The Lonely Star -- Chapter 4

[piosenniel]

It was just past midday when Pio returned to the Star. She climbed to the deck and walked wearily over to Kali, standing on the deck with Rose. Handing them her bag of eels and oysters, she asked that they take care of them for her, suggesting that they might find a way to keep them fresh by penning them in some water.

The eels were a bit sluggish, having come through the saltwater. Kali thought that fresh water might revive them long enough for him to think of some way to smoke them on the ship. 'It will take most of the water we have left,' he thought, 'but Mithadan and Ancalimon should soon be back soon with more supplies.'

She thanked them, and made her way down to her cabin to sleep. She was tired through and through, and lay down on the bed.

Five men only. I can do this. were her last thoughts to herself as she fell quickly into dreams.

[Mithadan]

Mithadan and Ancalimon oversaw the loading of the skiff and the second boat which they had purchased. After confirming that all was secure, they paid the porters and set sail towards the Southwest. Again, the wind was with them and they made good time.

Ancalimon sighed. "So a reward is being offered for news of Angara," he said. 'From the sound of things, Gorthaur is expanding his search. We must remain wary. While the searchers seek a dragon, not a ship, he can expect vessels to come near seeking news of the wyrm."

Mithadan nodded in agreement, but sat looking back at the island receding into the North. "Mithadan?" prodded Ancalimon. The Man shook himself from his reverie and turned. His eyes were haunted with the foreknowledge of Numenor's fate.

"I'm sorry," he responded. "Elenna was the home of my people; the heart and soul of my race. Many would have given fortunes for the opportunity to set foot on its shores and I have done so, but it brings me only sadness. 'Akallabeth' indeed! The words of those in the common room last night show just how far we fell."

"Yet you have risen up again," came the response. "From what I understand, your country of Gondor has revived the honour and hope of the Numenorean race."

"And yet we are a mere shadow of its greatness," mused Mithadan.

"Perhaps," answered Ancalimon. "But things built by hand alone are not the sole measure of greatness. There is also courage, wisdom and loyalty. You have, yourself, evidenced the revival of the Edain and, in doing so, you make amends for the evils of Numenor."

"Maybe in part," said Mithadan. "But not without cost. With wisdom comes also pain and the price of redemption is high."

They sailed on in silence. Soon the sails of the Lonely Star became visible. Ancalimon dug into his pouch and pulled forth a handful of coins, which he returned to Mithadan. The Man placed them in his pouch, but first picked something from the glitter and tossed it back to Ancalimon. "Hold that for me," he requested.

Ancalimon trailed his hand in the water and listened to the sounds of the seas. After a moment, he nodded. Moments later, they were greeted by the crew of the Star.

[Child of the 7th Age]

The crew was relieved to learn that Mithadan and Ancalimon had returned to the Star. Mithadan spoke with Cami and was quickly reassured that his wife had also boarded and was resting below deck. The hobbrim helped unload the vessel and secure the supplies in the galley and storerooms.

While few details were offered, Mithadan did tell the crew that Sauron had issued orders to locate the wyrm. A number of vessels flying the black flag were rumored to be searching the coastline and rivers even as they spoke.

Cami wondered if she should say anything of her own experiences in the past day. She kept quiet in front of the others, but stopped Mithadan in the corridor after he'd gone below. Last night had proven difficult for her. It had been weeks, even months, since she'd dreamed of the hobbits or the tombs.

But yesterday had brought some disturbing scenes. She'd woken in the night with a clear image of the brothers in her head. One of the boys had been weeping. His brother embraced him, vainly attempting to quell his tears. Cami thought she'd seen Daisy somewhere in the background, but there had been no sign of Bird.

Today, she'd carried out her normal activities. Yet Cami had a feeling that all was not well on Eru's Mount. There was nothing specific to point to. Still, the fear in her heart kept whispering that something had gone very wrong.

Mithadan tried to reassure her. He reminded Cami they should soon be hearing from Levanto. Bird would keep a careful watch over Daisy. But after he went inside his cabin and closed the door, Cami's halting words kept echoing in his mind.

Dreams, what were dreams? Who could say what this meant? He hoped the hobbit's intuitions were wrong, but he was far from certain.

[ October 09, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[mark12_30]

Phura still had not returned from the water's edge, and Loremaster was growing concerned; but he was far more concerned about Gamba. Normally Gamba had finished digging well before dinnertime and returned, tired but eager, for his tickling match with the five children. But the dinner line had formed already.

He looked out and scanned the line, but saw none of his seven charges. Nor did he see Daisy, nor Anee. But he knew better than to ask, and raise the guards' suspicions. He was hungry, but he went back to his lore, to keep himself from worry.

Shortly after he sat back down, a dreary, broken voice spoke thickly behind him. "I have a message for you."

He spun, eyebrows raised.

Gamba slowly relayed the message. "If you don't want your gravedigger to lie in the next grave he digs, then send us someone who responds to the whip." Then he added, "From... from... the guard. He told me his name, but I don't remember it."

Loremaster rose and came to Gamba's side, and was about to take him into his arms, but stopped when he realized his shirt was tattered and his back and shoulders were covered with large bloody welts. Loremaster held out his hands gently, but Gamba would only lean his forehead against him.

"I couldn't do it, " Gamba said. "I dug all day, and I didn't nearly finish."

