Your Fantasy Sleep Saga (Season 1 Episode 2)

A warm welcome back to Season 1 of my brand new fantasy sleep saga, taking place in a magical world, where you are the main character.

This is Episode 2: ‘A Perfect Shire Evening’

Throughout this saga, you will explore the rolling hills of your homeland, delve into enchanted forests, where elves await you, and you will meet new companions with whom you can share this adventure. These stories are designed to be the perfect balance of intriguing and relaxing, allowing you to relax and focus on the story while also being comforting enough to fall asleep, if you so wish.

Episode 2 will finish at around 20:30, with music continuing for a little while longer.

If you would like to skip the breathing and short relaxation session before the story, you can skip ahead to (03:46).

Transcript

A warm welcome to this fantasy sleep saga where you are the main character.

Throughout this bedtime story series you will be guided on an epic adventure,

All the while accompanied by soft soothing music helping you to sink into an effortless sleep.

Here there is magic,

Wonder and mystery waiting round every corner.

Before we begin,

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,

And let it go.

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 your breath to fall back into a natural rhythm.

Enjoy this new peace flowing through your body.

And now,

Let us continue your fantasy sleep saga and enjoy episode two,

The Perfect Shire Evening.

As the afternoon fades into early evening and the sun starts its descent,

You realize that there are still parts of your homeland that you would like to see today.

And with your basket in hand,

You stand up and continue on your journey.

A few of the little folk are setting up decorations,

Stalls and tables across the field.

It seems that one day soon there is going to be a big celebration which you will be sure not to miss.

You walk over a small bridge made of gray brick and curved in an arch over the flowing river below.

Next to it is a small house with another mill turning in the water.

You arrive at a small square near the local tavern.

Here,

You find stalls filled with fresh vegetables and fruit from the harvest,

As well as handmade clothing and effects which come from all the different corners of the land.

As you stroll through the marketplace,

You can hear murmurs of conversation.

There appears to be rumors of a wizard spotted on the borders of the land,

Who will be arriving here tomorrow.

A smile creeps across your face as you know this rumor is true.

You know this because the wizard is coming to see you.

You have a very important trip together in the morning.

You wander out of the square and the sounds of the market fade away as you take a turn down a quieter street on your right,

Which runs down a hidden country lane.

With each step you take,

You are becoming more connected to this enchanting land,

As you are surrounded by nature once more.

At the bottom of this lane is a wooden bench,

Sitting on the bank of the river and overlooking the beautiful meadows beyond.

You take a seat and with your basket on your lap,

You open the lid.

A red glow and the sweet smell of strawberries hits you,

And you cannot resist a mini feast of this delicious,

Summer fruit,

As you relax underneath the sunset and gaze across the golden green horizon.

The smooth texture and the sweet taste are a perfect addition to this warm evening.

The water is calm here,

And this corner of the land is quiet and peaceful.

You see one or two fish dashing around under the water,

And the birds above you are diving down into the meadows and rising up again as they search for their dinner.

This enchanting village never fails to surprise you,

As all of a sudden you watch a trio of rainbows appear in front of you.

Their colors trace across the sky from right to left,

As if they are being freshly painted.

You think this might be a present from the wizard.

A sign,

Maybe,

To let you know that he is nearby and looking forward to your adventure.

You stare in wonder at the multicolored sky and bathe in the sunset as you feel yourself let go of everything.

You watch in amazement as the rainbows begin to fade out of sight,

And the sky transforms from a golden red sunset into a deep black night,

As if by magic.

Only a single star is visible at the moment,

But it shines as bright as the moon and seems to have an outline of purple and blue.

You look down at your basket and realize there are only a few strawberries left,

So you decide to save them for the morning,

And you begin to walk back through the village and towards your very own home under the hill.

The night air is mild,

And the gentle breeze is refreshing.

The market square is empty now,

Save for one or two halflings packing away their gear,

Ready for another day of trade in the morning.

The local tavern is on your left,

And you notice the soft yellow lights beaming from the windows,

And the lanterns outside have now been lit.

As you watch someone go inside,

You hear a snippet of the songs,

The laughter,

And the feasting going on in the tavern.

It is very tempting to go inside,

But you think that tonight you will head straight home.

