The Needlehole Mysteries

"Oh look, there's your precious Amarie. She's waving! Wave to Amarie, Ringo. Amarie Herring, does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"
"Great, you marry her then! She won't have to read another newspaper for the rest of her life since you know everything! Oooo, is that rømmegraut?"

The seargent headed for the table where the godly porrige was placed and Nora tried to hold him back, but as Ringo was very fond of Rømmegraut, she soon abandon the plan and hurried along. Though it was too late, Amarë had already spotted them and was approaching them at the table.
"Seargent Herring and Agent Nora!" Amarië greated them and gave them both a big hug, as standards in Fjordlandia were.
"How lovely to see you." Ringo was suddenly very busy drizzling cinamon and sugar on his portion of porrige.
"yes, you too. How great of you to throw this party." Nora replied politely while at the same time poking Ringo's ribs so that he would join in the conversation. It only resulited in giggling and a bit too much butter on the porrige.
"Ringo and I are very exited to be here."
"Nora, I see you aren't wearing bunad." Amarië said totally not jugding while tugging at the Agent's jumper. "Come along and you can choose one of mine. I have a rather great collection." Panicking, Nora grabbed the bowl of Rømmegraut from Ringo.
"oh, fank you Ringo." She said through a great mouthful of porrige. "I juft haft to finif thif firsht." Ringo sent her a fierce look (no one messes with his Rømmegraut) before starting on a new portion.
"well, well," Amarë said rather baffled. "the closet is through that door there, down the coridor, the fourth door on your left." Nora gave her a thumbs up as she had taken another mouthful, even bigger.
"We brought some Moltekrem" Ringo said and handed it to Amarë, "I hope it's good."
"oh, thank you very much, Ringo, it looks good. I love cloudberries, where did you pick them?"
"erm.."
"Where?"
"I can't te-"
"tell me!"
"one never-"
"just joking, you passed the test. I'll leave you to it. See you". as she walked of, Ringo wasn't overly convinced she was joking.
Nora had finished her porrige and tugged at Ringo's woolen vest. "come along, help me pick one. If I don't get dressed I'll probably never hear the end of it."

rømmegrøt/rømmegraut/porrige from heaven/sour cream porrige:

That was too funny! And whadda ya know, I had to go change my signature.

yey, your signatur xD

Ringo laughed, as if Nora had told a most charming joke or observation. "Indeed, my friend, indeeed!"

Much lower, and slightly leaned over his bowl he said:
"I am not following you into the Ambassador's closet. People are talking enough as it is! We are suppose to keep a low profile here. Besides..." he added, while looking as causal as possible. "Eldo would never forgive me."

Nora opened her mouth. Then closed it. Then she repeated this once more, before turning around and headed towards the house.
"So Nora," she thought to herself. "off you go into the Dark Planet embassy to borrow a dress from the Ambassador! Not a thing to worry about there... Is that door handle made of pure mithril?"

(A bit short, but that's all I had time for)

"So Nora," she thought to herself. "off you go into the Dark Planet embassy to borrow a dress from the Ambassador! Not a thing to worry about there... Is that door handle made of pure mithril?"


The door opened up to a reception area, which was currently empty. The hall at the other side looked inviting and homely. Not quite what one would expect from a representative for the Dark Planet. Lanterns lit up the passage and the walls had several paintings and drawing from Fjordlandia, and some of the calm and scenic areas of the Dark Planet which few here in the Forumshire knew (or cared to know) about.

Perhaps it was too homely, the soft rug on the floor and all. An omnious hall like this should have at least have a creepy echo! Then again, this was also the Ambassador's home. No wait: Amaaaaarië's home, Nora corrected in her mind and frowned a bit. Fjordian Amaaarië from the Dark Planet. Definitively too homely by far.

There were many doors to choose from. One door she knew lead to Amarie's private home where she and Ringo had been invited in. She was itching to know where the others led. She reminded herself that she was a guest and not on assignment. Perhaps some other time.