"Sit down, " Loremaster said. "Someone has to go and finish the graves now?"

"I'm sorry, " Gamba replied.

Loremaster sped out into the dinner line, and found Tuka with Azraph and Esta. Loremaster explained rapidly. Several hands shoved bread and fruit into Tuka's hands and pockets and ruffled his hair, and he sped towards the graveyards. He did not get back until very late.

Loremaster said, "I need a replacement for him in the mines." One of the food workers volunteered immediately.

[ October 09, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[Mithadan]

As the day darkened into evening, Mithadan took his turn at watch. From below, savory smells were issuing from the galley as the crew took full advantage of the new diversity in foodstuffs. For now, the man ignored his growing appetite. Cami's descriptions of her dreams troubled him deeply.

From his childhood, Mithadan had been aware that his dreams sometimes carried messages. As he grew older, he began having the now familiar dreams of the seashore and of Ulmo striding through the waves. At first, he had assumed these were some foolish imagining resulting from his hearing the tale of Tuor. This was not the case. His dreams of Ulmo were "real"; they conveyed messages or information and sometimes instructions. He had learned to trust them. How could he discount the value of Cami's dreams?

He briefly considered visiting the tombs himself, but dismissed the idea as too dangerous. Smiling, he wondered if Pio would have reached the same conclusion or whether she would have simply leaped into the waves. At any rate, Levanto would soon return with news from the caverns and that either would confirm or deny Cami's concerns.

He heard a noise behind him and turned to find Angara approaching. She stopped and stood before him shifting her weight from side to side. The effect of this was to make her appear like a snake preparing to strike. "Man," she said by way of greeting. "I wish to speak to you about Piosenniel."

"My wife?" he responded, with a ghost of a smile on his lips.

"Piosenniel," repeated the dragon with a look of irritation on her face. "She wishes to be on the first ship in the assault upon the tombs. I have offered to look after her safety and assure you that I will care for her well."

This again! Mithadan nodded politely. "I have already have agreed to her proposal, Angara."

"I wish to make sure that you do not change your mind," growled the wyrm.

"I will not," he replied. "I...believe she will be safe, particularly if you watch out for her. So do not be concerned."

"This is not like you, Man, to so easily agree with the Elf," retorted Angara. "But I will accept your word for now." She turned and stalked away.

"Angara!" he called softly. The dragon hesitated and looked back. Mithadan hesitated as he fought with his thoughts. "I trust you, Angara. You will watch her and keep her safe. But please stay close to her. She might do something foolish as the assault progresses..."

"She is far wiser than you, Man," answered the wyrm. She continued on her way.

"I do not doubt that," mused the Man.

[ October 09, 2002: Message edited by: Mithadan ]

[Birdland]

Tarcil entered the room just in time to see the Halfling girl's hand buried in his breakfast, as she snatched a sausage and stuffed it in her mouth. She backed away from the desk, her face blanching white as she saw the huge man looming over her.

"Wha...why, you dirty little mole!" Tarcil's morning inspection had not gone well. The stores that had been sent them were barely enough to support his own men and the prisoners they watched. And now they wanted to send even more Men? How was he to support such a troop? And even if they saw one of these cursed "wyrms" that had aroused such interest, what did they expect HIM to do about it? Catch it in a net?

The only thing he had wanted to do after inspection was to return to his offices and eat his breakfast in peace. And now he had found one of these grubby, little Halflings contaminating it! Tarcil picked up the plate and hurled it at the girl, who threw up her arm instinctively to deflect the missile. Food spattered everywhere, and the plate bounced off Daisy's arm and shattered at her feet.

"Guard!" bellowed the captain, and a tall, young man came running in at the call. "See that she cleans up this mess. Then five days in the Locks for stealing food." The captain stormed out of the office, calling back over his shoulder. "I want that office clean and a fresh breakfast on that table in a half hour, or you will join her!"

[ October 09, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]

[mark12_30]

Phura and the children came up from the river tunnel, damp still, and entered the study; Phura watched as the children surged towards Gamba. But he did not look up, and Phura called, "Wait. Stop!" They did.

When Loremaster came back, Phura had gently removed the tattered remains of Gamba's shirt. Gamba was surrounded by small wondering voices, asking him what was wrong, and why he was hurt and sad.

"He'll need to be reassigned, " Loremaster observed, mentally reviewing the openings. "Perhaps the Locks."

"He'll get better, " Phura argued against the panic in his own soul. "He'll recover. He won't get infected. He'll get strong again."

"He's young, " Loremaster soothed him. "We'll take good care of him." With what, Loremaster did not know; there were few herbs to be had. "Wash him well, with the warmest water he can stand. You look like you've been swimming?"

"Yes, for quite a while."

"Then your shirt may be the cleanest cloth we have. Use that."

Phura stripped his shirt off and set it carefully aside on the table. "Kesha, get water. No-- not well-water. Go to the river."

Kesha started to run off with two buckets. "Take Gamba's shirt, Kesha. Wash it very, very well, " Loremaster added, handing him the tattered shirt. Phura sat by Gamba, and Gamba leaned numbly against him.

Loremaster took the children, and went to get dinner. Esta and Azraph, having heard what Loremaster told Tuka, came to the study to help care for Gamba. But before Loremaster allowed the girls into the study, he removed his long, outer, loremasters' robe, and slowly and thoughtfully placed it over Phura's shoulders.

