thriving.

Their lush green leaves and autumn flowers are blooming with joy,

Spreading colour across your cozy little abode.

You fill your copper kettle and place it over the small fire,

Which is already bubbling away this morning with flames of orange,

Blue and soft green.

The fire is fuelled by the eternal magic of your dear old wizard.

It will keep the house at a perfect temperature and it will never go out.

There is an undeniable comfort in being back home.

No matter where your adventures may take you,

You will always return to this haven,

To this soothing sanctuary of peace,

To the land where you truly belong.

With a deep breath,

You take in all the little details of your beautiful house under the hill.

There is the fireplace,

Of course,

Made from a red brick archway and tucked in one corner of the room.

The beautiful farmhouse kitchen sink is perched in front of the window with a picture-perfect view overlooking the emerald green hills of home.

The curved wooden beams above,

Made from a thick,

Dark oak,

Are supporting your lovely house and all of the little trinkets and souvenirs from your adventures are dotted around the living room.

You have so many wonderful memories here already,

And today it is time to make some more.

As the cattle bubbles away now,

You lift it from the stove and pour yourself a nice pot of tea infused with enchanting,

Healing herbs from the gardens of the elves,

One of the many gifts you have received over the years.

You pick up the small wooden tray that holds the teapot,

A small teacup and a jug of fresh,

Cold milk and you head to your front door.

Suddenly,

You are met by a beautiful warmth from the morning sun and an autumn breeze brushes your face.

You breathe in this fresh,

Healing air and you step out into your beautiful,

Cozy garden.

The first friend to greet you is your lovely red squirrel.

They wait patiently on your garden table with their hands clasped together.

Their innocent eyes gaze up at you,

But already you can sense a mischief lurking in this beautiful animal.

Instantly,

They jump from the table and land perfectly in your left pocket.

It just so happens that this is the same pocket where you always keep a handful of nuts and seeds.

Hmm,

How did they guess?

You cannot help but laugh at your beautiful friend and you feel a deep love filling your heart.

Together,

You have shared many wonderful moments here and whenever you have left the Shire off on one of your adventures,

They have always been here to greet you when you return.

You sit comfortably in your garden now,

Basking in the morning sun with your furry friend perched in your pocket and you just take this moment to enjoy the breathtaking scenery.

There is an eternal landscape of emerald hills rolling across the horizon.

Dotted through the land are huge trees waving in the wind and full of golden brown leaves that have just started to fall.

The leaves are carried on the autumn breeze and they drift across the hills,

Each on their own unique journey.

Through the hills,

You can see the many streams and rivers that gently carve through the land.

The sunlight's reflections dance upon the water and in the distance,

You see halfling children playing in the rivers and some of the older halflings are fishing or simply enjoying the sun.

The heat and radiance of summer is finally giving way to the cozy comfort and mellow magic of autumn.

It is a picture-perfect view,

One that even the most beautiful watercolor painting would not be able to capture.

Life moves at a much slower pace here.

There is no need to rush or race around.

Here,

There are no deadlines and no worries at all.

The folk of this land strive for nothing more than peace and comfort and the simple pleasures that make life so precious.

There is no importance placed on money or material wealth.

Here,

The people live for good food,

A warm hearth and all the comforts of home.

It is a place where friendship and love is valued above all the gold in the world.

You feel so blessed to be part of this land,

To live among such excellent folk and to call the Shire your home.

It truly is the most enchanting place on earth.

In the next moment,

You are greeted by the distant clip-clopping of hooves drawing nearer.

Trotting round the corner now is the lovely Bill,

A chestnut white pony,

Pulling a little cart behind him.

Where,

Perched happily on top,

Pipe in mouth,

Is one of your favorite halflings,

Samwise the Brave.

A stout halfling with curly golden hair,

He is the famous gardener of the land.

But you know that there is much more to him than meets the eye.

He greets you with a tight-lipped smile and a mischievous raise of his eyebrows as he puffs on his pipe and brings Bill the Pony to a stop just outside your front gate.

With a chuckle,

Sam calls out to you,

Insisting that there is no time for tea this morning,

For you have a pumpkin to harvest and a competition to win.

Without another hesitation,

You quickly pop your tea back inside the front door and pull it closed behind you.

You place your squirrel on the garden table with the remainder of their breakfast and you ask them to hold the fort while you're gone,

Promising them a hearty reward of all the seeds in the shire.

With a glint in their eye,

They sniff your hand affectionately and stand guard on the table.

Your little companion will watch over your home and wait here patiently for your return.

You climb aboard the cart and give Bill the Pony a gentle stroke on his mane as he sets off once again,

Clip-clopping along the winding track road,

Taking you on a peaceful journey through the rolling hills of home.

In the next moment,

The lovely Sam brings you in for a tight hug,

Asking you all about your recent adventures.

The two of you catch up on old times and reminisce on many wonderful memories together.

It has been a little while since the two of you spent some time together,

But that is what makes today all the more special.

Samwise is a very dear friend to you,

Reliable,

Honest and true,

With the purest heart in all the land.

You know that no matter what,

He will always be there for you,

And just being in this lovely halfling's presence is an instant comfort.

As you follow the track road through the hills,

Your journey takes you into the heart of the shire.

The autumn leaves are dancing across the hills,

And the late morning sun is beaming across the land.

You ride past collections of enchanted houses,

All of them nestled under their own little hill,

With their own little gardens lined with picket fences.

The homes have perfectly round doors in different colors and are decorated with festive lights,

Mini pumpkins and beautiful plants.

Along the way,

You cross paths with many halflings who greet you with a tip of the hat or a good morning.

All of these halflings are pushing wheelbarrows and carrying their prized pumpkins over to the main square.

Some faces are glowing with pride,

And their pumpkins might give you cause for concern.

However,

There are more than a few pumpkins that don't look too prized and haven't had the growth spurt that was planned.

These are accompanied by sour-faced halflings,

Who have perhaps already accepted defeat.

With a mischievous smile,

Sam turns to you and whispers not to worry,

For Summer has been very kind to your pumpkin patch,

And he thinks he might have found the winner.

A short trip on his rowboat should take you directly to the field where this mighty pumpkin can be found.

You feel a new excitement bubbling in your stomach in anticipation for the festival tonight.

But there is still one thing on your mind.

You haven't seen the wizard yet,

And he is the unbeaten champion of the great pumpkin harvest,

And this fact alone makes you a little bit nervous.

Bill the Pony leads you across a small stone bridge,

Over a rolling river,

And towards the village square.

You can hear the sound of water lapping from the old wooden mill coming into view on your right.

As you enter the main square,

The morning markets are in full flow.

There are handmade trinkets for sale,

Fresh food,

And barrels of ale.

Party games have already started,

And many halfling children are racing around the market,

Engrossed in a huge game of hide and seek.

Down the hill to your left,

In the enormous field,

You see many halflings hard at work putting up the last few decorations and collecting some of the early entries for the pumpkin competition.

The party tree pulses with its usual radiance,

And you cannot wait to see it illuminated by all the festive lights tonight.

Just then,

Bill turns to the left and takes your cart down a thin track lane,

Away from the hustle and bustle of the main square.

You watch the autumn birds flit through the trees and dart above the wisps of cloud.

A cool wind drifts across your face,

And you can smell the freshly mown grass and the strawberries in full bloom in the fields just over the hill.

Before you know it,

Bill comes to a stop at the end of the track road,

On the borders of a small grass clearing,

And you are greeted by the sound of lapping water once again.

A large winding river carves delicately through the land,

And the water is completely transparent.

You can see tiny orange fish,

Large rocks covered with moss,

And pure white sand at the bottom.

There are lily pads with flowers of pink,

White,

And blue drifting along the surface of the river.

Perched in the water,

You spot a little rowing boat swaying back and forth on the gentle waves,

Painted in a rusty red.

You step off the cart and give Bill a warm hug and a scratch behind his ears,

Thanking him for bringing you this far.

Samwise offers him an apple and a big bowl of fresh water from the river.

Fully fed and hydrated,

Bill the pony turns around and begins to trot back towards the village square,

Where he will be duly cared for while you cross the river,

Bound for the pumpkin patch.

With a shared smile,

You follow Sam's lead and hop aboard his rowing boat.

Your halfling companion takes the oars,

And the only thing left for you to do is lie back,

Bask in the afternoon sun,

And completely relax.

In the next moment,

You feel a gentle jerk,

And your boat begins to move,

Gliding along the water as you delve deeper and deeper into this world of magic.

Right now,

You are approaching the borders of the Shire,

And drifting through vast farmlands.

You are entirely surrounded by rich green hills,

Dotted with little white daisies,

Where baby rabbits are racing along the riverbank and playing together in the long grass.

There is no sign of anybody out here.

You have completely left the hustle and bustle behind you,

As you drift at one with nature in a peaceful silence.

This is your time to completely let go.

You cannot believe that this perfect land is your home.

There is a wonderful warmth washing over you,

And you can feel your entire body soften.

The beating sun is melting away any remaining tension,

And the gentle lapping of the water has become its own little lullaby.

With your eyes closed,

You feel a gentle orange glow illuminating your eyelids.

There is a new softness flowing through your face,

Your neck,

Your shoulders,

Your arms and hands.

This softness and warmth fills your chest and stomach,

And with each breath in,

You can feel your entire body expand as you release any holding on tonight.

And as you breathe out,

You let go of any remaining thoughts.

Right now,

There is nothing left to do and nothing left to think.

There is a wonderful freedom and warmth trickling down your legs,

From your thighs,

Across your knees,

Down into your calves and through your feet.

This enchanting land is healing your body,

Your mind and your soul,

And you are guarded by your wonderful companion,

Surrounded by the simplicity of nature.

In the next moment,

You feel shade covering your eyes,

And the breeze becomes a fraction cooler.

As you gently open your eyes,

You see that you are drifting through a woodland grove,

Surrounded by tall,

Thick trees,

Each one wrapped with a magical gold dust.

Above you,

The sunlight pierces through the infinite leaves,

Peppering the woodland with a collection of tiny golden spotlights.

In the trees,

You see deer and stag peacefully grazing,

And occasionally looking over at you.

One by one,

These majestic animals approach the riverbank and begin to drink from these enchanted waters.

Before you know it,

You are surrounded by at least 30 stag and deer,

All welcoming you to this hidden paradise of magic.

And just then,

Peeping out from behind their parents,

You see tiny fawns gazing curiously at you,

And you are sure that they cannot be more than a week old.

Their little legs can barely hold them up,

And you smile with a full heart as you watch them enjoying some of their first sips from the river,

Being carefully watched over by their mothers and fathers.

You take in this beautiful sight and bathe in the magic and wonder of this land as you continue to gently glide along the winding river,

Guarded by these majestic creatures.

Right now,

You are completely free.

You allow yourself to give in to the magic.

This is your haven and your sanctuary.

It is a place where you can return whenever you need to.

As you reach the end of this mysterious woodland,

Your animal guardians give you a low bow,

Bidding you a fond farewell.

And in unison,

They rear up together and gallop away into the depths of the trees.

But the enchantment doesn't end here.

As soon as you leave this tunnel of trees,

You are met by the rich smell of lavender,

And a golden-orange glow washes over you as the late afternoon sun greets you once more.

Very gently,

Your boat drifts to the shore,

And over to your right,

You can see endless fields of fresh lavender,

Ready for harvest,

And the hypnotic smell grows stronger.

There is clearly more magic at work here,

As all of a sudden,

You and your lovely halfling feel yourselves being lifted very gently out of your boat and placed down effortlessly in the soft,

Long grass on the edge of the lavender fields.

You let out a deep,

Satisfied sigh and smile from ear to ear.

Right now,

You have never felt more at peace.

Samwise sleepily admits that actually,

You have plenty of time before the festival tonight,

And now would be the perfect time for a little nap.

After all,

You will need your strength to wheel the prized pumpkin all the way back to the shire,

He adds with a mischievous chuckle.

And who are you to argue?

You are completely relaxed here,

And if there is some time to spare,

Then a little siesta wouldn't hurt.

Your entire body is heavy and filled with a beautiful warmth.