She soon found that 'closet' probably had a different meaning at the Dark Planet. This was more like an exhibit. Slightly baffled Nora walked by many niches and display cases with Fjordlandian items and clothes, seemingly organised from south to north. She stopped in front of a shirt and dress from Herringdale, or so the label said. It should be a match to Ringo's, and as good as any other probably.

"Agent Herring! Welcome, or should I say: Velkomen!" Nora jumped as Amarie suddenly appeared from seemingly nowhere. Nora had made sure to check for doors, she was a proper agent after all!

"Oh I apologize if I startled you. I came through the door behind the bear skin over there! It leads to a passage which goes... " She suddenly stopped and got a thoughtful expression on her face before she started speaking again.

"You must understand this place was built in the bleak times after the 'Devouring of the Forumshire', as some call it. Precautions had to be made to ensure the safety of our staff."

She suddenly seemed to brighten up a bit.
"And just between me and you, the long road serves a similar purpose. It has saved us many times from angry Scotshobbits who in a drunken fury decided to... let us say, make their voices heard. Halfway up they got tired and forget where they were going. Sadly it also confuses the Scothshobbit who delivers the newspapers."

Nora was not sure what to make of this stream of information, but she smiled. Perhaps the ambassador was simply being friendly. "Really? That is most fascinating. But I really must get dressed now, Ri..sergeant Herring is waiting."

"Oh but of course! We must not let the good sergeant wait. Let's see now... oh, but Herringland is too far south, don't you think? May I suggest this fine shirt from Langtoppi Huttiheita perhaps? And here, agent Herring is a gem you might like. This one here is a replica of an old dress from the Isle of Troms, where I believe your Grandmother has her roots. At the back there is, as tradition dictates, a fine embroidery of the Giant Red Herring caught in a net." Amarië's voice got a bit airy as she handed the dress to Nora.
"It was meant to bring good luck for those who travelled the seas to trade or fish or what other... goals one might have."

Nora studied the dress carefully. It wasn't too bad as far as heavy, itchy, traditional Fjordian costumes were concerned.

"So... miss Ambassador. You just happened to have commissioned a Troms Isle dress from a local seamstress... in my size."

"One might say I was inspired. But this is not just a collection for my own enjoyment. Keep the locals employed and part of the daily business and they may look kindlier upon your presence! But enough of that, let's get you dressed and ready. We don't want to miss the dance!"

oh, you sure made up for the short text. Loved it ^^ I don't have time yet to write anything. But this can be interesting. why does Amarië have a bunad which fitted Agent Nora ?

I get the impression that the Ambassador keeps an eye on most things that happen and hordes information like a dragon hordes gold, and I imagine she took an interest in the Herrings when she heard they were causing trouble in Bree. The Bunad... I think she might be a bit Sherlocky and had it made just for the fun of it and/or perhaps plotting/expecting a Herring or two to come visit.

Or perhaps she's a nut case and plan to incorporate the Herrings in the exhibit. XD I have no goal or plot in mind for this story, I just write what pops into my head. So feel free to go nuts.

haha, whatever the thinking is, she is definitely a nut case, but that goes for everyone in needlehole (maybe except Agent Nora).

I've been meaning to write a piece here, but you guys just have to wait until I've seen LMFAO live this weekend!!!!!!! WOOP WOOP!

Ooooooooo! Nice!

I just noticed your new sig, Amarie! I've been planning my next story and today is actually a writing day. It's not The Needlehole Mysteries but it shares the same DNA. Parts of it, anyway.

TNM is next in my queue of stories to post here though, followed by something non-fanfiction (hopefully)!

yeah.. that'll cheer us up xD "I'm writing, but not the needlehole mysteries!"

(((Am, we'll just have to write more fanfic ;D ))))

I'm trying to experiment with different styles and sorts of writing but it does have similar characters. That's all I'll say for now.

you know I'm not actually mad at you, just like... I know. you try different things.. i do to.. just.. not in.. WRITING! okay. I meant writing. All along.. oh god.. I'm gonna post this, aren't I... S:

Write upside down, write in the park. Write in crayon, write in the dark

I only know the English language btw, so try to stick to that

Though I do speak Polish to an adequate level

Norc wrote:yeah.. that'll cheer us up xD "I'm writing, but not the needlehole mysteries!"