At the moment, Phura hardly noticed.

[ October 09, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[Rose Cotton]

She had only been in the locks a few minutes before she heard the sound of approaching feet though I seemed much longer. She looked up to see Anee being put in her cell. Once the guards had left the hobbit girl turned on Daisy with a furrious look. "I can't believe you!" she yelled "What were you thinking?! Now you've made things worst on both of us. Because of your theiving hands I get in trouble too."

Anee colapsed on the floor in anger her face in her hands.

When she looked up again she saw silent tears streaming down Daisy's face. Anee was overwelmed by guilt and she started to cry too. "Daisy. Daisy, I'm sorry. I've been terrible to you." She crawled over to Daisy and put her arms around her.

[mark12_30]

Phura washed Gamba's back several times, sending Kesha down for fresh water. Azraph and Esta kept the water as warm as Gamba could bear, and kept the two shirts rinsed clean, and then the boys-- all having had baths today, Phura thought with relief-- all clustered round him, and Phura too; and Loremaster's long robe went over all, and together they kept him warm.
Asraph and Esta sang them all to sleep, and then Loremaster walked them back to their families. He brought Esta home first, and checked on Tuka, who was back, weary but bearing only a few light welts which he shrugged about. His skin was not broken. Loremaster thanked him, and Tuka got some sleep, knowing he had a full day at the graveyard tomorrow.

Loremaster the returned Azraph to her family, and gently drew her father aside. They spoke softly for almost an hour.

Azraph's sister, Nitir, did not fail to notice. But Nitir also saw the very somber look on her father's face, and wondered if something was wrong. She did not tease Azraph nearly as much as Azraph expected her to, afterwards.

In the morning, they woke Gamba early, and washed his back again, and Loremaster gave him one of his own shirts to wear over his shredded one. It was then that Gamba commented on Phura's robe. Phura looked at Loremaster, who nodded.

"I'm far too young, " Phura objected.

"I don't think so, " Loremaster replied. And that was the end of that discussion. Gamba went to the Locks that day and learned the simple few duties expected there, and rested in between.

[ October 15, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[Child of the 7th Age]

OOC: This is a companion post to that of Rose. The same general thrust and outcome, but with an earlier start and later end.

Anee had finished her morning chores when she heard a ruckus and went to investigate. She stared in disbelief, learning of the sausage and Daisy’s sentence to the Locks. Anee saw Daisy scurrying about the room as she tried to pick up the food and shattered fragments of the dish. Silent tears struggled down her cheeks.

Anee's first reaction was that of anger. She'd done what she was told, and this was the result. She looked away as the guard marched Daisy off to the prison. But, just an instant later, he'd turned to her with an accusing finger, "You, you're responsible for my problems with the Captain. You said the girl would fit in here. Since you two are so friendly, you'll enjoy each other's company."

Anee found herself marched off towards the Locks with a five-day sentence to correct her behavior. The two girls were thrust into a large communal cell. It was filled with hobbits of all shapes and sizes. Some stayed a few days or weeks, while others remained over a year. As Anee looked at a few of the old-timers, her heart ran cold. Their faces were gaunt and their eyes reflected such despair that it seemed as if all life had been squeezed from them.

The guard returned and jerked them out with a rough hand. They were taken to a central area. Each was given a small plate and mug. A long list of rules was recited.

Then the guard stepped back to grin at Daisy. He'd heard about her story and wanted to have some fun, like a cat with prey between its paws. "You like sausages. Sausages are too good for the likes of you. How about this instead?"

The guard heaved up a large sack of beans, and opened it near Daisy's head. The girl ducked, but the contents went spilling in a hundred directions.

"Go ahead. Clean it up. Every one. I hear you have experence with this kind of thing. But if I see one left, even one, you'll have five extra days here."

Anee raged. It was so senseless. For the first time, she began to think that this punishment had nothing to do with sausage. It was about the shadow on the tombs and the rescue, and her chance to have a life. She felt ashamed. Just that morning, she’d reminded herself not to speak too much to Daisy, or spend time with her. Let the girl figure out things on her own.

Anee didn’t know much, but she was certain of one thing. Daisy came from someplace where there were no hobbit prisons or lists of selection. She didn’t have to be here. She’d come for a simple reason: it was the right thing to do.

The guard turned and glared at Anee who now stood near the door, pleased to have another victim in his sights. "You, get out of here. Let her go, and you can have an easy job washing clothes with a small room away from these cells."

Anee remained at the threshold, uncertain whether to go forward or turn back. The only sound she heard was an insect buzzing inside the room. Then a tiny voice echoed in her head. “What’s wrong with you? Go help her. I’d do it myself but I’m too small.”

She looked up startled and walked over to Daisy, bending down to begin picking up beans. The guard’s voice sounded a warning, but it came from far away. Within a short time, the girls had worked together to recapture every bean in the sack. And, despite the efforts of the guard, he could not find any left behind.

As they were finishing the job, Anee whisperd into Daisy's ear, “Did you find what you needed? Back on Tarcil's desk?.“

Daisy cautiously nodded yes. Anee’s response came back, “Good, then it was worth it.”

