[piosenniel]

The Man was pleasant enough to look at, she thought, but he had such a dull and officious personality that she thought him capable of dropping a frenetic midge at twenty paces. Pio pulled a handkerchief discretely from the sleeve of her gown and held it to her mouth as if to delicately cover a cough. She was bored to tears already, and chafing in the unwieldy clothes she had worn. Turning her head while Mithadan and Ardamir engaged in politesse and finesse, and jockeyed for just the right balance so that both would get what they wanted, she yawned widely under cover of linen and lace.

Bird, sitting to her side, placed her arm behind her as if to pat Pio on the back, and pinched her hard on the back of her arm. Pio blanched and covered it with a smile. If you do that one more time, I will rip the offending fingers from your hand! she thought.

Sit still, Elf! I’m just as bored as you are, and you don’t find me yawning in our host’s face. returned Bird, though this stern statement was impishly followed by the briefest of images – a neekerbreeker crawling on the collar of the King’s Treasurer, and about to bite the lovely lobe of his ear. A cough suspiciously resembling a giggle escaped the Elf.

They had just gotten to the place in the negotiations when Mithadan had hauled forth the box and shown the treasured blades of Númenor to the official, when she felt a strong tug at her attention. She looked at Bird, but she was staring into the box along with Ardamir. Pio sent a focused call out toward the source of the tug.

Who calls me? She leaned forward attentively, appearing quite interested in the treasures before her, as her mind sought the other voice. And now she heard it, faintly at first and then stronger. A frantic calling – Cami!

Pio pulled in the other woman’s call and responded that she heard her, asking what was wrong. The story of the missing Kesha and Gamba and the probability that both of them had come into Minas Anor seeking to buy treats came tumbling helter-skelter from Cami’s mind.

Wait for me at the entrance to the market. I will come directly. she sent strongly back to Cami.

Pio thought quickly, then bent over double and gasped as if in pain. ‘The Lady seems in some distress, perhaps we should continue this another time.’ said Ardamir in concern, both for the troubled female before him, but more at the thought these treasures would fall through his hands. ‘Please do not stop on my account.’ said Pio, who had now raised her face to him, pale and wan. ‘I only need some air, if you will. The twins are active today and have kicked their mother quite strongly in the ribs. If Bird would be so kind as to walk a little with me in the hallway, I will be fine.’

She laid her hand on Mithadan’s arm and sent him a tight quick reprise of the urgent plea from Cami. ‘Please do go on and see the King about getting the needed ships, with the assistance of this dear man.’ She nodded at Ardamir. ‘I will be fine, Bird will see to it.’

The men stood as Bird assisted Pio from the room. ‘By the One!’ Bird hissed quietly at her. ‘What was that little drama all about? Those babies aren’t big enough to kick fleas yet.’ Pio leaned on Bird’s arm for the benefit of the guard at the doorway, and maneuvered her quickly into a side hallway, where no extra eyes or ears were lurking. Straightening up, she pulled the other woman close and told her what Cami had said. ‘We have got to get down there to meet Cami and haul those Hobbits back to the Star before there is more trouble than we can handle.’ said Pio, gathering up her skirt for quicker movement.

She led the way to the exit as fast as decorum would allow, Bird in tow.

[ December 12, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]