You wouldn't want to be late for the wizard tomorrow by enjoying too much of the gaffer's home brew tonight.

As you head back over the stone bridge,

You look out across the eternal green country,

Parted by the thin river and backed by the silver glitter of the night sky.

Each of the tiny houses has a small lantern hanging outside their front gate,

Which glows against their front doors and lights the way on the track road beside them.

The stars pepper in white dust against the purple and black,

As the many constellations pulse with a steady light and are the perfect background to your idyllic village.

You take in the night,

The houses,

The river and the rolling hills,

The tavern and the soft lights from the lanterns,

And you cannot believe that this wonderful place is your home.

As you continue down a gentle slope and round a corner,

You see the color of your front door illuminated by the hanging lantern outside,

And a warm,

Comforting feeling rushes through you as you realize that you are finally home.

Your front garden is small and decorated with flower beds in your favorite colors,

With an apple tree resting in the corner.

There is a patch of grass on the left-hand side with a table and chair,

Where you often sit on a morning and enjoy your breakfast as you watch the sunrise.

Perfectly round steps lead to your perfectly round door,

With a brass doorknob in the middle,

And all of this is surrounded by a dark brown picket fence.

And there is your postbox,

Packed full of letters.

You take out your letters,

Open the gate,

And walk up the steps to your front door.

In this beautiful village,

Everyone takes good care of one another,

And as you open your front door,

You are met with a soft yellow light and a wave of heat as you notice that the fire has been newly lit for your return,

And one or two candles are giving the room a cozy atmosphere.

You realize how blessed you are to be a part of all of this.

Your eyes wander around your perfect home,

And you see your wood fire crackling away underneath a sturdy mantelpiece full of books and souvenirs from all of your adventures.

There is a large,

Cozy armchair that sits by the fire,

Your favorite spot in the house.

In the middle of the room is a dark green rug,

Outlined with a red and gold banner,

A white horse across the middle,

A special gift from the horse lords in the east.

The tube-like corridors lead from one room to the next,

With a wood-paneled floor that gives off a gentle heat under your bare feet.

The walls are a soft cream color with thick wooden beams that arch from the floor on one side all the way over to the other,

Creating a protective shell.

You place the letters by your armchair and wander into the kitchen.

You put the basket of strawberries on the table,

Ready for the morning,

And you open one of the small porthole windows,

Taking a deep breath of this healing night air as it flows into your home.

The pantry is packed full of fresh ingredients,

And you think that one day soon,

You will host a merry gathering.

You wander over to your armchair and take a seat by the fire,

As you open one or two of the letters next to you.

The first is from the wizard,

Reminding you of your appointment with the elves tomorrow,

And urging you to be ready when he arrives.

The next has a golden wax seal and comes from the last homely house of the elves.

It is from their lord,

Who hopes that you are well,

And tells you how much they are looking forward to your visit.

There is an excitement in your stomach as you think of all the wonderful adventures that you have ahead of you.

You look around your cozy cottage,

With the log fire burning and the night air drifting in,

Creating a perfect temperature,

Coupled with this peaceful atmosphere.

Your thoughts drift to the day that you have had,

From the strawberry fields,

To your rowboat journey home through the forest,

The enchanting elven tree,

And your relaxing walk around your wonderful homeland.

There are no worries and no burdens in these parts.

This is a land of peace and a home of comfort.

You know that you belong here.

This is your very own house under the hill.

It will always be here for you.

And you can return to this land whenever you need to.

The fire is fading now,

And your eyes have become heavy as you feel yourself drifting off.

You wander down the round corridor,

Half asleep,

Until you reach your room at last.

There is your four-poster bed,

Freshly made and ready for you.

As you climb into bed,

You wrap yourself in this thick,

Warm duvet.

And you remember that the wizard once placed an enchantment on your pillow,

Making sure that all of your dreams would be kept safe and beautiful.

With your bedroom window slightly open,

You can hear the faint music of the stars,

And their enchanting sound lulls you deeper and deeper.

You lie there,

Sleepy but excited,

For you know that tomorrow,

You will journey with the wizard to visit the hidden valley of the elves.

You have so much ahead of you.

You are safe,

You are warm,

And you are free.

You give any remaining thoughts permission to leave you now,

And you can rest peacefully and dream of beautiful things.