The guard marched both girls back to their cell. Anee gave Daisy a hug to stop her tears, and held her hand so she wouldn't be afraid.

[ October 09, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[mark12_30]

Just after Gamba left for the Locks, Phura headed down to the waters' edge with the children trooping after him. Loremaster watched him go, and several elders saw him en route. More than one paused, looking at Loremaster's robe, and wondering.

Phura knelt in front of the pile of pebbles, and studied them. Kesha joined him. "Shall we get more?"

Phura thought, and thought, and dug his hands into the pile, letting them run back through his fingers. And then, "Yes, " he said. "Let's get more. Everyone else, wait here."

He wore the robe into the water. It hampered his movements, but not badly, and there was something about the way it moved through the water, billowing, that affected the way he swam and the way he thought, even as he collected handful after handful of pebbles and stones that had lain silently waiting underwater for so very, very long. The pile of pebbles grew. Many were egg-sized and smooth and polished from being on the riverbottom for so long.

They kept at it til lunchtime, and the pile of stones now took up a third of the water's edge. As they trooped, damply, up the path, Kesha began to whistle softly.

Phura looked down at him and mussed his hair. "Forget the lullabyes, " he said softly. "We've been sleeping too long. Listen. You're going to learn a song about someone called Earendil."

Listening, the children's eyes grew wide as dragons raged, ships flew in the sky, and mountains fell. Phura kept singing, softly, while he waited in line, and those around him studied his dripping robe, and the new light in his eyes, and drew closer to hear him sing.

From within his study, Loremaster heard the tune, faintly, and he knew. And he nodded with satisfaction. The robe was well spent.

Feeling very old, he bent over the page of runes and blinked back his tears.

[ October 09, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[mark12_30]

Looking down at the lunch plates in his hands, Gamba sighed. He wondered how the food could be worse than what they were usually served; but it was. He pitied the inmates.

He slipped several plates under several doors, with soft words of greeting and sympathy, and then came to the last door, to the large communal cell. He looked around at faces that he had not seen for days or weeks or even months. And then he saw two that he had seen only yesterday. He started. "You!"

Anee growled at him. "What of it?"

"What happened? Was it me?"

"No, " Anee snapped, but something inside her forbade her to tattle on Daisy. "No, it wasn't you, " she ended, a little more softly.

Gamba stepped in, carrying a large bucket partly filled with bread and a small bucket with porridge in it, and began doling it out according to instructions. It was not much to live on, and Gamba felt guilty giving them so little. Daisy thought of the sausage, and bit back tears, using anger to do it.

Gamba wanted to say something hopeful, but at the moment, his back hurt, and the atmosphere was not a pleasant one. He fidgeted. But the man-guard was watching him. He moved on, and got the water bucket, and started back at the first cell.

Each inmate got one mugful, and the ones in the single cells had to drink it as Gamba watched. There was one older woman who was ailing, and Gamba managed to slip her a second mugful. "You done yet, Pansy? Hurry up, " he said, to cover the extra time.

"Patience, " her creaky voice said. "I can only drink so fast." She sucked it down, and handed the mug back out.

Gamba got to the communal cell at the end, and filled everybody's mug. The guard was distracted, and Gamba refilled the mug again and shoved it at Anee. "Drink it now, " he said, watching her sip it. "Faster. Drink all you can."

Biting back tears, Anee forced the water down her throat. Daisy followed suit when Gamba refilled the dripping mug and gave it to her.

"Water's good, " Gamba muttered. "It brings hope."

Anee shot him a puzzled look. But Daisy looked up, and thought of The Lonely Star.

"Yes, it does, " she whispered. And she tried to smile.

Gamba looked over at the other inmates, now sipping their water or gazing listlessly at the walls, and wished he could encourage them as easily as he just had Daisy. But with the guard now returned and glowering at him, Gamba clattered off with the bucket.

[ October 09, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[ October 09, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[mark12_30]

At dinnertime that night, Gamba came limping home, and Phura and Esta met him partway up the tunnel to the Locks. They proceeded to the study, and picking up Azraph along th e way. Phura watched as the two ladies washed Gamba's back again, but he seemed distracted, and kept one eye on the opening to the main cave.
Tuka finally arrived, and Phura greeted him softly.

"How is he?" Tuka asked, and Gamba answered, "I'm not dead yet." Tuka grinned, but came over and sat beside him, full of concern.

But Phura only gave him a minute before he interrupted very softly. "Tuka, you were in the mines while they were still forging weapons."

"Yeah?"

"Are the molds for the knives and daggers still there?"

"Yes, but--"

"Are they guarded at night?"

Tuka's head spun. "No. I-- but Phura, Phura. We can't hammer them. They'd hear us."

"We can heat them up, and quench them, and sharpen them slowly against the stones. We just can't beat them."

"What good is a weapon that hasn't been hammered?"

"We'd lose in a swordfight anyway. But with enough sharpening, we could make a knifeblade with enough of an edge to slit a throat."

Tuka's head spun. "Could we? We can't light the forge fires again."

"We don't have to use those fires. You can heat up a meat-fork in a little cooking fire til it's red, and quench it in a bucket. We just need the molds."

"You've got to melt the iron."

Details, details. Phura blushed, but was undeterred. "All right. Then we need an excuse for melting iron. Start looking for reasons."