(((Am, we'll just have to write more fanfic ;D ))))

(((Yeah, that'll teach him! Btw, it's your turn. )))

Part Three --- and then Fanfiction! How did you get so famous, Eldo?


Umm... Eldo? Is there more?

yeah, I'm bit cought up at the moment, Amarië, school's start and I chose all the heavy stuff but I'll see if I can write something this weekend, although probably not as I'm off down south with my family.. we'll see. soon though promise

can someone breath life into this again? I don't have the time right now, but

But enough of that, let's get you dressed and ready. We don't want to miss the dance!"

Nora forced a smile. "Oh Eru forbid!" Ringo was probably warming up as they were speaking. Amarie clapped her hands and two older hobbit women came in. "These fine ladies will help you. " The ladies ushered Nora to a changing room, and in record time Nora found herself dressed up complete with mithill details and cuff links. She even had braids in her hair.

"There, now out you go, young lady." Nora hurried the best she could out of the exhibit or 'closet', away from the ladies and their cooing over her "typical Fjordian hair".

"Nora!" Ringo lit up as he saw her. "I almost didn't recognize you!"
"I'd rather chew if my own foot than to come to this 'party' again. Why are you holding a violin? You don't play?"
"No, but you do." He said with a grin.

"Nora!" Ringo lit up as he saw her. "I almost didn't recognize you!"
"I'd rather chew of my own foot than to come to this 'party' again. Why are you holding a violin? You don't play?"
"No, but you do." He said with a grin.


oh, god.. of course. She should've seen this one coming.
"okay, hand it to me" she said with a little smile. It was probably better than dancing afterall.. Ringo seamed very plased and he waved at her as he stepped out on the dancefloor. Nora had to bite her lip not to laugh at the dork. She lifted up the violin. It was a bit different than her own and it smelt of whoever had tuned it. As she felt the cold wood under her chin and the fine strings press gently under her fingertips she realized it was ages since she played last and that she truly missed it.
"right, are you ready Ringo?" Ringo held two thumbs up.
"A nice halling then?" She started off a bit awkward, a little out of tune, but as soon as she had warmed up, she found herself tramping along the rythm and dancing a little as the rest of the band joined in. Ringo jumped high and low and was all over the place with all kinds of acrobatic dancing. Rater impressive actually.
"faster!" someone yelled and they sped up the rythm until only Ringo and Amarië passionatly could follow. When they had finnished all 27 verses and the 30th repeat they all got great applaud.
"I need a drink" Nora said and hustled away from the spotlight. At the buckie bar she found a hobbit, not properly dressed after fjordian manner. Petty Tyrant had succesfully consumed the first barrel of the best Fjordian ale and was about to open another one.
"Petty, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, hello there. I'm enjoying the party, can't you tell?"
"yeah, but your not at all fjordian, are you?" She pointed at the scotshobbit's finest kilts and most well groomed sporran.
"well.. no, not technically, no. But way back me great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great grandmother was raped by some handsome viking-hobbit. So I feel a certain connection you see."
"you don't say" The agent said, a little sceptical..
"Nonono.. not like that.. I am just saying I have some roots.. and.." he trailed off, burped. "good buckie, this" and escaped in a rather loud gulping of ale.
Nora rolled her eyes and grabbed a drinking horn.
"be careful then"
"aye."

Spoiler:

I'm imagening Amassador Amarië with a full on crown and all.. like this:

Spoiler:

question! ELDO! what did Ringo and agent Nora get up to when the were banned from Neeldehole (how long was it, a year?) I mean.. they couldn't go back and help out, so what did they do??

After they left Bree-land at the end of the second tale they went to Fjordlandia. Nora met her relatives (by way of her grandmother) in their home village and Ringo was quietly integrated back into the Fjordlandian police force. Nora went through the immigration process and was hired by the police as well but before she began actively serving the two of them took some time off to go Forumshire for Eldo's trial. They were both on the lookout for any news of Eldo as much as they could be and Nora spent a fair bit of time after they first arrived trying to pick up the pieces of her life after all the changes she had been through since meeting our two favorite policehobbits.