Here you are,

Lying back in total tranquility and simply bathing in the beauty of the shire.

What more could you wish for?

And then,

As if this enchanted land can hear your thoughts,

A double rainbow begins to paint itself across the sapphire sky in one gentle brush stroke.

It is a magical sight,

And one that you have seen before in the shire.

It is usually a sign that a certain wizard is not too far away,

Likely plotting his next moment of mischief.

And with that thought,

An involuntary smile creeps across your face.

Soon you will be reunited,

But now is the time for rest.

You allow the hypnotic smell of lavender to just drift around you and soften any remaining thoughts.

One by one you watch them fade out of sight before being washed away down the river.

You allow the warmth of the sun to soften your body and to relax all of your muscles.

A wonderful heaviness is trickling through you,

And you are drifting deeper,

Deeper,

And deeper into a world of complete comfort.

Underneath the magic and beauty of this double rainbow,

You are completely protected.

You give yourself final permission to let go of everything,

To become one with the wonderful shire,

And to enjoy a peaceful rest.

You wake up in the early evening,

Lying just outside the lavender fields on the borders of the shire.

The sun has already started its slow descent,

Illuminating the sky in a deep red and orange with tinges of blue and pink.

Flashing memories of your adventure here quickly run through your mind.

You remember being greeted by your lovely halfling,

Samwise,

Before a gentle journey on Bill the Pony through the heart of the shire.

You rode through the autumn markets and passed by many halflings with their prized pumpkins.

You took an enchanted rowboat through a woodland clearing where you were greeted by Deer and Stag and their young fawns watching over you on your passage.

And now,

Here you are,

Ready to continue on your adventure.

As you gaze sleepily around this beautiful landscape,

You see your halfling companion perched on the riverbank,

Dipping his feet into the cool waters and puffing away on his long pipe.

Samwise turns to you with a smile,

Happy to see that you're finally awake.

He hands over a large branch to use as a walking stick and asks with a glint in his eye if you are ready to harvest the prized pumpkin.

With a new excitement,

You climb to your feet and splash your face with the refreshing water of the river.

Together,

You clamber over a small stile leading to a track road that curves away from the lavender fields and towards a huge allotment not too far off in the distance.

Stick in hand,

You start your hike away from the setting sun and away from the lapping waters of the river.

The sleepy scent of lavender slowly fades now and you are greeted by fresh country air,

Long meadow grass and the touch of an autumn breeze in the early evening.

You find that just being in the countryside,

Away from all of the noise,

That your thoughts have slowed completely and your mind is clear.

Your journey takes you to the right now and through a thin grassy tunnel where trees line the pathway.

Instantly,

You are greeted by a beautiful blend of smells.

There is the scent of oranges,

Lemons and limes and below the trees are bushes of fresh herbs – rosemary,

Thyme and sage,

Tarragon,

Parsley and fresh mint.

Your senses are dancing with delight at this concoction of delicious smells and you walk at a slower pace now,

Just taking in every little detail of this wonderful world.

Before you know it,

You arrive at a little wooden gate and as you step through,

Behind your trusty halfling,

You are met by a breathtaking sight.

In front of you is an infinite sea of orange pumpkins pulsing with an enchanting radiance.

They are lined up perfectly with the smallest at the front,

Getting progressively larger each row back.

You wander through the pumpkin patch and marvel at the beautiful display all around you.

Samwise turns to you with a proud smile,

Confessing that he wasn't quite expecting the harvest to be as good as this.

He walks behind you now and gently covers your eyes with his hands,

Telling you not to peek.

Suddenly,

You stop and,

After the count of three,

Sam lifts his hands.

Your jaw drops and your eyes widen with amazement.

Standing strong at four feet high and three feet wide is the biggest pumpkin that you have ever seen.

The stalk glows with bright emerald and there is a faint gold dust layered into the beautiful bright orange.

The smell radiating from the prized pumpkin is utterly divine.

You wonder how on earth you are going to get this enormous vegetable back to the Shire and,

As if hearing your thoughts,

Samwise reappears from behind the pumpkin,

Pushing an equally large wheelbarrow and beaming from ear to ear.

There is a faint inscription on the side of the wheelbarrow,

Property of the Grey Pilgrim,

Do not touch.

With a raise of your eyebrows,

You look suspiciously at your lovely halfling.

After a second of silence,

The two of you burst into fits of uncontrollable laughter,

And Sam insists that he is looking after the wheelbarrow for the old wizard,

Only for safekeeping,

Mind you.

He tells you that this is a magic wheelbarrow,

Of course,

And anything that you carry inside it becomes as light as a feather.

With a renewed hope,

You take one of the small axes from the wheelbarrow and together you carefully chop at the root of this enormous pumpkin.

Once free,

You get behind it and gently push.

Gradually,

The pumpkin begins to roll,

And as soon as it touches the lip of the wheelbarrow,

It becomes completely weightless.

You roll the pumpkin into the wheelbarrow,

And you each take a handle.

You stroll with ease through the pumpkin patch,

On a different route now,

And back towards the rolling hills of home.

On your journey back to the Shire,

You pass through a new field housing bushes of fresh fruit,

And you are met by another concoction of tantalizing smells.

You pass by luminous red strawberries,

Bright blueberries,

And big juicy raspberries,

All are ripe and ready for picking.

You share a smile with your halfling,

And together you take a couple of fruit each to enjoy on this sunset stroll.

With your first bite,

You are met with a sweet and refreshing sensation dancing across your tongue.

Somehow,

The fruit is almost cold,

And this only adds to the freshness and the delicious taste.

The last light of the sun is fading over the furthest hill now,

And the sky has turned from a rich orange and red to a deep purple as the soft glow of dusk greets you.

This is a picture-perfect moment,

And a memory that you will never forget.

As you edge closer to the Shire,

The field turns onto a track road,

And you arrive at a large gate.

Waiting for you there is none other than your wonderful wizard,

The Grey Pilgrim.

He looks at you both with the mischievous rays of his eyebrows,

And glances suspiciously at his wheelbarrow.

Samwise smiles sheepishly and turns bright red,

But the wizard simply chuckles and brings you both into a tight embrace.

He compliments you on your rather impressive pumpkin this year,

But he warns you not to get your hopes up,

And stepping aside,

He reveals his new wheelbarrow,

Far bigger than yours,

And resting on top is an unbelievably huge object covered with a large grey blanket.

It is suspiciously pumpkin-shaped,

And you hear Samwise let out an audible gulp.

Your wizard responds with a mischievous wink.

But that's enough of competition,

The wizard says,

Patting you on the shoulder,

And he offers to walk you back to the village square.

Samwise,

Still wide-eyed and rather flummoxed,

Nods vacantly,

And together the three of you journey back over the last hill,

Once again approaching the heart of the Shire.

You cannot deny the instant comfort that being close to your wonderful wizard provides,

And even the gentle touch of his hand on your shoulder makes you feel completely safe.

It isn't long before you are all chatting away as normal.

You share stories of adventure and reminisce on wonderful memories together.

And before you know it,

The three of you are all laughing together as old friends do,

Thinking nothing of the competition that awaits.

Your wizard leans down and whispers in your ear that he has brought a very special guest with him tonight,

And that they are extremely eager to meet you.

Butterflies fill your stomach now as you wonder who this mysterious guest could be.

Above,

Many stars begin to reveal themselves,

Pulsing in a beautiful glitter,

And the luminous silver moon has replaced the setting sun,

Creating a perfect spotlight on the track road ahead.

As you bank to the left and round one last corner,

You arrive in the village square to a collection of beautiful festive lights,

Dazzling in green,

Orange,

And blue.

The lights encompass a series of market stalls,

Which are as busy as ever,

Selling all sorts of trinkets,

Toys,

And wares from across the land.

There are children playing together,

Drawing pictures with their magical sparklers,

Or racing up and down the track lanes.

You are greeted by the smell of bread baking,

Pumpkin-spiced hot chocolate,

Sweet toffee apples,

Fresh ale,

And mulled wine.

You and Sam share a look of complete wonder.

No matter how many times you spend Halloween in the Shire,

It never ceases to amaze you.

Suddenly,

You realize your wizard has disappeared,

And as you turn to find him,

You see your old friend slumping down on a wooden bench,

Wearing a displeased look under his bushy,

Grey eyebrows.

Directly in front of him is a notice board,

Hammered into the grass.

The sign reads,

After thorough consideration by the Underhill Committee,

It has been determined that in the spirit of fairness,

There will be no magic permitted in this competition.

Therefore,

Any wizards are henceforth denied entry into the pumpkin harvest.

However,

They are still very much invited to celebrate with us,

And any fireworks that might be lurking in their carriage are always welcome.

Despite having an obvious advantage,

You cannot help but feel a touch sorry for your old wizard,

And you offer him a tight hug to cheer him up.

You hear him grumble under his breath,

Something about unreliable halflings drinking too much of the gaffer's home brew,

And you try unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh.

You stop yourself,

Worried that you might have offended your wizard,

But in the next moment,

You hear that deep,

Bellowing laugh that you know so well,

And he picks you up on his shoulder,

Giving you a quick spin as the two of you share an infectious laughter.

Your wizard places you back down on the grass,

And announces that all is well,

All is well.

It was fun while it lasted,

He admits,

But his competing days are done,

And he is happy to stick to his fireworks from now on.

He might even have a trick or two up his sleeve tonight,

He tells you,

Giving a subtle wink.

In the next moment,

Two more halflings arrive and collect your prized pumpkin,

Wheeling it down into the party field,

Ready for judging.

With a new excitement,

You and Samwise follow behind your wizard,

Who leads you over to the top of the party field.

You make your way through the gate,

And down a shallow green hill,

Illuminated by the silver spotlight of the moon.

As you arrive into the party field,

There are bustling crowds of halflings,

Talking and laughing together,

And sharing stories as they walk between the sea of orange pumpkins,

Examining all of this year's entries.

The party tree stands tall and majestic as the constant guardian of this enchanted land.

It is peppered with lights of gold and blue,

And these,

Coupled with the rich emerald leaves,

Creates a beautiful blend of color that ripples in its own hypnotic rhythm.

Over to your left is a single wooden stall,

Topped with a white canopy,

And the scent of fresh pumpkin soup drifts over to you.

Your tummy rumbles,

And with nothing but supper on your mind now,

You wander over to the stall,

Followed by your companions.

As you approach the stall,

You are met by an elderly halfling,

Giving you a warm smile.

Pumpkin soup,

Is it?

She says with a gentle voice.

You nod happily,

And watch wide-eyed as she lifts the lid on an enormous cauldron,

Bubbling away with an enchanted orange liquid,

And glowing with a soft starlight,

Giving off the most delicious smell.

The gentle halfling fills a big wooden bowl,

And a rich steam rises from the rim.

But before you can pay,

A small bag of coins lands on the wooden counter next to you,

And as you turn to look,

You are met by a face that you have never seen before.

In front of you stands a rugged dwarf.

He has thick black stubble and long,

Flowing hair,

With two or three braids coming down to his shoulder.

He wears a dark blue cloak,

And carries a small mug of ale.

Before saying a word,

He pays the kind old halfling for your supper,

And gestures for you to join him at the nearby table.

You take a hesitant look at your wizard,

Who offers you a smile,

Reassuring you that this is the special guest he mentioned,

And that you would do well to join him.

For if things go smoothly,

Then another adventure awaits you.

You follow behind this new mysterious figure,

And come to the large wooden table.

You sit in silence,

And begin to enjoy your delicious pumpkin soup.

After a brief moment,

The dwarf holds out a hand,

And with a thin,

Proud smile,

Introduces himself as king beneath the mountain.

Not meaning to be rude,

You kindly ask which mountain he would be king of.

The dwarf gives a steely glance to the wizard,

Before letting out a low chuckle,

And taking a sip of his ale.

The Lonely Mountain,

He says,

Although you are not to let that name put you off.

Underneath this single,

Solitary peak are the great halls of his kin,

And there you will find the grandest feasts.

Never mind the dainty,

Elven banquets,

He tells you,

For it is only the kingdom of the dwarves who know how to feast.