"I can't imagine. New shovels for gravedigging? The ones we have are still good."

"New chains to tie us up with. Some excuse. Some reason to melt iron." Phura was flustered, but refused to give up.

Tuka thought, and hope kindled in him despite the lack of an iron-melting excuse. "Once we have the knives, what will we do with them?"

"I don't know, yet. Can we make them?"

"I don't know."

"Well, find out. Are there any swordsmiths left?"

"Two. I'll ask."

"We'll have to do it at night."

"Who sleeps anyway? I'm awake half the night."

"Go."

Tuka left.

Gamba looked up at Phura, wincing as Esta accidentally opened up a welt. "None of us have ever killed anything since we've been in these caves. Not even a goat, or a chicken. The only blood we've seen is our own."

"Well, then, " Phura smiled, drawing close and very gently caressing Gamba's hair, "start singing some old songs about slitting throats and spilling blood. Softly. And if it's a really bloody song, then sing it to the tune of a sweet, restful lullabye, so the guards don't know the difference."

Azraph brought over another bucket of warm water, and met Esta's eyes, and they both saw something in each other's gaze they'd never seen before. "Courage, " Esta whispered to Gamba, and took his hand. He evaded her gaze, and wearily lay back down.

[piosenniel]

Tarcil sat down heavily at his desk, and rubbed his brow. The start of a headache played behind his eyes, and he closed them tightly for a moment, willing it to recede. The pain subsided, and he opened his eyes slowly. There before him lay the directive from Gorthaur.

'Gorthaur!' he swore to himself. 'The King not gone a fortnight and already HE issues orders as if HE were King!' He rubbed his brow, again. What was he to do? He was only a lowly Captain with no real power of his own, save over these benighted halflings. Gorthaur wanted the Guard increased. As if a dragon cared about these miserable creatures! And let the Wyrm take them if he would! They were useless, lazy, and not to be trusted. Tarcil cursed the day he had ever taken this assignment.

He sighed. And now Gorthaur wanted the Guard increased, but the order came with no increase of monies for their costs. Finances were stretched thin, as it was.

There was nothing to be done but draft a reply to the one who now wielded power in this land. He pulled a clean sheet of vellum from his desk and placed it in front of him. Dipping his quill in the inkwell, he began.

[Birdland]

With some last encouraging words to Daisy, Birdie hopped into the folds of Gamba's shirt and rode with him back through the tunnels. She knew that Daisy was probably in the safest place in the prison, and that Amee would help her get through the five days.

Bird was actually surprised at the leniency of the sentence. In other times and places, she knew that the sentence could as easily been death.

But now she had to get back to the water, and give Levanto the information that she and Daisy had worked so hard to gather. The thought of Gorthaur's minions searching frantically for "wyrms" heartened her. At least their attentions would be focused in other areas. But the extra duties involved in feeding and boarding these new troops worried her. If nothing else, it meant extra eyes and weapons focused on the halfling captives. And it certainly had not improved the mood of Captain Tarcil, who seemed likely to take out the frustrations of these extra duties on his prisoners.

Bird hung on grimly to the rough threads of Gamba's shirt, resisting the temptation to order him to walk faster. To calm her nerves and ease her own hunger, she idly munched a small, new hole into the fabric.

[ October 09, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]

[piosenniel]

Despite his best efforts, Levanto had not been able to discover where Piosenniel had gone. His searches of yesterday and today had turned up no results. He had decided to take that as a good sign - that she had spent a day looking for oysters and eels and then gone back to the Star. He laid aside any thoughts that she might have done something rash, and forgone the urge to go back and check on her safe return.

Now he focused on his next task. Evening had turned toward night, and he moved up the river to the caves. Bird would meet him there and give him what report they had gleaned. He did not expect the report to take much time. They had only been there two days. What could they possibly have learned in that short time.

The Mer-man swam quickly by the docked patrol ship near midriver. He must tell Pio and Mithadan it was still there. It would prove an obstacle to the rescue.

His thoughts drifted as he swam slowly up the river. He looked forward to seeing Bird again. No need to hurry. He would not enter the caves until midnight.

[ October 09, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Child of the 7th Age]

The shadows lengthened over the walls of the Locks. Gamba the attendent had returned to his brother and friends. Now came the long hours when there was little for the prisoners to do except sit and stare at the darkness. Here, there were no torches bringing light, but only the glimmering eyes of hobbits reflected in each other's faces.

Anee and Daisy sat together in the corner of their cell with their small meal set in front of them. There were no vegetables or fruits or milk to be had in the Locks. Certainly, no meat. Twice a day, they received a small chunk of bread, a few spoons of a grain porridge, and a cup of water.

Daisy had never had Rose's or Cami's way with children, but tonight she had a special job. There were two small youngsters who'd been sent to prison for correction. Daisy couldn't imagine what they had done to earn passage to this horrible place. But then someone mentioned it had originally been their mother confined here. When she died with no relations, the two had been left and forgotten.

How hungry they looked! The girl lay sick and listless in Daisy's arms. Somehow, someway, Daisy vowed to fight back. The shadow would not get this one. There was only a short space to wait for the rescue. Then they could find Lily and her brother a home. Somehow or other, she'd pull them through until the Star brought healing and aid.

