[piosenniel]

It was late when they had returned from negotiations wth the King and his Minister. The ship was quiet, most had settled down for the night. Daisy sat at the railing, near the gangplank, her legs propped up on the lowest rail waiting for them. Mithadan waved at her as he walked up the plank, and she stood, waiting for Pio to come on board.

‘Everything seems to be quiet, everyone on board just as they are supposed to be.’ She yawned widely. Pio thanked her and sent her off to her own rest saying she would see her tomorrow.

Mithadan and Bird had already gone below, and Pio followed after them, walking slowly down the steps. Thirsty, she stopped in the galley to make herself a small cup of herbed tea. Cradling the warm mug in her hands she inhaled the soothing scent of it. She sat, in the shadows of the galley now lit only by the feeble glow of one small lamp, and let her mind drift.

He did not see her when he came in to get a small glass of water. Her voice startled him when she called his name, ‘Gamba.’ He turned not seeing who had spoken, his eyes still adjusting to the shadows.

‘Pio.’ he spat out, once he had seen her, in a tone of such anger that she jerked back from the force of it, her eyes going wide at the raw emotion which hit her. He came toward the table at which she sat and slapped his hand down hard on it. ‘You had no right to do that to Kesha and me, and especially not to Nitir.’ His words battered at her as he laid out every accusation of wrong that had been simmering in him since she had dragged the three of them back to the ship. And when he was done, he sat down hard in the chair opposite her, his arms crossed over his chest, daring her to deny it. He was angry and ready for any challenge she might offer him.

What he did not expect was what happened next. She spread her hands on the table before her, and her face changed from grave as she listened to his words to one of great sadness. Tears fell from her eyes, splashing on the backs of her outstretched hands. She wiped them from her face with the sleeve of her tunic, then spoke softly into the air, her eyes seeing things beyond the Hobbit who sat now before her.

‘Soon you will part from us. And my dear friend, Cami, will be far from what small protection my hands can afford her. I had thought to look to you to take up this task for me, to share the burden with her of keeping all of you and herself safe in this wide and dangerous world. But I fear now that when she looks to you, you will not be there.’ She rubbed her face with her hands, smearing the teary trails on her cheeks, and gazed deep into his eyes. ‘There are so many perils that will meet you on your journey. What hope is there if she must face them all alone?’ Tears dropped again upon the table top.

‘Rail at me, if you must, Gamba. Oft times my actions are ill thought out, and harsh. I am not the most politic of creatures. But I love my friend, and it tears my heart to know that even in my brash way I cannot be there when she has need of me.’

She stood, wiping at her tears once more, and sighed deeply. Silently, then, she turned from him and went to her room, hoping only that dreamless sleep might claim her.

[ December 15, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]