[mark12_30]

Mithadan's Post:

Mithadan smiled at Cami. "Yes," he said. "The blades which I traded to the King were those which the Hobbits took from the tombs. Coral gathered them, as I requested, and brought them to the Star. So, in a way, your people have paid your own way. Indeed, it would have been a danger to you if you had retained them, for if word were to reach the wrong ears that you possessed such treasures, your people would have been hunted rather than ignored."

He smiled again. "And do not concern yourself that we have deprived ourselves and our children of any reward for our efforts. There will be plenty and to spare even for our partner, Bird." With that, he twitched back his cloak and withdrew a blade from a hidden pocket. The scabbard was of black leather embroidered with stars of silver. He drew forth the blade and they saw that it was much like those he had traded to the King, but the name engraved upon it was 'Elros'.

He looked up at the city for a moment, then back at Cami. His expression grew sad. "Even now, the King is gathering a number of ships, shallow in draft, to carry your people up the Anduin. Your transport will be ready perhaps even tomorrow. The following morning, if all goes well, we will sail forth with our flotilla and meet the Elven fleet where it is moored in the bay. The Men of Gondor will be aware that your people were rescued by the Elves and will not think this strange. The Hobbits will be transferred to the Gondorian vessels and you will be carried to the foot of Rauros where you will be landed on the western shore to make your way into the north..."

He turned away and looked out over the Anduin and the forest of masts rising from the docks. "I will miss you Camelia Goodchilde," he said with a husky voice. "We have been through the fires of Gondolin and the waters of the Great Sea together. We have accomplished great things, yet none is more rare than our friendship. And in two days you will be lost to us beyond any hope of reunion. It will be a sad parting, yet not one without hope, for because of you one day the Halfling will stand forth among the great of legend and be accorded no lesser place even if compared to the heroes of the First Age. Yet I will miss you. And I will always remember that but for you, Piosenniel and I would never have been brought together."
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[ December 16, 2002: Message edited by: Mithadan ]

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Child's post

Cami smiled as Mithadan extended his hand to her in thanks. "I'll miss you too," she confided. I owe you and Pio so much that there's no way I can repay it. I just hope your life will be happy, and your family strong and healthy."

Cami turned to him and laughed, "There's one more thing. If either of you think back on our adventures, try not to be so glum when you talk about me. I intend to live a good, long life to see my children and grandchildren grow. And when the time finally comes to say goodbye, I want no regrets. I've every reason to let go gently, and not look back." The Man looked at her and smiled.


Helen's post:

Mithadan heard the ladder creaking, and turned to see Gamba emerge, rubbing his face. He halted, and glared at Piosenniel, and, to Mithadan's surprise, glared at him too; and then he met Cami's gaze, and turned towards the rail, and wandered aimlessly to the stern.

Cami loked at Mithadan, puzzled, and Mithadan sighed, and headed for the boy. Hearing his heavy footsteps approaching, Gamba turned with a look of puzzled indignation. "What do you want?"

Knowing he would get more out of the boy if he pushed him to anger, Mithadan spoke with a quiet edge to his voice. "A little more respect from you while you are on board my ship, for starters."

It worked. "You laughed at us. You laughed at mother, " Gamba replied, coldly, and turned away again. "I don't know why you rescued us, but it wasn't because we mattered to you."

"Gamba, you're wrong."

Gamba folded his arms and leaned against the rail, sullen.

"Look, you're still a boy. And you've done some pretty boyish things lately. Now I shouldn't have laughed at your mother, and I'm sorry that I did; and she knows that now, I think, and if she doesn't, I'll make it clear. But you-- " Mithadan chuckled. "You remind me of, well, of somebody I knew once."

No answer.

"Gamba, I'll never admit it in public, but I did some boneheaded things in my own youth; things that I'd rather nobody else knew I did. Fortunately, I've left much of that behind me. But I've had my share of hangovers, and I've even had to be rescued, on occasion."

"Then if you did it too, why is everybody so upset about it?"

"That I'll leave for you to discuss with your mother. But Gamba, part of growing up is learning to obey orders, from many different sources. Would you have obeyed if I had told you to stay on board the ship?"

Gamba didn't answer, at first, and then he looked up at the man, and then back at the waves, and said, "If I'm such a boy, why is everybody upset that I'm acting like one? And why does everybody expect me to act like a grownup? And if I'm supposed to act like a grownup, then why can't I do what I want?"

Mithadan came and stood at the rail beside Gamba, looking out at the waves, trying to decide how to anser, but all he muttered was, "You're a teenager, all right."

"What?"

Mithadan sighed. "Oh, nothing." Twins, he thought; I'll have two teenagers at the same time, both struggling with the transition from childhood to adulthood, and they'll be ... Eru Help Me, they'll have Piosenniel's fighting spirit. His blood ran cold at the thought.

"I don't understand, " Gamba groused, and Mithadan gently mussed his hair.

"I know. You'll be all right. But remember this-- obeying orders doesn't stop just when you become a grownup. You'll always have somebody to obey."

"You don't. You're the captain; you just give orders."

"It might look that way, " Mithadan replied. "But it's not that way at all. Not at all." Ruffling the boy's hair one more time, Mithadan turned, and went below.

Cami slowly came to join Gamba, and she gently ran her fingers through his curls, smoothing what Mithadan had ruffled.

"Nitir... mmm... Cami-- " Gamba tightened his arms across his chest, and tried again. "Mmm... umm... Mom?"

She waited, still combing through his hair, and he leaned against her hand as she did.

"Mom, I'm sorry I made you cry. I didn't mean to."

Cami took a deep breath.

[ December 17, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]