And perhaps the folk of the Shire,

He adds with a stammer,

After a hard nudge from your wizard.

This dwarf,

At times,

Has a face of steel,

And is certainly proud,

Almost intimidating.

However,

Underneath this hard exterior,

You sense an undeniable warmth,

And a truly good heart.

The Dwarven King explains that the reason he is here is to extend an invitation to you.

He would like to host you beneath the mountain in the great halls,

Where you can feast by the fire,

And listen to tales of adventure,

And dance with dwarves until daybreak.

The wizard tells you that the sight of the Lonely Mountain is like nothing you have ever seen before,

Or will likely see again,

And that the dwarves are particularly good hosts.

If not a little rowdy,

At times,

He mumbles under his breath.

You thank the king for his invitation,

And you would be delighted to accept.

You are met with a rousing pat on the shoulder,

And a beaming smile that reveals the true gentle nature of this otherwise steely dwarf.

As you continue to enjoy your dinner,

The four of you chat away,

Sharing stories of adventures,

Mischief,

And beautiful banquets.

And your dwarven companion has a kingly glow around them now,

A soft golden radiance.

As the flowing conversation continues,

You allow your mind to wander,

Wondering what these ancient dwarven halls might look like,

And you paint a picture in your mind of the feast of champions that awaits you there.

All of a sudden,

There is a call for attention,

And the party field falls silent as a stout old halfling stands on the middle table,

Addressing the crowd.

They announce that the judging is almost complete,

And the panel have decided on three finalists.

With a gesture,

He draws the crowd's attention to the corner of the field,

Which has been illuminated with hundreds of golden fairy lights.

Three pumpkins are perched on their own pedestal.

With a cry of joy,

You see that your pumpkin is among them.

Samwise brings you into a warm hug,

And the two of you jump up and down together,

Dancing with delight.

The announcer tells you that the winner will be revealed right after the firework display,

And with those words,

You feel your stomach flip with a new excitement.

Your old wizard shuffles into the middle of the field,

And insists that actually there will be no fireworks after all.

He is met with a unanimous groan from the crowd,

But then,

With a sharp turn of his head,

Your wizard calls out that tonight he has something even better – pure magic.

In the next moment,

He plants his staff firmly in the ground,

And it begins to pulse with a beautiful golden orb.

The orb grows bigger and turns from gold to silver to emerald and sapphire.

Suddenly,

The orb shoots up into the sky and erupts silently,

Sending a golden flash across the sky and illuminating the party field with a heavenly glow.

As the light begins to fade,

You are met by an incredible collection of color rippling through the sky.

And through the night in waves of flamboyant stardust.

There are patterns of orange with sapphire,

Gold and emerald,

And scarlet with silver.

And then,

The deep black night becomes a blank canvas for your wizard,

And his magic begins to paint the most breathtaking pictures across the sky.

Swooping out of the night is a fleet of golden brown eagles in the style of an old watercolor painting.

Their wings beat fluidly,

And you can almost hear them calling out across the sky.

They glide effortlessly up into the night and fly together in a tight group.

Suddenly,

The color explodes,

And there is now a herd of white horses galloping down to the party field.

They ride just over your head,

And a wonderful white stardust begins to drift around you as your entire body becomes lighter.

To your left,

A beautiful sea of sapphire is painted through the sky,

And rolling waves bubble in a white foam backed by a glistening red sunset.

Leaping from the sea are silver dolphins creating silhouettes in the sky.

You cannot believe that your wizard is conjuring such beautifully detailed images from his imagination.

Each of these magical,

Moving paintings are met with harmonious oohs and ahhs from the crowd,

But you can only stand in silence and marvel at this incredible display.

Somehow,

After all these years,

This wily old wizard can still surprise you.

The watercolor paintings continue as you watch barn owls gliding over the moon,

And you notice that the party tree to your right has started to glow with fireflies dancing through the branches.

The golden fireflies drift out of the tree and descend into the field,

Floating all around you in tiny specks of gold dust.

Their magic sends a beautiful,

Soft vibration through your body,

All the way from the top of your head down to the tips of your toes.

In the next moment,

The sound of the crowd fades,

And it feels as though you have entered your very own private display,

Where you are greeted with the most beautiful sight of all.

In the sky now is a collection of all of your best memories being painted just for you.

A wonderful tapestry comes to life,

Full of all your favorite places and all the people that are special to you,

Near or far.

The colors swirl together in this mesmerizing display,

And you vow to hold on to all of these memories with a full heart.

You know now that you are being watched over tonight,

Guarded by your loved ones,

As you reminisce on all of the unforgettable memories that you have made with these special people in your life.

You take this moment to send wishes of love,

Positivity and hope to all those that are close to you.

And as these wishes and thoughts come to your mind,

You can see shooting stars begin to sail across the night.

One by one,

Your wishes are being delivered,

And as you watch them go,

You find yourself feeling incredibly grateful for your lovely old wizard.

Without him,

None of this magic would be possible.

He is a true gift to you,

And you are forever blessed to be one of his trusted companions.

This is the most breathtaking and heartfelt display that you have ever witnessed.

You allow yourself to completely let go and enjoy every little beautiful detail.

And gradually now,

The party field comes back into view,

And all of the pumpkins are pulsing with a beautiful orange glow.

And there,

Sitting atop a single pedestal,

High above the rest,

Is the winner.

You cannot believe it.

It is your pumpkin.

You did it.

You really did it.

The entire crowd cheers as you and Samwise share a happy dance of victory.

Even your dwarven king has come to celebrate with you.

Before you know it,

You and Sam are hoisted into the air and paraded through the field.

You celebrate with a lap of victory,

And you are completely engrossed in this world of magic.

The whole crowd is behind you now,

Celebrating with you.

For after all,

This isn't really about winning and losing.

This is a festival of friendship,

A celebration of your enchanted home and of all the people who live here.

You realize just how lucky you are to call this land your home.

You are blessed to live among such kind-hearted folk who above all else are simply friends.

You look to your trusty halfling and share a smile.

Your stout-hearted Sam has always been there for you.

And over the crowd,

He whispers in your ear that he always will be.

In the next moment,

You feel yourself begin to gently lift from the crowd and float a little bit higher above the party field.

You are leaving behind the hustle and bustle now.

And with Samwise floating by your side,

You take a moment to simply enjoy the wonderful view of your home,

Illuminated with the festive lights.

Each of the houses has a golden lantern over the door.

And somehow,

Under the light of the moon,

The hills seem to glow with an even deeper emerald.

It is a paradise of peace,

And it is your home.

You are floating in a state of total tranquility,

Guarded by the magic of your wizard and the magic of the Shire.

And now,

Bit by bit,

You feel yourself floating gently back down to the ground.

Only now,

You are no longer in the party field.

You find yourself landing on the soft grass of your garden outside your front door.

You turn to find your lovely wizard and the dwarven king smiling down at you.

They congratulate you on a very successful competition.

Without hesitation,

You throw yourself into the arms of your wizard,

Thanking him for all of his beautiful magic.

With a happy chuckle,

He reminds you that a life without magic is really no fun at all.

You shake hands with your new friend,

The dwarven king,

And he tells you that they must be off now,

For there is business to do at the Lonely Mountain.

With a smile,

He reminds you that you are not to leave it too long before your visit.

You nod happily,

Bidding a fond farewell to your two friends.

And with that,

You watch the wizard and the dwarf set off together,

Back down the track lane and towards the wizard's carriage,

Ready for an adventure of their own.

You turn to Sam with a tired smile,

And you invite him in for a nightcap.

He places a hand on your shoulder and nods his head sleepily.

In the next moment,

Your eyes flick to your garden table,

And you smile at the adorable sight of your little companion,

The red squirrel,

Fast asleep with a tiny seed in their arms.

You lift them into your hand and they stir slightly,

Offering a gentle sniff of your fingers before curling up tight in your palm.

You smile at your lovely friend and place them carefully in your pocket.

You open the front door at last,

And after one final look across the enchanted shire,

You step inside,

Followed by your trusty Samwise.

You are met by the eternal warmth of your fire,

And you breathe a sigh of relief.

After a long,

Busy day,

There is nothing that you want more than to sit in your armchair by the fire and enjoy a nice cup of enchanted elven tea before drifting off to sleep.

Samwise shuffles into the kitchen and fills the kettle,

Insisting that you relax now,

And he will prepare the tea.

You wander over to your favorite armchair,

Where a soft blanket waits for you.

Slowly now,

You sit yourself down,

Pull the blanket over you,

And remove your little red squirrel from your pocket.

You place them carefully on your lap and stroke their tiny head as they sleep peacefully.

The warmth of the fire lulls you into a deeper state of peace,

And you feel your body and your mind become heavier,

Heavier,

And heavier.

You hear footsteps approach as Samwise returns,

Carrying a mug of elven tea warmed to the perfect drinking temperature.

He hands you your mug before lighting the candles,

And finally he sits down himself,

Letting out a deep,

Satisfied sigh.

You sit in a peaceful silence now,

With your beloved friend,

Sipping on your tea and enjoying these wonderful sensations rippling through your body.

Gradually,

You are met by the pitter-patter of rain on the window and the faint crack of thunder.

It seems you came home at the perfect time.

Being inside your cozy house,

Listening to the sound of rain and the distant thunder,

And bathing in the warmth of your fire brings you to a deep state of comfort.

You feel completely safe and protected here,

And you allow all of these sounds to wash over you.

The candles flicker gently,

And the flames are hypnotic to watch.

You feel your eyes becoming just that bit heavier,

And each blink is getting longer and longer.

In the corner,

You watch Sam rummage in his rucksack before pulling out a small,

Leather-bound book.

He flips it open and begins to jot down his memories of the day,

Reminiscing on his wonderful adventure with you.

And now,

You feel yourself entering a state of complete serenity.

The rain patters away,

And the thunder rolls in the distance.

The big log fire warms your entire body and soothes your tired muscles.

You feel a new softness washing over you as you sink deeper and deeper into your comfy armchair.

The lovely Samwise scribbles away,

And that faint sound only adds to the perfect atmosphere.

Your little companion rests peacefully on your knee,

And the only thing left to do now is just relax.

You give yourself final permission to let go of everything.

Bit by bit,

You are getting closer to the magic of sleep.

A wonderful world of dreams and starlight awaits you,

And when you wake in the morning,

You will be refreshed,

Renewed,

And ready for a brand new day.

Beautiful memories float through your mind with ease,

Reminding you of all the incredible highlights of your autumn adventure in the Shire.

These memories will keep you safe tonight as you drift deeper,

Deeper,

And deeper off to sleep.

It is a cool,

Crisp,

Late afternoon.

The end of autumn is merging with early winter,

And you are strolling through a wide,

Open field wrapped in a thick,

Warm cloak.

The sky is clear,

The sun is shining,

And there is a lovely,

Fresh breeze.

Beads of frost pepper the grass that crunches underneath your footsteps,

But your big,

Woolly boots keep your feet and your toes perfectly toasty.

Soft blue and gold hues blend in the sky,

And the light creates silhouettes of the huge trees that are dotted along the horizon.

The leaves have fallen now,

And you can see all the details of each tiny branch poking and weaving around each other.

You reach into your pocket and pull out an already-opened letter that arrived not two days ago.

It is a letter from the Dwarven King,

Whom you met during the Halloween festival.

You have been officially invited to visit the King in his grand halls beneath the mountain,

But he does not expect you to travel the whole way by yourself.

At the end of the letter are detailed instructions guiding your way to a hidden village beyond a woodland grove,

Not too far from your homeland.

There,

You will meet your kingly escort before resting in the local tavern,

And tomorrow,

You will be taken by horse and cart to the deep Dwarven kingdom along with a very special guest.

You stroll through a thicket of trees now,

And notice that the last light of the sun is fading,

And a new silver glow from the moon is greeting you,

And the stars above are revealing themselves.

As you walk,

You let your mind wander as you mull over your adventures so far,

Remembering all the people you have met,

The places you have visited already,

And of course,

Where you might be going next.

You conjure images of huge,

Unscalable mountains capped with ice and snow,

And far beneath the ground,

A host of rather unruly dwarves are throwing a banquet where feasting,

Singing,

And merriment can be enjoyed by all.