She pushed back the hunger that gnawed at her belly, and broke her bread in half. She soaked it in the cup of water to make it soft enough for a sick little one to swallow. When Anee saw what Daisy was doing with her food, she began to do the same for Lily's older brother. One or two others in the cell added a little water of ther own to cool down the girl's forehead which was hot with fever.

That afternoon, Daisy had spoken with Gamba. She had begged him to search for a way to bring in a few meagre things for the people in the jail. A bit of fruit or soft cheese would be ideal, but even beans or bread would help.

They had one thing going in their favor. Every day the guard took a nap after lunch. The thought of escape was so remote that the Men didn't hesitate to spend their duty time playing games of chance. Daisy had no intention of trying to get out of the Locks. What she wanted to do was find a way to get a few things in.

Daisy wasn't even sure if Gamba had heard her request. His eyes had looked so tired, so distant and uncaring. But maybe underneath, there was still a spark. They'd have to wait and see.

[ October 10, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Mithadan]

Rose had been kind enough to bring Mithadan a bowl of beef stew with a chunk of freshly baked bread. He ate silently, then continued scanning the horizon for any sign of activity. The night passed peacefully and without any cause for alarm. Sometime after midnight, Veritas appeared and took over his place at the helm.

Mithadan went below decks and entered Pio's cabin quietly. As before, she was sound asleep, but she had arranged herself across the bunk so that there was no space for the Man. He smiled and gently caressed her hair, but did not wake her. Fatigue now dogged him as well and he considered leaving the cabin to sleep in his old bunk, but dismissed this thought. Instead, he sat on the chair which stood nearby and watched her breath until sleep came to him as well.

[piosenniel]

The new moon hung low in the night sky, a slim white crescent. Its pale light filtered in through the open porthole, throwing a narrowed band of silver across the bed. Pio stirred in her sleep, and turned over. The sliver of light played across her eyelids, waking her from dreams.

She sat up in the darkness and looked out to sea, watching the light of stars and moon dance on the water. The single cry of a passing gull echoed in the waves and receded. She smiled, and hugged herself, that at this moment was harmony revealed.

A sound from behind surprised her, and she looked to see the source. There by her bed, sat Mithadan. His chin lolled against his chest as he slumped in his chair, asleep. A soft, rhythmic snore now issued from the drowsing Man, punctuated by the soft, rhythmic slap of the waves against the hull. Point and counterpoint wove through the air, delighting her.

She reached for his hand, waking him. 'Pio?' he said groggily. Smiling, she threw back the covers and bade him rest easy beside her. 'Come, My Moon and Stars, cradle me in your arms until the Sun calls us to our task once again.

He turned on his side and pulled her back against him, his arm draped protectively over her. He raised his head and kissed the shell of her ear. 'You taste of the sea.' he murmured softly, a smile playing about his lips as he laid down his head and drifted into dreams.

'Would that I could hold back the day!' she whispered.

She settled against him, then, surrendering to the safety of his presence. Harmony, made whole.

[ October 10, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Birdland]

"You have a hole in your shirt, Gamba." said Azraph, pointing to the raveled tear in the back of the shirttail.

Gamba shrugged, but Esta silently gestured and the boy took off the shirt so that she could inspect it for possible mending. She had one precious needle that she carried with her everywhere, and would gather threads from the few rags that were no longer good for clothing.

Esta shook the shirt to remove any dirt, not seeing the small, black and silver insect that fell out of it's folds. But Loremaster did, and he casually flicked the hem of his robe in the direction of Birdie, allowing her to hide in the hem and laboriously make her way up to his shoulder.

"Loremaster, please", she whispered in his ear, "Can you take me down to the river? Midnight approaches, and I must see Levanto and let him know what Daisy and I have found."

He gave a small nod of his head, and after a few moments, stood and stretched, miming an old man who would seek his bed. But Birdie and he, once they left the common area, hastened to the bank, hoping that Levanto would appear.

[ October 11, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]

[piosenniel]

Levanto waited in the shadows for Bird to come. He saw Loremaster appear, alone. A great panic gripped him that something had gone terribly wrong. He drew himself onto the bank as the hobbit approached and demanded to know where Bird was, and what had happened to Daisy.

'I'm right here, you misguided Mer-man!' came the irritated voice of Bird, as she changed to human form. Levanto started to protest this name, but she cut him off with a look. She told him what she and Daisy had discovered on the Captain's desk. He shook his head in dismay, then went over a number of points to fix it in his mind.

'I should get back the the Star now, and let them know this new information.' he said, lowering himself into the river. He looked at Bird, his brow furrowed. 'You haven't mentioned how Daisy is. Is everything alright?' Bird paled at this question. She sighed and went on to explain what had happened and how Daisy was now in the locks for five days.

I must go quickly, then.' he said. 'This is a very disturbing piece of news. Those back at the Star will be loath to hear it. Stay with her and watch out for her as you can!' he bade her.

Then he slipped beneath the surface of the river and was gone.

[mark12_30]

Gamba's tattered pockets bulged as he walked awkwardly towards the Locks. He'd spoken with several friends about the meager rations at the Locks, and everyone had split their apples in half, and given him half for the prisoners. He carried ten half-apples, and several crusts of bread stuffed into the front of his tattered shirt. He wondered whether the guards would notice his bulgy pockets, or whether his limping would hide it.

