[mark12_30]

Mithadan's post:

As he approached the entrance to the Marketplace, Mithadan slowed to a jog. Nonetheless, he nearly collided with a young boy who leaped out in front of him with arms waving. "Are you Mithadan?" asked the lad. "Cami has asked that I give you a message. She said go to the Broken Pikestaff in the southwest quarter of the harborside." Mithadan thanked the boy and tossed him a few coppers. Then he turned and continued out of the city and down the road towards the port.

He did not recognize the name of the Inn, so he proceeded to the harborside and asked a passerby. The scowl he received when he mentioned the Broken Pikestaff spoke volumes. Alarmed, he began to run again, only to stop, trying to laugh between deep breaths at the sight of a chaingang of Halflings being led to the docks by a grim faced Piosenniel.

"I see that we have found our truants," he panted. "You are taking them to the Star?"
Piosenniel nodded with a half-concealed grin. "Very well," continued Mithadan. "But make haste. In an hour's time we are due to meet Ardamir at his offices and then proceed to the Citadel to meet with the King."

He looked at Pio's clothing and wrinkled his nose. "You will have to change before the meeting," he added. "And I am not going to ask where you might have come across the 'finery' you are wearing."

Piosenniel laughed at this. "That might be best," she confessed. They proceeded towards the docks.
-----------------

Helen's post:

They rounded a turn in the road, and were no longer in view of the gate or
the inn, and Cami said, "All right, Pio, you can take this rope off of my
wrists now."

Pio turned toward her with an arched eyebrow, and turned forward again.
Cami fumed.

A few moments later, Kesha heard a grumble from Gamba.

"What?"

"Snotspeckle."

"Ugh!" Kesha groaned.

Cami frowned. "Gamba?"

"Snot speckible ner tie up Nitter, lef or no lef. Nitter zerves speckt."

"Pio, stop." Cami wanted to hear what Gamba had to say, and the boy could
hardly walk and talk at the same time in his current condition-- which was
getting worse by the minute, Cami noticed. Four mugs of beer did this to a
sixteen year old hobbit male? she wondered, frowning.

But Pio did not stop.

"Gamba, how many drinks did you have?"

"Chumbes."

"What?"

"Chum... mmmm... mBunches."

"Bunches! I paid for four!"

"Old man share fumgle faffer fumgle."

"Pio, stop."

Pio kept walking. Gamba kept mumbling.

"Nice old man. Fumgle... mug... mug-full."

"I take it he didn't know he was sharing, " Cami replied irritably.

"Nice old man. Bud nidit work."

"Didn't-- what didn't work?"

"Srown dorrow. Still ere."

"What?"

"Sro... Ndor.. Drown sorrows. Sorrow still here."

"Pio!"

As if oblivious, Pio kept walking. Suddenly, Cami's eyes flashed, and in a
moment, she had planted her heels and leaned back with all her weight.
Gamba toppled backwards, and Kesha landed on top of him. Pio turned, eyes
flashing, and then she saw the look on Cami's face.

Bird saw it too. "Umm, hmmm. Hmmm." She took a step back.

The shock from landing flat on his back and being slammed immediately by
Kesha brought sudden clarity to Gamba's speech. "Old man saying one more
mug, drown his sorrows. Sounded good. So I kep having one more mug too.
But--" Tears started. Kesha rolled off of him.

Cami, hands still tied, leaned up on one elbow. "But what?"

"Still sad, " Gamba groaned.

"Sad about what?" Kesha asked.

Gamba shook his head, and looked at Cami. "Why nidnit work?" Gamba moaned.

She instinctively tried to reach for him, but her hands were still tied.
She glared up at Pio, and said, "You can untie me now, Piosenniel."

Pio opened her mouth to protest but Cami was having none of it. "Now."

"You weren't supposed to go to the Inn, " Pio said cooly. "I told you to
stay put."

"Oh. And I suppose under similar circumstances, Piosenniel would do Exactly
What She Was Told," Cami all but snarled, eyes blazing. "Untie this
confounded knot!"

Pio, her back up now, said nothing.

"Very well, " replied Cami. "But it will be a long walk back for you,
carrying the three of us. Or dragging us. Your choice." And with that,
she lay back down, motioning to Kesha. He did likewise. And Gamba was
already dead weight.

"Umm, " said Bird, cheerfully, "Looks like you and your prisoners will be
later than we thought. I'd best warn the Captain, " she said, morphing
into a crow, and flying off.

"Bird!" Pio gasped indignantly.

Gamba's stomach rumbled, and Cami asked him again. "How many mugfulls did
you have?"

Gamba counted on his tied fingers, "Gaahhh... Eight."

"Eight full pints??"

"Three...mmm...four pints, and shared nine other pints. Nine halves..." his
fingers were getting tangled.

Good heavens, she thought. "Gamba, right now, right this minute, I want you
to-- Kesha, turn your head." Pio, waiting stubbornly, watched in growing
horror as Cami told Gamba what to do.

"Ugh! By the One! Cami!" Pio grimaced as all eight and a half pints
violently resurfaced.

Cami hoped that the boy was too drunk to remember in the morning.

The smell got to Pio. She had planned to wait it out in a test of
wills with Cami, but with a snort, her patience evaporated completely, and she drew close to Cami. Her words hissed through clenched teeth.

"Listen, Halfling. Mithadan, Bird and I have an agreement to negotiate with the king of this city. We are doing it for the good of you and your people, despite all your best efforts to hinder us, " she spat with an icy glare at Gamba, and then she returned to Cami. "And here you lie, delaying us even now. If we miss the meeting, you can explain your stubbornness to Mithadan yourself. The destiny of your people hangs on this meeting; surely even you can see that. Now make your choice."

Thr fire in Cami's eyes did not die, but since she closed them, Pio did not know that. Cami lay still for a few moments more. Her heart, previously in turmoil, writhed and churned now like a hurricane at sea. And then she sat up, an turned to the two boys; her son, and his little brother who would soon depart.

With a great effort she mastered her own heart, subdued it, set it aside, and spoke to the boys.

"Kesha. Gamba. Get up."

Kesha's eyes went wide, and Gamba moaned. Cami motioned to Kesha, and they both awkwardly helped Gamba to rise. He was sick and dizzy and practically passed out, and he swayed trying to find his balance. Pio considered slinging him over her shoulder, but his stench deterred her, and she tugged on the rope.

Kesha and Cami helped Gamba along as best they could, and with relatively few stumbles they made it back to the ship.

By then even Kesha was angry.

[ December 16, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[ December 16, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]