You pass over a small wooden bridge now,

Where a rich blue stream flows in slow motion,

And tiny moonbeams dazzle on the water.

Beautiful golden fish weave under the surface,

And this whole forest is alive with magic.

You shuffle through a thick hedgerow,

And suddenly find yourself coming to the end of the woodland,

And there you see it.

Shimmering under a huge silver spotlight are thick wooden walls,

Towering almost as high as the treetops behind you,

And the panels are wrapped in purple and green ivy.

Over the wall,

You see the thatched roofs of many buildings,

Each with their own crooked little chimney puffing out a pure white smoke,

Creating a misty haze over the village.

The main gate stands before you now,

And on the door is a square hatch,

The perfect size for an inquisitive face to peep out of whenever a visitor should come knocking.

As you shuffle towards the door,

You notice a golden lantern has sparked to life just above your head,

And inside are two lovely fireflies,

Flickering with a charming glow.

You raise your hand to knock,

But before you can touch the wood,

The hatch opens,

And a pair of beady eyes start to investigate you.

You can hear a distant grumbling as the eyes look you up and down.

Suddenly,

The eyes disappear,

The wooden gate swings open,

And you are greeted by an elderly man in a leather cap,

Carrying his very own firefly lantern.

Good evening to you,

Traveler,

The old man says.

We've been told to keep an eye out for a wandering soul who looks just like you.

You're almost late.

Follow me,

And I'll take you to the tavern.

It's not very often we get kings visiting our little village,

So we mustn't keep him too much longer.

You follow behind the gatekeeper up a winding path through the bustling village.

Lined up on each side of you are rows upon rows of cottages and thick wooden beams crisscrossing unevenly.

Some are houses,

Others are stores selling homemade wares,

Trinkets,

Weapons,

And more.

There are market stalls built into the walls,

And even at this time of night,

Locals are selling fresh fruit and vegetables,

Herbs,

Potions,

And tinctures.

As well as all the essential goods for any weary traveler – small leather satchels,

Walking boots,

And water flasks,

To name a few.

The windows of the cottages are lit by soft candlelight,

And all together they radiate a lovely glow onto the street,

Turning this usually muddy dirt track road into a pathway of gold.

There is something familiar about this village.

You are sure you have never been here before,

And yet you cannot shake the feeling that you have in fact seen this place,

Somewhere in your dreams,

Perhaps.

And this realization has a comforting effect on you,

One that makes you feel right at home,

As if this entire village has been waiting for your return.

You round a long,

Slow corner to the right,

And there,

Swinging in the moonlight,

Is the sign of the local tavern – three mugs of overflowing ale underneath a white horse rearing up,

With a golden tail and a golden mane.

Here we are,

The old man says,

He's waiting for you in the back room.

And with that,

He opens the tavern door,

And you shuffle inside.

You are met by a wave of warmth from a huge stone fire pit in the middle of the room.

You gaze around the tavern and take in all the patrons.

There are the usual barflies,

As there are in many of the taverns,

Slumped over a mug of ale and muttering slightly incoherently to each other about all the goings on in the world.

You spot a group of adventurers gathered round the fire,

Telling each other wild,

Embellished tales of battles long ago,

And of travelling to lands far and wide.

There are one or two suspicious people mingling around,

With their hoods firmly covering their faces,

Doing private dealings in the shadows.

And in one corner,

You see three incredibly tall women playing a very unusual card game,

Sipping enchanted-looking cocktails that bubble and fizz in different colours.

You walk through the tavern,

Tired and weary from your hike,

And make your way straight to the back room,

Where a soft orange glow flickers from within.

As you approach the door,

The Dwarven King steps out in front of you and places a hand on your shoulder.

Well,

I have to say I'm very impressed.

I told the wizard you'd never find your way here on your own,

That you'd probably get lost.

He bet that you'd be here if not slightly late.

He was right,

Of course,

And now I am one bag of gold short,

He adds with a chuckle.

You smile at the thought of reuniting with the wizard again,

But as you try to peek into the room beyond,

The dwarf quickly raises his hand.

He's not here yet,

My new friend.

He will be arriving tomorrow by horse and cart,

And from here we will all ride to the mountain.

You have shown me the courtesies and hospitality of your people,

And I look forward to returning the favour.

The Dwarven King leads you to a large armchair by a little log fire,

Where a pot of soup bubbles away.

As you sit,

The King scoops a ladle or two of soup into a wooden bowl and hands it to you.

There,

He says,

You've more than earned that.

Your room is just through that door and up the stairs.

Be sure to eat well and get some rest tonight.

We have a long journey tomorrow.

As you enjoy your fresh,

Hot soup and chat away with the dwarf,

You notice the kingly glow radiating from him.

Within the flickering firelight of the dark,

Crooked tavern,

He looks like an oil painting.

His long,

Dark hair is braided with beads of blue and green.

His beard is neatly trimmed with traces of silver among the charcoal black.

His dark blue tunic is accompanied by a silver belt that shimmers in the soft glow of the fire.

And every single finger has at least one ring.

Some are gold or silver,

And others have jewels of diamond,

Emerald,

Ruby and sapphire.

And as he speaks,

His heavy brow casts a shadow over his eyes,

Only adding to his mystery.

His aura is undeniable,

And simply being in his presence,

You instantly feel safe and protected.

Gradually,

Now,

You finish off your soup,

And you feel your eyes growing heavier as your blinks become slower.

Your whole body is relaxed,

And you are sinking deeper and deeper into the armchair.

You hear the king stand up,

And he gently takes the ball from your grip,

Whispering to you that it is time to rest now,

Friend.

Tomorrow,

You shall see the mountain,

My home.

And once we are inside,

You will feast by the firelight and sing songs of the dwarves and dance to your heart's content.

Our dear wizard arrives in the morning,

And we shall all ride together.

But for now,

It is time for you to rest.

You do not need to be told twice.

You slowly stand up,

Bidding the king a warm goodnight with a slight bow,

And you shuffle towards the staircase ahead.

You wind up the steps bit by bit,

And with each step,

Your legs grow heavier.

At last,

You reach the top,

Where only a single door awaits.

You push it open and move slowly into your own little bedroom.

The moonlight beams through your window,

And a soothing sleepy symphony fills the air.

The bedroom is warmed up perfectly from the heat of the tavern below.

You shuffle off your cloak and your boots and flop down onto your bed.

Your body is heavy and your mind is clear.

The only thoughts you have are of adventure and magic,

As a quiet excitement fills your heart for tomorrow's journey.

You give yourself final permission to completely surrender to this enchanted world.

The moon and the stars are singing you to sleep and watching over you tonight.

It is safe for you to fall asleep and to drift into a peaceful slumber.

And somewhere far off in another part of this land,

The mountain is waiting for you.

You find yourself waking up in a soft,

Cozy bed to the sound of rain tapping against your window.

There is a warmth pulsing up from the floor and radiating through the room and your bedsheets.

Gradually,

You take in the wood-paneled room around you and remember that you are inside the tavern in the heart of a hidden village.

You reminisce on your journey here through frosty fields and a small woodland,

And how you were greeted by the dwarven king in the tavern downstairs,

Treated to a hot bowl of soup and promised to be taken to his home,

The mountain.

You sit up on the edge of your bed and enjoy a soothing stretch before getting ready for your next adventure.

You cannot believe that after weeks of waiting and wondering,

You are finally taking a journey to the dwarven halls of the king.

You grab your backpack,

Open the door and make your way down the rickety wooden stairs as the buzz of adventure fills the air.

As you arrive into the heart of the tavern,

The place is almost completely empty,

A vast contrast to last night.

But the fire still roars in the stone fire pit and the comforting homely atmosphere remains.

You glance around,

Hoping to catch sight of the dwarven king,

But instead,

You are met by a hand on the back of your shoulder.

You feel a familiar hum of magic and turn with a smile to see the kind face of your wizard,

Who gives a happy chuckle,

Bringing you in for a tight hug.

Ah,

How could you forget?

Of course,

The wizard is joining you,

And he will guide you on another adventure yet again.

Instantly,

You feel safe and protected.

You know without a doubt that just being in the presence of this wonderful companion,

Nothing will find you.

The wizard leads you to a small table by the door,

Where you see the dwarven king is waiting.

He is as stoic as ever,

Sipping on a warm mug of tavern brew,

But you notice a slight smirk on his face as your eyes meet,

And your new friend rises from his seat to bid you a good morning as you approach the table,

Taking your hand in his.

As you sit down alongside your two companions,

A large platter is brought to your table,

Filled with all different breakfasts for you to choose from.

There are pastries of all kinds,

Scones with butter,

Jam and honey,

Fresh fruit,

Bacon,

Sausage and eggs,

Potato hash,

And so much more.

There are two cast iron kettles,

One with freshly ground coffee,

And in the other are steeping tea leaves.

But not just any tea leaves,

These are from the heart of your homeland.

The smell brings back memories of many mornings sitting out in your garden,

Watching the sunrise with a cup of your favorite tea.

You enjoy a hearty breakfast now,

Filling your plate more than once,

And being sure to wrap a few pastries in some napkins to take with you on the trip.

It is a peaceful morning,

Slow,

Steady and relaxing,

The perfect way to start a day of adventure.

The wizard informs you that your journey will take you over the famous Moonvale Mountain Bridge,

Where it is said that from it,

One can see the edge of the earth with the naked eye.

And when crossed in the late afternoon,

Which is about the time you are expected to reach it,

A breathtaking display awaits.

Not only that,

The king adds,

But when we reach the mountain,

You will be met by many fires in the stone hearths,

A feast beyond compare,

Barrels of ale,

Enchanted tea,

And fresh chocolate from my kin in the north.

There will be a party like no other,

A celebration of all the dwarves welcoming our two guests to our kingdom.

We shall share in songs,

Laughter,

And merriment.

And with that,

A new excitement fills your heart.

You gulp down your final few mouthfuls of breakfast,

Shuffle on your backpack,

And move over to wait by the door as you look impatiently at your friends.

Alright then,

The wizard says to the king,

Who still has half a mug of brew to finish.

Looks like we better head out.

We don't want to keep our companion waiting.

Your friends join you now as the king finishes his last sip of brew.

You open the tavern door,

And together the three of you step out into the cold,

Rainy morning,

Where you are covered by a small thatched canopy protected from the elements.

The old familiar cart stands before you now,

Pulled by the wizard's trusty steed,

Who seems to be protected by a magic spell as he is completely dry and patting his hooves contentedly.

The cart itself is decorated with many enchanted runes carved by the wizard,

And although it may look old and rugged,

This is the most sturdy and reliable cart that you have ever known.

Hop inside now,

The wizard says,

There is more shelter from the rain in the cart.

You step up into the tall wooden cart,

Where a thick canopy of fabric curves over the top,

And perch yourself behind the driver's seat,

Your wizard's seat.

The king joins you,

Sitting by your side,

As you both place your backpacks behind.

The wizard climbs aboard now,

And gives a low whistle.

Before you know it,

The cart is trotting along at quite a pace,

Carving through the muddy pathway with ease,

And approaching the far gate of the village.

The rain hammers against the canopy,

And outside the ground is sodden and filled with puddles,

But inside this cart,

You are warm,

You are cozy,

And you are completely protected.

You are embarking on a brand new adventure into great lands unknown to you,

Accompanied by your two wonderful companions,

And you couldn't be more excited.

The start of your journey takes you out of the village,

And across vast rolling hills,

Where tiny streams and little rivers weave like veins across the countryside.

The trees stand strong against the wind and the rain,

But there is not an animal in sight today.

As you travel,

You allow your focus to soften,

And to drift around wherever it would like to go.

Sometimes you are observing the beautiful landscape all around you,

And other times you are listening to the odd murmuring conversation between the king and your wizard,

But mostly you are enjoying the stillness,

The peace and the quiet.

As you pass through a small grove of still blooming trees,

Which is unusual at this time of year,

You see a small shrine by a tiny waterfall,

Filled with flowers of pink,

Blue and yellow.