It was dark, and often the guards did not see much. Gamba often wondered whether hobbits saw better in the dark than men did, and now he was beginning to believe it. One by one, at breakfast, as he was giving the inmates their water, he handed them the bits of extra food at the same time.

The inmates were mostly too wise to eat the apples with the guards there, but just to be sure, Gamba warned the two girls. Anee assured him that he needn't have worried.

[piosenniel]

Pio was up and dressed when the knock came at the door. 'Come!' she whispered as she opened it. Khelek entered and told her that Levanto had returned and had asked that she and Mithadan come quickly to speak with him.

A chill crept up her back at these words. 'Tell him we will be there directly.' she said as Khelek left. She woke the still sleeping Mithadan with a kiss, and handed him his clothes. 'We must hurry! Levanto has returned and I fear the news he brings is grave.'

Levanto's face was drawn and pale. His swim back to the Star had been hard and fast, and now he leaned heavily on the edge of the skiff. Pio came down to him first, her eyes taking in the hopelessness reflected in his face.

'What saddens you so, Levanto? Is the news so troubling that you can hardly bear to speak it?' Mithadan came down to the skiff and sat opposite her. 'Tell us what you have learned, Levanto.' he urged him. 'Let us then decide what we must do with it.'

Levanto took a deep breath, then began to tell them what Daisy and Bird had found. Gorthaur was concerned still about the dragon that had been spotted and had ordered increased security for the prison. More guards were to be put on to secure the site.

'Do we know how many more and how the patrols will be increased?'asked Mithadan.
'Was there any indication that there would be more ships to patrol the rivers and coastlines?'

'There were no specifics to the directive from Gorthaur, as I understood from Bird.' replied Levanto.

'What else, then did you learn?' urged Pio. Levanto told them of the 'List' kept by the Captain for the sacrificial victims. Two hobbits, every day were taken. 'Their bodies are later returned to the graves dug by their fellow hobbits, so Bird told me.' he said.

The chill feeling returned to Pio as she waited for him to go on. He hesitated, not able to meet her eyes. 'You speak only of Bird.' she asked him. 'Where was Daisy. Did you see her? Tell me how she fares.'

In a breaking voice, Levanto told them what had happened to the hobbit. That she had been thrown in the Locks, accused of stealing. How she had used the theft of a sausage to cover her reading of the letter from Gorthaur.

Pio's eyes narrowed and hardened to a flint grey. 'Is she in greater danger there?' she asked Levanto. 'I can not assure you that she is not, Pio. I just do not know.'

The Elf was silent, her gaze locked on the north. Mithadan thanked Levanto and bade him take what rest he could. The Man turned to her, and took both her hands in his.

'Let us talk, first, before you act on what you are now thinking, Pio. I can not promise I will not try to dissuade you with my reasons. But, let me hear you out and share what suggestions I may.'

Her eyes met his. 'Let me think on it a little. Then I will come to you.' She drew her cloak tightly around her.

Mithadan returned to the deck. Kali would need to be told, and he would do this.

[ October 11, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Child of the 7th Age]

When Gamba came in later that morning, both Daisy and Anee went over to thank him for remembering the extra food. The boy politely nodded his head, but said little. He went about his work of cleaning out the old straw and putting in new with little comment. It was as if Daisy or the rescue no longer existed in his mind.

Daisy shook her head in astonishment. The boy who had challenged her just two nights before, the boy who wanted all the details of this and that and wouldn't stop asking questions, had disappeared. Daisy wasn't sure who had taken his place. This new Gamba was a somber fellow whose grey eyes mirrored shadow and caution. Daisy didn't know what to make of him. She wasn't even sure she liked him.

She decided to try and draw him out a little, to see if he was really as uncaring as he seemed to be. She hoped not.

"Gamba, you asked me before to tell you something about who I am and where I come from. Do you still want to know that?"

He kept working at the straw, sweeping it into piles. He finally said one word in return, "Maybe."

Maybe? Daisy wondered what that meant. It didn't seem like much of an answer. But she didn't want to give up. And at least it was something. Better than silence, she supposed.

"I can't tell you a lot, but I will say this. The people on the Star really aren't much different than the hobbits you live with. They're just ordinary people. They don't have any special magic. They saw a job that needed doing, and they're trying to do it."

"Our ships can't grow wings and fly to get here any faster. I wish I could tell you differently, but I'd be lying."

Gamba turned his head and scowled, "That's not exactly reassuring. How do you expect to succeed at what you're doing? How could you think you will win? It's impossible. If I were you, I'd stop trying and go home."

Daisy turned around in disbelief. Why would this boy say such things? She was not going to keep quiet. "Don't you want to be free? Can't you see that people are doing these things because they care about you and your people? Go home? Maybe it would be easier if we went home. But because something is easy doesn't make it right."

At this point Daisy stopped and lowered her voice for fear one of the guards would hear her and come to investigate. "I used to be a lot like you. When I first came on the Star, I was very angry. But they were good people, and they taught me a lot. They took me in and showed me how to be part of something bigger than myself. It sounds like you could stand being part of something like that too."

Gamba looked at her intently. Part of him wanted to believe what Daisy was saying. Part of him yearned to do the kinds of things she was describing.

