Aglahad and the Dead City (In Tharbad: Volume Three)

4

The Dwarf didn't bother waiting for a reply. "A certain carpenter –"

"Of Tarnost," Earring interjected.

"- dreamt one night that he was standing on the Bridge of Osgiliath –"

"- the old capital of Gondor."

I found myself darting glances between the two Dwarves as together they told their tale.

Aglahad frowned. "I know where –"

Ringlets ignored him. "And while standing there he heard joyful news."

"When he awoke, he could not remember what the news was but the next night he had the same dream."

"The bridge, Osgiliath, joyful news."

"And again, he awoke to find that he could not remember what this news was."

"This happened night after night –"

"- for seven nights in all."

"And so, he resolved to walk to Osgiliath –"

"- for he had no horse –"

"- and to seek out this good news. He stood in the middle of the bridge for two, three days but no one approached him. On the fourth day a shopkeeper –"

"- for there were many shops and houses on the bridge in those days –"

"- came to the carpenter."

"'I have noted you,' says the shopkeeper, 'standing here these past three days, neither selling nor begging, and I must know.'"

At this point Earring drained his tankard then rose and walked across to the counter.

"'What brings you to this place?'" Ringlets continued. "'I will be honest with you, sir. I am but a carpenter from a small village far from here. But I had a dream that I was standing here on this bridge when great, joyous news was related to me.' At this, the shopkeeper laughed heartily. 'What kind of a fool are you to make such a long journey on such a fragile idea? I had a similar dream to yours last night. I dreamt that I was in a village I had never heard of called Tarnost. And there I was, in the garden behind a merchant's house, under a great oak tree. And there I was, digging a deep hole in search of a hoard of silver and gold.'"

Earring had returned from the counter and was setting the tankards down on the table and, sitting down on his stool, took up the tale. "'Now think you,' says the shopkeeper, 'Am I such a fool as to take a long journey to who-knows-where upon the premise of a dream? If I were you, I would forget such notions and go back to your home.' And with that, the carpenter thanked the shopkeeper for his advice and made haste back to Tarnost."

Earring took a long draft of his ale then wiped the suds from his moustache. Ringlets puffed his pipe.

"And?" Aglahad said.

"And what?" said Ringlets.

"And did he find the treasure?"

"What do you think, laddie?"

Ringlets thumped the table and bellowed with laughter. His companion chuckled softly before swigging his ale.

"I am Lóni," said Earring, holding out his huge hand. My fingers were crushed as I introduced myself.

"And this," Lóni said, "if you might not have already guessed, is my brother."

"Lofar." He held up his tankard for a moment, grinning, then took a draught.

"We are journeying to Ered Luin in search of work," Lofar said. "More of our kind are settling in Thorin's Halls and there is need for masons and smiths such as us."