It is an enchanted monument that seems to be untouched by all of the elements,

As if existing inside its own little ecosystem.

This is an incredibly soothing journey.

You feel your body completely relaxing,

Your mind emptying of all thoughts,

And your breath becoming slow and deep.

Your eyes blink closed ever so slightly,

And in the next moment,

You feel yourself being gently woken up by the king,

And you cannot even remember drifting off in the first place.

I do not mean to wake you,

My friend,

But I would never forgive myself if I let you miss this.

Welcome to the Moonvale Mountain Bridge.

You half open your eyes and gaze sleepily out of your cart.

The rain has stopped altogether now,

The canopy has rolled back,

And you see that you are travelling over a huge stone bridge carved out of the rock and winding between two mountains.

The landscape around you has changed entirely,

And you are met by a sight so special you feel your mouth drop open in disbelief.

First,

You see the sky,

A beautiful blend of gold,

Red and orange,

Like a thick honey being stirred in slow motion.

On both sides of the bridge is a dense mist,

Covering the world in a blanket of pure white,

With only the two mountain peaks poking through.

And then,

You see the horizon far away,

Dazzling with distant solar flares of many colours.

Occasionally,

You see what look like comets shooting up from the horizon,

Tracing the sky,

Impulsing lights of green,

Red and blue,

Purple,

Pink and yellow.

That,

The wizard whispers,

That is the edge of the Earth as we know it.

You are utterly speechless,

And for a time now,

You simply allow yourself to surrender to this display in the sky.

The rainbow of comets paint wonderful pictures,

Ones that fill your heart with joy and gladness,

With song and harmony,

And with comfort and love.

You are truly at peace,

And you start to trust now that no matter what may come,

There is always something beautiful to find in this world.

And,

Very slowly now,

The cart arrives at the end of the moonveil mountain bridge,

And you feel yourself moving back down now.

You bid farewell to the edge of the world,

Hoping to see this display again one day,

As you venture now through a thick blanket of fog and back down the mountainside.

As you ride,

The cart sways from left to right,

And this gentle rocking sensation is a comfort to you.

The canopy of the cart has returned,

Bringing with it that familiar warmth,

And you take a few slow breaths,

Reminiscing on this wonderful display you have just witnessed.

Gradually now,

You reach flat land once more,

And as you do so,

The fog begins to clear.

The white veil dissolves,

And a new sunset glow starts to fill the sky.

And then you see it,

A single solitary peak,

Still a little way off in the distance,

But illuminated by the golden spotlight of sunset,

And pulsing with an unmistakable magic.

You hear the Dwarven King inhale sharply,

And as you glance over to him,

There is a tear in his eye.

My home,

He whispers with a smile.

He turns to you now,

Putting a hand on your shoulder.

We are almost there,

My friend.

Rest now for a while,

For we shall arrive at the front gates by nightfall.

You hear the wizard humming a soft,

Soothing spell that almost sounds like a song,

And straight away,

You feel your eyes becoming heavier and heavier.

Your blinks are slow,

And a new warmth is pulsing through your body.

A soft veil covers your vision,

And you feel yourself drifting,

Drifting,

And drifting,

As time seems to slow down completely.

And with each blink,

You feel your body letting go,

Your mind emptying,

And your soul being soothed.

And at last,

Your eyes close,

And a comforting nap overtakes you.

The mountain is calling out to you,

And your dreams will carry you there.

You wake up to the soft sound of a silver trumpet in the distance,

Ringing through the night air.

The cart in which you travel has stopped now,

And the land is completely still,

As if anticipating something extraordinary.

You sit up in the cart,

And gaze ahead of you.

Standing strong and proud is the mountain,

Rooted deep into the earth,

And towering up into the stars.

Two huge torches hang on each side of the wrought iron door that is lined with shimmering silver gems.

And from the front gate,

It looks as if the entire kingdom has come out to welcome their king on his return.

The dwarven king stares at his home,

Still in awe of it after all these years.

And,

Seeing you are now awake,

He greets you with a smile,

Telling you it is time.

The canopy of the cart rolls back once more,

And you are met by your trusty wizard,

Offering you a helping hand.

You step down from the cart,

And are met by five dwarven workers.

They bow low to you,

And you return the gesture before they head round to the cart and collect all the bags and your belongings.

The soft sound of the trumpet still rings out,

But it is not harsh to the ear.

It is like an ancient song of home that calls out across the land,

And when you hear it,

It fills you with comfort and peace.

Come,

The king says,

Let us head inside,

For a great feast awaits.

You stroll down the paved pathway,

Towards the gate of the mountain,

With your two companions either side of you.

Small white flowers are thrown in front of your feet,

And there is a great applause as the king greets his subjects.

The wizard casts a spell from his staff,

And little silver sparks start to pepper the air above you,

Illuminating the path in a hypnotic silver light.

As you reach the entrance,

The king waves a hand,

And the doors open with ease,

As a burst of golden light floods out from the mountain,

And a new warmth wraps around you.

The company of dwarves follow behind,

And all together you enter the mountain.

What greets you now is not a cold,

Dark,

Murky cave,

But a whole kingdom.

There are endless white-stoned square pillars that stretch high up into the shadows,

All the way to the top of the mountain.

These pillars have huge torches on each side,

And are carved with the symbols of dwarven royalty.

The walls of the mountain are engraved with ancient blue runes that pulse in a steady rhythm,

And their contrast with the fire creates a beautiful blend of gold and sapphire that mingles throughout the entire kingdom.

You can see statues of old heroes made from white marble and standing over a hundred feet tall.

There is a statue of the great poet,

Who,

It is said,

Wooed the dwarven gods with his words,

And in return,

The gods gave him the tools to dig into the mountain and to build a kingdom here.

To your left is a statue of the dwarven sailor,

A maiden of the sea,

Carved in intricate detail.

The wizard explains that it is because of this maiden that the dwarves came to this world at all.

She crossed the nine seas,

Overcoming many dangers to get here,

And gave life to all of her people.

Some even say that she is the very first ancestor of the dwarves.

And finally,

You see the third statue,

A great dwarven warrior with a shield of pure silver.

The king tells you that long ago,

This kingdom was under threat from three dragons of the north.

But,

Harnessing the power of the silver shield,

Another gift from the gods,

The warrior was able to banish the dragons and reclaim the land for our people.

You have never seen craftsmanship like this before.

The scale,

The strength,

And the time needed to do all of this is unbelievable,

And it almost might be if you weren't seeing it with your own eyes.

As you enter the main square,

There are beautiful houses carved from the rock,

Each with their own unique design.

From the windows,

A soft candlelight pulses,

And outside,

You see families greeting you,

And many children are lining the walkway with the same white flowers.

A great hum of gentle music fills the air,

And you feel a wonderful enchantment washing over you.

This is a royal welcome,

Indeed,

And the mountain is beyond your wildest dreams.

You are utterly speechless.

You walk through a winding stone street,

Again lined with gold torches and blue runes,

And you pass by a large apothecary and many market stalls.

There are merchants and masons,

Tinkers,

Tailors,

And toymakers,

And through a large archway to your right,

You see an enormous blacksmith's forge with many smelters the size of houses.

You arrive at last at a great hall with golden doors,

And as they swing open,

You are met by dwarven chefs cheering and welcoming you all.

The feast is ready,

And it is time to head inside.

The great hall is as tall as an ancient cathedral,

And as wide as a dozen fields.

Above,

You see banners of emerald,

Sapphire,

And gold,

Embroidered with the crest of the king.

There are rows upon rows of stone tables and cushioned chairs,

One for every single dwarf in the kingdom.

The king leans over to you now and whispers that,

Tonight,

You will enjoy the greatest feast this land has ever seen.

You follow behind the wizard now and take a seat at the main table between him and the king,

Who sits at the head,

Of course.

And then,

You watch in amazement as endless platters of food and drink are brought out to you.

There is everything you could ever imagine,

Collections of roasted meat and fish cooked over coals.

You see vegetable stews,

Plates of different hot bread,

And tankards of ale or wine.

There are vast cauldrons of soups,

Trays of cheeses you have never even seen before.

You can see and smell different pies fresh from the oven.

There are wild mushrooms that pulse on the platters,

Which the wizard tells you are enchanted.

You catch the scent of mead and honey cider,

And also fresh tea,

Coffee,

And,

Of course,

Hot chocolate.

For dessert,

You spot apple and raspberry crumble with lovely hot custard.

There are brownies,

Biscuits and ice cream,

Tarts of lemon,

Blueberry,

And chocolate,

And many cakes that are six tiers high.

It is almost overwhelming,

But the wizard gives you a smile and insists that if you tell him what you would like to try,

He will get it for you.

You place your order for your first serving,

And the wizard casts a quiet spell.

One by one,

Your chosen food lands on your plate,

And your tankard is filled with your preferred drink.

You chuckle with your wonderful wizard now,

And he jokes what on earth you would ever do without him.

You enjoy a slow,

Deep breath,

And take in the details of this incredible spread.

The king was right.

You have never seen anything like this,

And likely never will.

It really is a sight to behold.

The king rises from his chair and asks for the entire kingdom to welcome their new guest tonight.

You stand slowly and try to smile at as many faces across the tables as you can,

And you are met with a round of applause and many cheers.

It is a strange but beautiful moment.

You feel so comforted and so welcome here that the only feeling you can compare it to is,

Well,

Coming back home.

With three taps of his golden goblet,

The king announces that the feast is ready to begin.

And with that,

You dig in,

Making sure to take your time and to try as many different foods as possible,

While also leaving plenty of room for dessert.

You share a smile with the wizard and with a few of the dwarves at your table as the entire hall descends into silence.

Only the enchanted hum of the mountain fills the air now,

Like a soothing symphony only adding to this perfect atmosphere.

Every single bite is utterly incredible.

The flavors,

The warmth,

The comfort,

It is all there.

You can feel this food healing your entire body,

And as it does so,

You notice each muscle relaxing and softening.

You feel your mind clearing as if this magical feast is banishing all thoughts,

Leaving you only with this moment.

There are pockets of conversation dotted around the tables,

And the general hum of noise is a peaceful addition to the banquet.

As you eat and drink,

You realize how lucky you are to be friends with such brilliant folk.

The king,

For all his wealth and glory,

Is as generous as they come,

And you are glad for his companionship.

Your wizard,

You know,

Will always be there for you no matter what,

And even when you embark on different adventures,

There will never not be a reunion.

You take this time to simply enjoy the feast,

To enjoy the hum of the mountain,

The atmosphere of the banquet hall,

And the pure perfection of this adventure.

You feel so blessed to be here,

And you savor every single moment.

As the banquet slowly comes to an end,

And all of the plates are cleared away,

You see two or three dwarves climbing up onto each table across the hall.

The king gives a knowing chuckle and gestures to a group of musicians in the corner,

Who immediately start up a lively jig.

And now,

The dwarves dance atop the tables,

Singing ancient songs of their people and leaping from one table to the next.

Bit by bit,

More and more dwarves climb up onto the tables to dance.

Some swing their mugs of ale,

And others are spinning around in pairs or threes,

Lifting each other up or linking arms and gulping their drinks.

Then,

The wizard rises,

Pulling you up from your seat,

And together,

The two of you join in with the entire kingdom.

Even the king himself has leapt up onto your table,

And now you see a completely different side to him.

His stoic,

Calm shell has dissolved,

And you see in his eyes a young dwarven prince reliving his youth and relishing this time with family and friends.

It is a joyous affair,

And the sounds of laughter,

Music,

And stomping footsteps echo through this great hall.

At last,

The musicians bring the dance to a close,

And there is a loud cheer across all the tables.

The banquet of the king beneath the mountain is officially over.

With a satisfied sigh,

You step down from the table,

And all of a sudden,

You let out a huge yawn as a wave of exhaustion runs through your body.

It has been a long journey here,

Spanning many days,

And it feels like an age since you last slept soundly.

The king catches your eye and bids for you to follow him now,

And together with the wizard,

The three of you quietly weave out of the great hall,

Shuffling down a thin corridor of white stone.

Eventually,

You arrive at a small golden door,

And the king stops.

These are your chambers,

He says.

A small fire burns inside,

And a bed fit for royalty awaits you.

You offer him a low bow,

And your thanks for his wonderful hospitality.

And then,

For the first time since your meeting,

The dwarven king brings you in for a warm embrace.

Thank you,

My friend,

For visiting my home.

You are welcome in the mountain whenever you like,

And you can stay as long as you need to.

The wizard reminds the king that the two of you must head home tomorrow,

For there is a festive celebration in your homeland,

One not to be missed.

But you reassure the king that you will visit again as soon as you are able,

And you tell him how beautiful this kingdom is,

And that his ancestors would be proud of his reign.

The dwarf bows low and bids you a warm goodnight,

Before he shuffles off back down the stone corridor to resume his royal duties as host and king.

Your wizard offers you a smile,

And bids you goodnight as well.

He insists that tomorrow morning you can lie in as long as you need.

There are a few days yet until the festive celebrations back home,

So you can take your time on the journey.

You open the golden door and shuffle inside your room,

Feeling a wonderful warmth wrap around you like a soft,

Soothing blanket.

The small fire crackles away,

Illuminating the room with a flickering light.

There are your bags in the corner,

And in the middle of the room is a huge bed made of gold,

With sheets as white as snow.

Without another hesitation,

You slip under the covers and feel the soft duvet on your skin.

You take a nice,

Deep breath,

Relaxing completely with each exhale,

And very,

Very slowly,

You sink even deeper into the mattress and into comfort.

You have had an unforgettable night,

Feasting and dancing with the dwarves,

And you do wish,

In fact,

That you could stay longer.

But you know that soon it will be Christmas,

And back home in the land of your people,

A festive celebration awaits.

You give yourself permission to finally surrender,

And you let go of any holding on.

Your muscles become soft and heavy,

Your mind becomes blank,

Filled only with the soft,

Enchanted hum of the mountain,

And your breath becomes easy.

You feel yourself drifting deeper and deeper,

Edging ever closer to a perfect sleep.

The mountain will guard your slumber tonight,

And your dreams will be pure and beautiful.

You find yourself traveling by horse and cart through a beautiful,

Flat countryside topped with a fresh layer of snow.

The morning blizzard has finally settled,

The sky is clear,

And you are left with an untouched,

White haven all around you,

As far as the eye can see.

Thick trees pepper the land and gently wave in the wind,

Their bare branches are dusted with snow.

A handful of robins and blackbirds dart across the winter sky.

You are accompanied by a tall,

Proud wizard,

Known back home as the Grey Pilgrim,

And a very dear friend of yours.

He has a stoic posture,

But a warmth and kindness radiates from his gentle heart,

Giving him a subtle,

Magical glow.

He wears a long,

Grey cloak and a wide-brimmed,

Pointy hat that casts a shadow over his eyes.

Below the shadow falls a thick beard,

Traced with silver and white.

A wisp of smoke rises from the long pipe tucked firmly in the wizard's mouth.

Nestled under his arm is a crooked wooden staff,

With small branches creating a tulip shape at the top.

As you ride,

The wizard mutters a low spell under his breath.

In the next moment,

The snow covering the track road begins to part effortlessly,

Providing you with a smooth and comfortable passage across the vast,

White landscape.

The sky is marbled with turquoise and sapphire,

Backed by the golden light of the late afternoon sun,

And a refreshing winter breeze is brushing your cheeks.

You are wrapped in a thick fleece jacket and a woolly hat with warm snow boots that come up to your knees.

All of your clothes are lined with enchanted wool from the sheep of the Shire,

And they give off a pulsing heat that echoes throughout your body.

Your thoughts turn now to the rolling hills of the Shire,

And you picture all the tiny little houses peppered through the hills and along the river.

No doubt already decorated for Christmas.

You imagine yourself back inside the local tavern,

Enjoying a wonderful feast and sitting by a warm fire,

Surrounded by laughter and friendship.

Not a care in the world,

And all the comforts of home.

Then,

You suddenly remember that the wizard is famous in this land for his enchanting fireworks,

And while his eyes are fixed on the road ahead,

You turn and peek under the thick blanket covering the cart.

A wave of excitement runs through you as you glimpse an endless array of colorful,

Magical fireworks,

Ready for tonight.

Your journey takes you through a small woodland grove,

Packed with thin,

Gangly trees.

As you enter the wood,

A canopy of branches forms above you.

A winding track road guides your way through the trees,

And is bordered by rich green grass,

Dotted with odd patches of snow that has sieved its way through the canopy.

Lining the road are colorful flowers curled up tight,

Shielding themselves from the winter breeze,

A dusting of frost on their petals.

Huge icicles droop down from the bare branches of the trees,

And to your left,

A small stream has completely frozen over,

Creating a wonderful,

Swirling pattern on the surface.

Different shades of blue are mingling together,

With jagged silver rocks protruding from the ice.

It is quiet and peaceful here.

Even the bird song of the countryside has faded now,

Behind the dense cover of the grove.

Usually,

In spring,

Summer,

And autumn,

This woodland is filled with many beautiful animals,

Peacefully coexisting in this mini-paradise.

But all have migrated now,

Or are hibernating for the winter,

Resting in comfort with their families.

The empty woodland appears to enjoy this quiet respite while it lasts.

As you travel side by side with the wizard,

You are filled with a deep comfort and a quiet reassurance.

You can allow yourself to completely relax and let go,

Knowing that you are protected under his watchful eye.

You turn to him,

Admitting that you are glad he is with you today.

The kind old wizard lifts the brim of his hat,

And his soft blue eyes give a radiant glow as his beard twitches with a smile.

He puts his arm around you and whispers that there is nowhere else he would rather spend his Christmas.

In the next moment,

You emerge through the end of the grove,

And you are met by a small bridge arched in cream-colored stone over the frozen river below.

Beyond the bridge,

In the distance,

You see the rolling white hills of the Shire.

Here is a land of eternal beauty,

Untouched by the outside world.

A land of hope and friendship,

Of laughter and love,

Of warm food and a comfortable life.

It is the most wonderful place in the world,

And it is your home.

Perfect white hilltops sweep the horizon,

Coupled with a silver glitter reflecting the low sun.

Underneath the hills are little wooden cottages,

Each with a perfectly round door in different colors and two porthole windows on either side,

All illuminated by a soft yellow light from within.

Poking through the snow are small brick chimneys,

All puffing away in their own steady rhythm and covering the village with an enchanted silver haze.

As you make your way over the bridge and through the borders of your village,

You see Christmas trees in each garden,

Decorated with homemade trinkets,

Baubles and fairy lights.

There is a holly wreath on every door,

And the houses are lined with yellow lights along their fence,

Giving their gardens a soft golden glow.

One or two halflings tend to their gardens,

Shoveling snow and hanging up final decorations.

As you ride by,

They tip their hats to you,

Wishing you a wonderful day and a Merry Christmas Eve.

With a slow,

Deep breath,

You take in every little detail of this beautiful village.

You are finally back,

Right where you belong.

The wizard turns the cart to the right now,

Down a thin gravel track.

And just down the road,

You can see your front garden peeping out,

Backed by your very own little house under the hill.

The familiar old apple tree rests in one corner,

Its now bare branches dusted with frost.

As you get closer,

You notice that the local halflings have planted your very own Christmas tree,

Decorated with baubles,

Candy canes and festive toys,

All wrapped up in golden fairy lights.

The perfectly round door is painted in your favorite color and topped with a holly wreath over the brass handle in the middle.

And then,

Perched on your fence,

You spot a baby red squirrel looking at you with their innocent eyes and impatient wiggle in their tail.

As the cart rolls past your garden,

The squirrel leaps onto the side of it and climbs up along the wooden panels.

They clamber over your shoulder and curl up in your lap.

You greet them with a gentle stroke on their head and they sniff your hand affectionately.

With a happy heart,

You remember your first encounter with this fluffy animal.

One morning,

Before your journey with the wizard to the hidden elven valley,

You rescued this creature from the apple tree in your garden when they slipped and nearly fell.

After feeding them from your hand and welcoming them to your home,

They quickly became a permanent resident in your garden.

And now,

Whenever you return from an adventure,

Your little friend is waiting,

Ready to welcome you home.

The wizard leads you on through the rolling hills,

Backed by the now setting sun.

A golden red shimmer reflects on the snow,

Bathing this land in a heavenly light.

As you round a corner,

You see halfling children sledging down a long,

Sweeping hillside,

All laughing together as their different colored bobble hats flap in the wind.

A few of the children are building a snowman on top of the hill.

You watch them twist a carrot into place before stepping back to reveal a very happy snowman,

Wrapped up in a red and green scarf and enjoying the blissful innocence that surrounds him as he overlooks the golden white hills.

Then,

The halfling children spot the wizard,

And they run down the hill giggling with excitement.

Their little legs follow your cart,

Desperately trying to keep up as they shout at the top of their voices,

Begging for some magical fireworks.

With a smile,

You turn and give the wizard a nudge with your elbow,

But his face is stern and his eyes are fixed forward.

Just then,

His lip begins to quiver and his eyes brighten with mischief.

Instantly,

There is a burst of small firecrackers behind you in all the colors of the rainbow.

The children give a cheer of approval as they jump up and down with glee,

And the wizard gives you a subtle wink.

There are huge Catherine wheels and sparklers of gold and silver erupting from the back of the cart.

The magic of Christmas and the innocence of childhood is captured perfectly in this moment,

And right now you cannot help but feel seven years old again.

Your journey takes you down a shallow hill now,

Towards the very heart of the village.

It is not yet five o'clock,

But night comes early at this time of year,

And as the last light of the sun falls behind the horizon,

The cart trundles over another stone bridge and into the main square at last.

There are endless wooden market stalls lit by wonderful lights of red,

Gold,

Blue and green,

And the village square is busy with the hustle and bustle of many halflings.

In the middle sits an enormous Christmas tree,

A deep,

Dark emerald filled with golden red baubles,

Soft yellow lights and handcrafted trinkets.

Atop the tree sits a bright silver star,

Turning by itself and pulsing with a magical glitter.

It is made from pure stardust gathered by the elves,

The wizard explains,

And,

As a token of friendship,

Was gifted to the little folk of this land.

As the wizard brings the cart to a stop,

You place your squirrel in the top pocket of your jacket,

And they peep out over the top,

Sniffing the air inquisitively.

You wander over to the wizard,

Who is tying up his horse,

And he gives you a bright red apple.

You approach the trusty steed and feed them from your hand,

Giving them a gentle scratch behind the ears.

You thank them for bringing you home just in time for Christmas.

In the next moment,

The wizard places a hand on your shoulder and you begin to wander together through the markets.

The sky has darkened now into a deep,

Rich blue,

And the marketplace twinkles with a trail of fairy lights,

Casting a protective glow above you.

There are two long rows of wooden stalls,

Each with a curved roof topped with snow.

The huts are filled with everything from handcrafted clothes,

Trinkets and toys,

To homemade sweets,

Gingerbread,

And pastry,

Fresh hot chocolate,

And mulled wine coupled with orange or cinnamon.

There is the sound of a halfling brass band just outside the market that only completes this wonderful,

Festive atmosphere.

As you meander through the busy markets,

There are children running through the crowds,

Laughing and playing together.

Many halflings are trading or selling their wares,

And there is friendly bartering going on.

Some of the little folk are buying last-minute gifts or indulging in a homemade sweet treat.

One stall has a long trestle table outside with barrels of fresh beer at each end.

Already,

A few of the older halflings are swaying happily at this table,

Sharing stories and enjoying the festive merriment.

Suddenly,

The smell of melted chocolate begins to wash over you as you approach a green and red market stall.

It is decorated in golden lights with a large candy cane outside,

And a gentle steam rises from its little wooden chimney.

The tantalizing smell only tempts you further,

And before you know it,

You are inside the hut,

Standing directly over a huge pot of bubbling hot chocolate,

As if by magic.

You look suspiciously at the wizard,

Who only shrugs innocently.

The halfling shopkeeper gives you a knowing smile,

And you watch with bated breath as she pours a thick,

Creamy hot chocolate into a small clay mug,

A light steam rising from it.

You take the warm mug in your hands,

And the wizard pays the shopkeeper,

Ordering another for himself.

As the hot chocolate touches your lips,

A smooth,

Warming sensation begins to fill your mouth,

Softening your lips and your tongue.

It trickles down your body,

Relaxing each and every muscle,

And a soft,

Warm vibration begins to pulse through you.

This enchanted drink is melting away any remaining thoughts,

And releasing all the tension from your body.

You are relaxed,

Weightless,

And free,

As if you are floating just above the ground.

A beautiful warmth rests in your stomach,

And spreads out down your legs,

All the way into your toes.

A deep comfort runs through your arms,

Into your hands,

And your fingers.

You savor these wonderful sensations,

And simply enjoy this magical,

Festive drink.

With the last mouthful of hot chocolate,

You place your mug on the table with a deep,

Satisfied sigh.

You give the halfling a smile and a bow,

Bidding them a Merry Christmas,

Before making your way out of the hut and back through the winter markets.

You are met once again by the fresh December air that is wonderful to breathe in.

The atmosphere all around you is utterly enchanting,

And you are filled with a homely Christmas comfort.

Not too far ahead is a group of halfling children,

Laughing and playing together.

They are building a gingerbread house atop a low wooden table,

And piecing together the final bits.

You recognize some of the faces from the mischievous group chasing your cart and enjoying the early fireworks.

They greet you both with big smiles,

And beckon for you to come closer.

One of the halfling children,

With thick,

Curly red hair,

Has noticed your squirrel in your top pocket,

And stares with a wide-eyed wonder.

You gently lift your companion from your pocket,

And ask the tiny child if they would like to hold the squirrel.

You reassure them that they are very friendly.

The child nods their head without a word,

Too excited to speak.

In the next moment,

Your lovely squirrel snuggles up into their palm,

Apparently enjoying this extra attention.

And as they sniff their hand,

The child lets out a happy chuckle.

Just then,

You feel a tug on the bottom of your coat,

And as you turn to look,

You see the smallest of the halfling children,

Gazing up at you with big,

Innocent eyes.

They hold out a piece of gingerbread in their tiny hand,

And ask very politely if you'd like to put the door on their gingerbread house.

It is the last piece.

With a warm smile,

You kneel down and tell them you'd be delighted to help.

They respond by suddenly growing shy,

And pressing their chin into their chest,

Giving a sheepish smile.

You gently take the final piece of gingerbread,

And the little halfling pipes white icing along the edges.

Then,

In one careful movement,

You slide the gingerbread door into place.

As you remove your hand,

The house stays intact,

Strong and proud.

You give a sigh of relief as the crowd of children jump up and down with excitement.

The wizard gives an approving nod,

Letting out a low chuckle.

The red-haired halfling holds out their hands to you now,

And your squirrel hops back into your palm.

You place them back into your top pocket,

As the child thanks you with a beaming smile.

You wish them all a very happy Christmas,

And the halfling children wave goodbye for now,

As you and the wizard journey through to the end of the market,

Coming out on the other side.

As you emerge from the crowd,

Two very mischievous halflings appear in front of you,

As if out of thin air,

A wide grin on their faces.

You know these kind,

Warm-hearted halflings very well.

Both are dear friends to you,

But they do have a habit of finding themselves in a lot of mischief,

And they have quite the reputation throughout the village.

The wizard gives them a curious stare with a raise of his eyebrow,

But underneath this serious demeanor,

You sense a deep love for these two halflings.

Then,

Your wizard bursts into a smile and greets the pair with a warm hug.

Your group shares a happy embrace,

And a rich laughter fills the air.

The wizard tells you it is time for him to prepare the firework display,

So it is done before the Christmas feast.

With a subtle wink,

He tells you to be sensible now,

And before you know it,

He has disappeared back through the markets and towards the cart.

Your two companions admit they have been waiting for your return,

And with a cheeky smile,

They add that they have something to show you.

You follow behind your friends as they lead you through a small,

Crooked gate and out onto a snowy hilltop that slopes down into the party field.

The field is peppered with gold and silver lanterns,

Like tiny fireflies below.

Many halflings are mingling together in crowds,

Getting ready for the wizard's fireworks.

To your right are three wooden sledges piled up on top of the hill.

Your two halflings look to you with a smile,

And you each take one sledge and perch at the top of the hill,

A bubbling excitement in your stomach.

You line up between your friends,

And a quiet suspense fills the air.

Together,

You count three,

Two,

One,

And off you go.

Gently now,

You begin to drift down the snowy hillside.

It is a long,

Shallow hill,

And you are gliding on the snow at a perfect pace.

A new freedom is washing over you,

And the cool breeze gently strokes your cheeks.

You are in complete control,

And you give yourself permission to just be in this moment,

As you allow all other thoughts to leave your mind.

Your little companion rests in your pocket,

Sniffing the air and enjoying this wonderful ride with you.

You share a wide smile with the halflings,

And you each trace a hand along the snow as you drift effortlessly down the hill.

The field below is full of the hustle and bustle of many halflings,

Laughing and playing games together.

You can see your wizard rolling a wheelbarrow full of fireworks and putting the final touches on his display.

There is the luminous glow of the firefly lanterns pulsing in gold and silver,

Rounded off with the enormous party tree guarding this sacred land.

It is the perfect picture.

One or two stars are beginning to show themselves,

And the full moon beams down a silver spotlight,

Guiding your way in a gentle glitter.

It feels so wonderful to be home at last,

And enjoying the Christmas magic of the Shire.

As you reach the bottom of the hill,

Your sledge comes to a natural stop.

You roll onto the soft snow,

Sharing an infectious laughter with your two halflings.

You thank your friends for this adventure,

And through the chuckles,

They whisper that this was only the beginning.

They place a finger on their lips and beckon for you to follow.

Under the cover of night,

The three of you creep through the snow,

Round the back of the huge party tree,

And there,

Resting on the trunk,

Is one of the wizard's fireworks.

It is enormous,

And twisted in colors of blue and green.

The halflings turn to you with mischief in their eyes,

Telling you how they slipped it from the cart earlier,

And you know instantly what they have in mind.

You are hesitant to disobey the wizard,

But you cannot deny the excited temptation running through you.

One of the halflings takes the firework out from under the tree,

Sticking it firmly in the ground.

The other produces a match from their pocket and strikes it.

Suddenly,

You hear a branch snap behind you,

And you turn in a flash.

There stands the powerful silhouette of the wizard towering over you.

The moonlight reveals his bushy raised eyebrow and a disapproving stare.

The two halflings stop in their tracks,

Blowing out the match and dropping the firework.

You feel yourself freeze on the spot,

A wave of nerves in your stomach.

The wizard reveals he saw these two halflings pinch one of his fireworks the moment he arrived.

It was to be expected,

Of course,

But what to do with the three of you now?

He mutters to himself as his stern eyes flick between you.

To your disbelief,

His face softens and the wizard lets out a low laughter,

Telling you that if you were all so desperate to light one,

You need only ask.

You give a sigh of relief as the wizard takes you all into a warm embrace,

Proclaiming that all is forgiven in the spirit of Christmas.

He even offers the three of you the chance to light the first firework,

And you cannot help but wonder if he has been at the gaffer's home brew already.

With a new excitement,

You quickly make your way to the main field,

Dotted with gold and silver lights and packed with halflings.

A collection of colorful fireworks wait in the ground,

Ready for the display to begin.

The wizard places your borrowed firework front and center,

And you huddle around it with your two halfling companions.

One of them strikes another match,

And the three of you lock hands around it,

Agreeing to start the display together.

The flame touches the fuse of the firework,

And it lights with a golden fizz.

You quickly step back and join the wizard at the front of the crowd as the burning fuse edges closer and closer.

Suddenly,

The flame disappears and the firework lets out a hiss,

Propelling into the sky.

The firework soars up and up,

Deep into the black beyond,

And just then there is a beautiful eruption of color.

You feel a ripple of blue and green beaming across your face,

And the firework spreads like a blossoming flower through the night.

A new excitement runs through the crowd as the wizard steps forward,

And with his wooden staff to hand,

He begins to cast his magic over the rest of the fireworks.

There are gold and silver streaks disappearing into the air,

Followed by a kaleidoscope of color swirling together in the sky.

One of the fireworks takes the shape of a huge red dragon,

Soaring through the night and over the moon.

It bellows out an orange flame above you,

And you are blanketed with a beautiful warmth and a deep comfort.

The dragon glides over the crowd and disappears beyond the snowy horizon,

Before erupting into a dazzling display of color.

A rainbow of fireworks arches over the sky now,

Backed by a pulsing golden glow.

Another firework fizzles into a glistening white horse,

Galloping down towards the ground and across the front of the field.

There are little firework birds darting across the night,

And an enchanted blue whale leaps over the party tree,

Crashing down in a wave of turquoise and sapphire.

You cannot help but gaze in wonder at these majestic fireworks.

You hold your squirrel in your hands now,

As their innocent eyes trace the colorful night,

Their steady breath rising and falling in the palm of your hand.

You look over to the wizard in full control of this magical display,

And to your halfling friends,

Both with their arms around you.

There is nowhere else you would rather be tonight,

And in this magical moment,

Nothing else matters.

The wizard lights a small box of fireworks with his staff,

And a wonderful collection of silver whiz-poppers begin to pepper the air around you.

The halfling children chase the whiz-poppers across the field,

Desperately trying to catch one.

Thin blue fireworks shoot up into the night,

And they give a subdued pop,

Leaving behind a collection of glowing blue orbs,

Like little moons dancing across the night.

It's as if you are floating ever so slightly above the ground,

Immersed in a kingdom of starlight.

It is a breathtaking display,

Full of magic and wonder,

And you feel so blessed to be one of the lucky few to witness it.

This is a memory that will stay with you forever.

As the display comes to an end,

There is one final eruption of red,

Green and gold.

It falls like glitter over the crowd,

And is met by a thunderous applause.

As the last few sparks slowly fade,

A low murmur begins to run through the crowd.

Rumors have spread that up in the local tavern,

The Christmas feast is nearly ready.

You feel your belly rumble,

And with the wonderful memories of this display still flashing through your mind,

You follow the group of hungry halflings back up the hill,

Ready for a festive banquet.

An excited buzz fills the air,

And you walk side by side with your wizard and your two halflings,

Reminiscing on a beautiful day so far,

Full of wonder,

Laughter and all the magic of Christmas.

You reach the top of the hill,

And follow the crowd through a rickety wooden gate,

And into the main square.

The market stalls are empty now,

But continue to glow with golden fairy lights.

The round green door of the tavern rests underneath a snow-topped hillside.

And the walls curve out towards you in a horseshoe.

Porthole windows are peppered in perfect symmetry,

And a large sign swings above the door,

With an emerald green dragon in the middle.

You are filled with the desire to sit by a warm hearth,

Completely relaxed,

Enjoying good food,

Wonderful company,

And all the comforts of home.

At the entrance to the tavern,

Welcoming the guests is a small grey-haired halfling,

The most famous halfling of all.

And a very old friend of yours.

As soon as you lock eyes,

You both give a warm smile and fall into a tight embrace,

Laughing with joy at seeing each other once again.

The old halfling whispers in your ear that too long is the time spent apart from our friends.

He turns to the wizard,

Congratulating him on the most excellent fireworks,

Never failing to disappoint.

Truly,

He adds,

A night to remember.

Then,

This old halfling pulls you to one side,

Telling you that tonight,

After the great feast,

You are invited to join him for a Christmas nightcap at his house under the hill,

Along with the wizard.

Putting your arm around him,

You gladly accept the invitation and guide him gently into the tavern.

You are met with a wave of heat and the sound of a gurgling fire set in one corner of the tavern,

Underneath a stone fireplace.

The smell of a cooking Christmas feast begins to drift out into the air.

Many halflings are already huddling together at long trestle tables,

Laughing and sharing stories over a fresh local ale.

The floor is made up of round clay tiles,

Providing a soft warmth under your feet.

The dark oak beams are perfectly spaced apart and mini oil lanterns are dotted around the tavern,

Giving off a soft golden glow.

The wooden bar to your left is backed by endless barrels of beer,

Each with their own small tap.

A small crowd are laughing together and calling out for more ale as three or four halflings work away tirelessly,

Keeping up with the demand.

You find a seat on a long trestle table in the middle of the tavern and sit between your two halfling companions.

You set your squirrel on your shoulder and their eyes dart around the tavern,

Hoping for a spot of dinner themselves.

You join in with the bubbling conversations around the table,

Now full of many more halflings,

Most of whom you know or recognize.

Stories and fables are passed around the group now.

Your wizard and the old halfling recount tales of dragons,

Dwarves,

And adventure.

There is talk of fierce battles,

Great kings of old,

And trolls turned to stone by the rising sun.

With an ale firmly in hand,

The old halfling recites elven poetry,

Describing beautiful gems of starlight as pure as the moon,

Forged in the very first age of this earth and said to hold powers of untold magic.

There is a golden aura radiating from this old halfling as all the focus of the tavern is fixed on him.

He might be a little different from the other folk,

But there is a deep love and respect for this famous character,

Shared by all who dwell here.

You feel blessed to call him your friend.

In the next moment,

The kitchen doors swing open and a parade of halflings emerge,

Carrying wooden trays over their shoulders.

A beautiful blend of smells ripples through the air.

Roasted chestnuts,

Home-cooked carrots and potatoes,

Braised red cabbage,

Fresh roasted garlic,

Pigs in blankets,

Hot gravy boats,

And a Christmas goose as the centerpiece.

A few halflings are going round each table,

Pouring drinks.

There is ale or mulled wine for the older guests,

And juice or hot chocolate for the little ones.

Just then,

A halfling chef walks over to your table,

Carrying a very tiny plate of freshly roasted chestnuts.

The chef puts it down next to you,

A festive treat for your furry companion.

In one quick movement,

Your squirrel leaps down next to the plate and begins to devour their tiny Christmas feast.

The entire table cannot help but chuckle at this lovely little animal,

And you stroke their head now as they nibble away in bliss.

When the final tray is put down,

You are told at last to begin.

You fill your plate with the wonderful food,

Choosing all of your favorite Christmas treats and topping it off with a rich,

Hot gravy.

This is food for the heart and soul,

And with every bite there is a warm and homely comfort filling your body.

Your refreshing drink cleanses the palate and soothes your mind,

Quieting any remaining thoughts.

As you gaze around the tavern,

Enjoying your feast,

You feel completely at peace here,

And full of love for all these people around you.

You are grateful for the wizard who is always there for you,

Guiding your way and comforting you in times of need.

You are thankful for your furry companion who teaches you the value of unconditional love,

And for your halfling friends with whom you have so many magical memories and who truly are the very heart of this land.

You know with surety that no matter where life takes you,

You can always come back to your home in the Shire,

And be reunited with all of your friends here,

And enjoy the peaceful tranquility of this enchanted land.

As the feast comes to an end,

You sit back full and satisfied with a belly of hot,

Delicious food,

And a little hint of tiredness begins to wash over you.

You hope that it might be time to head back to the old halfling's house under the hill,

But as you turn to speak with him,

You notice he has climbed up onto the table,

A full tankard of the gaffer's home brew held loosely in his hand.

He begins to make a slightly slurred speech about the importance of community and friendship,

And how happy he is to be in league with such excellent folk.

He turns to you,

Giving a mischievous wink as he sways with a smile.

You cannot help but laugh at this wonderful old halfling,

A real treasure of this land.

Your wizard stands up with a chuckle and puts his arm around the old halfling.

He announces that the time has come for the lighting of the magic Christmas lanterns.

A new excitement mingles around the tavern,

And gradually,

One by one,

The crowd begins to filter out of the door and back out into the cool Christmas eve.

You pick up your squirrel,

Whose little round belly is protruding now.

You place them back in your top pocket,

And they fall asleep instantly.

As you leave the tavern,

Two more halflings are standing at the door,

Handing out the lanterns.

They are made from a thin,

White fabric,

And have a small unlit candle at the bottom.

You take a lantern and follow the troupe up a long,

Winding pathway,

Led by the wizard and the old halfling.

You walk side by side with your two halfling companions,

Marching together in a peaceful,

Satisfied silence.

The wizard never mentioned these lanterns to you,

And you wonder what magical surprise awaits you now.

Above you,

The glitter of the night pulses in a starlight dome,

And the white orb of the moon beams down,

Illuminating the rolling landscape.

As you reach the top of the hill,

You can see right across the shire.

The many houses under the snow-capped hills are glowing with golden lights from their windows,

And the colorful decorations pepper their gardens.

You watch in amazement as the wizard casts a silent spell over the land,

And every single light of the shire goes out.

And then,

Your lantern lights by itself,

Giving off an enchanting pulse in your favorite color.

The wizard announces that these lanterns are an opportunity for you to send a Christmas wish to someone you love.

And,

When the lantern disappears into the night,

You will know that your wish has arrived.

You allow your thoughts to drift to someone close to your heart,

And think of the wish that you would like to give them this Christmas.

When everyone is ready,

The crowd begins to count down.

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

And together,

You let go of your lanterns.

A rainbow of light ascends into the sky,

And thoughts of that special someone fill your heart as you send off your wish and your love.

The constellations are out in full force,

And are the perfect backdrop to the multicolored lanterns.

The light from the stars eases your mind,

And you feel a sense of tranquility floating through your body.

Looking up at this majestic display,

You suddenly have the feeling that everything will be okay.

One by one,

The lanterns across the sky begin to fade.

Your eyes are fixed on your lantern as it slowly moves further and further away and towards the starlight.

And now,

You watch with a full heart as your very own lantern dims,

Before finally disappearing into the night.

Your Christmas wish has arrived.

As the last of the lanterns begin to fade,

The lights of the shire flick back on in perfect timing.

There is a beautiful heaviness washing over you now,

With a quiet fulfillment and peace.

It has been a night to remember,

One that will stay with you forever.

And now,

Your two halfling companions give a wide yawn,

Tired out from their day of mischief.

They bid you a warm goodnight,

And reassure you that they will see you tomorrow for a Christmas walk through the shire.

They turn to the wizard and the old halfling and bid you all a very Merry Christmas,

Before trotting off down the hill,

Humming a happy tune together.

As a gentle snow begins to fall and the night air starts to cool,

You think it might be time for a Christmas nightcap.

You place your arm around the old halfling and walk side by side with the wizard as you make your way back across the hill and towards the loveliest house of them all.

You take a moment to really appreciate the night sky,

Full of a magical starlight pulsing above you as the gentle snowflakes pepper your cheeks.

One or two shooting stars pass overhead,

And you cannot help but wonder if these might be more Christmas wishes on their way to loved ones around the world.

And then,

Just as you round a corner and approach the top of another hill,

You see a beautiful homely hut waiting for you.

The garden is lined with a brown wattle fence made of thin branches weaved together.

A wooden gate sits in the middle,

Sealed with a metal latch.

From the gate are a series of stone steps,

Rising to the left and leading all the way up to a perfectly round emerald door with a brass doorknob in the exact middle.

There is a soft glow coming from the two porthole windows on either side of the door.

For one last time tonight,

You turn and gaze out over the majestic hillsides dotted with round doors and golden lights enmeshed with a falling snow.

There is the distant noise of halflings bidding each other a merry Christmas and a warm goodnight,

Before the land finally falls into silence and the village enters a peaceful slumber.

The old halfling opens the gate as you and the wizard follow behind now up the shallow stone steps,

Arriving at the front door.

As the door swings open,

A beautiful warmth envelops you and you step inside the perfect little home.

With the door firmly closed behind you,

You take off your thick snow boots,

Your woolly hat and your jacket,

Hanging them on a wooden coat rack in the corner.

You gently remove your squirrel from your pocket and place them on a small coffee table,

Fast asleep.

The old halfling produces a mini blanket and places it over your furry companion,

Keeping them cozy tonight.

The rich crackle of the fire fills the air and the wooden floor is toasty under your feet.

The gentle ticking of an old clock rounds off this perfect atmosphere.

The wizard lights one or two oil lanterns and they give off a soft glow through the rustic living room,

Illuminating the dark oak beams arched above you.

Outside the porthole windows,

The snow falls thick and heavy,

Creating a pile on the window ledge.

Meanwhile,

The old halfling has disappeared into the next room,

Only to return a moment later holding three Christmas stockings with your names stitched across the top.

Then,

From his pocket,

He pulls out a tiny stocking,

No bigger than your palm,

A gift for your lovely little squirrel.

With a quiet excitement,

You hook them over the mantelpiece,

One by one.

The halfling then pours you and your wizard a drink of your choice and the three of you share a warm smile.

You clink your tankards together and bid your friends a Merry Christmas.

Then you slowly bring it to your lips and enjoy your first sip of this delicious Christmas drink.

The wizard sits back in one of the two armchairs and takes from his back a large leather-bound book with thick pages of old yellow parchment,

And he flicks through in a comfortable silence.

You wander over to the big,

Comfortable sofa,

The sofa you have fallen asleep on many times.

As you sit down,

You feel all the weight leave your body.

Your dear halfling sits next to you in a second armchair,

Twice the size of him,

And his feet wiggle above the floor.

With a satisfied sigh,

He picks up a large red journal and begins to write,

Occasionally chuckling to himself as he ponders his own wonderful memories of tonight.

You take the time now to just enjoy this peaceful atmosphere and to simply be.

The sound of the halfling scribbling away,

Mingled with the presence of the wizard,

The ticking of the clock,

And the warmth of the fire is utterly enchanting.

You take in this wonderful cottage with dark oak beams curved across the roof,

The beautiful stone fireplace,

And the magical snowfall just outside the window.

With a smile now,

You recount every little detail from today and reminisce on what has been a magical Christmas Eve,

Full of joy,

Laughter,

And friendship.

Your thoughts turn now to the lighting of the lanterns and to that special someone who you have sent a Christmas wish this year.

You keep this person close to your heart tonight,

Knowing that they will always be with you,

No matter what.

Just then,

The halfling stands up and rummages through a small chest.

Finally,

He pulls out a thick red blanket with white stitching along the edge.

You know this blanket very well.

It is of elven make and deeply enchanted.

Many times when you have slept in this house before,

The halfling has laid this blanket over you,

And its magical enchantments have relaxed your body and melted away all of your worries.

The old halfling passes the blanket to you and whispers that this is yours now.

He knows how much you love it and would like you to keep it,

An early Christmas present,

He adds.

This truly is a special gift and not one given lightly.

You bring the halfling into a warm hug and thank him for this wonderful present as the wizard watches on with a soft smile.

You lie down on the sofa now and pull your warm blanket over you.

Instantly,

There is a warmth and heaviness filling your body.

Your feet become soft and your ankles are loose.

The muscles in your calves soften and relax.

Your knees release and a warm vibration runs into your thighs,

Melting away any tension in your legs.

This warmth moves into your buttocks and softens your lower back as you feel yourself sink deeper and deeper into the sofa.

A gentle heat trickles up and down your spine,

Relaxing each vertebra bit by bit.

Your stomach becomes soft and your chest is open and free as you breathe slow and deep.

Your arms hang heavy by your side and a soft vibration runs through them,

All the way into your hands and your fingertips.

The muscles in your shoulders let go of all tension and a new warmth runs up into your neck,

Softening each muscle like butter melting.

The muscles in your face are completely relaxed.

Your jaw is loose,

Your lips are soft and your eyes are heavy.

Any remaining thoughts,

Worries or concerns are falling away from you and fading out of sight.

There is no need to think about anything at all.

Your body can be heavy and your mind can be free.

The wizard places a gentle hand on your forehead,

Reminding you that you are safe here and that he will watch over you tonight.

You have so many adventures ahead of you and tomorrow you will spend a magical Christmas day in the heart of the Shire,

But for now it is time to rest.

You are safe,

You are cozy and you are completely at peace,

Tucked up in the beautiful home of your dear old halfling.

It is time now to dream of beautiful things and to be filled with all the wonderful memories of the day as you give thanks for a magical Christmas Eve in the Shire.