But there was also another part. And that other part just didn't think something like that was possible anymore. Maybe it was all a silly tale they told to children to keep them quiet. Gamba shook his head and went on with his work.

[ October 11, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[mark12_30]

ooc: Ok, sharon, here goes. Anybody want anything shifted please advise. (Still wondering about Kali??) \ooc

When Gamba came back from the locks, the children wanted to tickle him again, and Phura had to warn them off. Phura greeted Gamba affectionately, but then seemed distracted, and Gamba met Kesha's eyes, and motioned him over. As tall as Kesha was getting, still, he climbed up on Gamba's lap, and Gamba and Kesha had a long private talk. Then Kesha hopped down, feeling very important, and marched over to the children, and called them into a huddle. Gamba smiled, weary as he was.

Meanwhile, Phura was telling Loremaster about the pile of river stones and pebbles. "There was something about bringing them up from the darkness, where they'd been buried. Lifting them. Bringing them to the edge of the water." Phura struggled to express what he did not fully grasp.

Loremaster nodded. "It will come clear in time."

"We don't have time, " Phura growled, pacing. "We have eleven days. No, ten. Ten days."

Tuka came into the study, and suddenly Asta and Roka charged him, with Kesha next and Ban and Maura last. Roka and Asta each fastened themselves on one of Tuka's legs. Tuka blinked, and Kesha bowled him over backwards. "Whuh!" he grunted, and barely remembered to tuck and roll and avoid whacking his head on the rock. The children set to work, and soon Tuka's helpless laughter filled the study and echoed out into the main cave. The children showed no mercy, and Tuka was winded and gasping. Eventually Phura called them off.

"Lo, how the mighty one has fallen. You proud, vain and self-satisfied hobbit, you are vanquished by my stout army of children, " Gamba rumbled, as elated as any father of victorious sons.

Phura chuckled, and Tuka struggled to rise out from under the tangle of children.

Then Phura paused. "Tuka, if all five children had come from behind, what could you have done?"

"Land on my face, " Tuka grimaced, not liking the idea.

Gamba frowned. "And just how would we get behind the guards?"

Phura fidgeted. "We're quiet enough, but they're not blind."

"In the dark? I think we see better than they do, " Gamba replied, offhandedly.

Phura and Tuka exchanged glances. "Seven would be better, " Tuka said. "Two per leg, one per arm."

"And there's the use for the daggers, " replied Phura, stroking his own throat thoughtfully. Then he studied the still downcast Gamba, and looked at the children. He fidgeted. He wished Gamba would snap out of the funk that he was in, but he didn't know how to reach him.

[ October 10, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[mark12_30]

He went back over to Tuka. "Have you talked to the Blacksmiths?"

Tuka nodded. "The molds are all still there. The tongs are there, the buckets and hammers are there. With the cutbacks in guards, it's usually deserted except for two guards at the entrance; it's pretty deep in the tunnel. If we could get in, we could probably light the fires again without being noticed. We could probably even manage in a couple of days to set aside and refine enough iron for ten small blades, or even fifteen. That's not the problem."

"What's the problem?"

"Wood. Nothing to burn."

Phura paced, incredulous. "None? There's no firewood left down there?"

"Nothing."

"Wood. I can't believe the only thing stopping us is wood. We've got to get around this. How much do you need?"

"A lot."

Gamba thought it over. "Wood." He hadn't really expected the idea to work anyway.

"If nothing else, the tongs and the hammers would be better than no weapon at all. There are pokers, for the fire, too, aren't there?"

Tuka grimaced. Gamba chuckled, and then coughed; Esta walked into the study and primped her hair slightly. The discussion halted while the guard passed by on the way to his post. Now that she was here, Esta sat beside Gamba. He seemed distracted, still.


ooc: Sharon, I was messed up. I thought that the meeting was tonight. Cancel what i said. Here goes stonethrowing and swim.

[ October 10, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[mark12_30]

Phura clapped Tuka on the shoulder, and gestured at the five children. "Watch them, will you?" Phura said to the very surprised Tuka; and beckoning to Gamba, headed towards the tunnel to the river. "Come on. Come with me."

Gamba, very tired and reluctant to leave the study and the boys, dragged himself wearily after his brother, none too enthused.

"All right, we're here. What do you want?" Gamba sighed.

Phura came and faced him, hands carefully placed on Gamba's shoulders. "Your help, " Phura said earnestly.

"With what, " Gamba evaded.

"Getting ready for Nitir and Azra's arrival. We can't just sit around. We need to wake up. We need to fight back. We need..."

Gamba wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Gamba."

"What are all these pebbles doing here? It's dangerous. Someone could break their neck."

"I brought them up from the bottom. They're all the pebbles that hobbits like you and me have been throwing into the water for the past sixty years."

"What of it?"

"Sing and toss. You did it too. Don;'t give me that blank look. You sat here, and dreamed, and tossed in pebble after pebble as you dreamed." Loremaster was right, it suddeny came clear. Suddenly Phura was on fire. "These pebbles represent our dreams. Our hope for freedom. Our longings and desires. We've been tossing them away for so long. It's time to pick them up again, and put them to work."

It was lost on Gamba. "They're stones. Lots and lots of stones. All your studying has gotten to you, Phura." He picked one up, and threw it far into the water.

Phura bristled. "After all the work I did to bring them up, the least you could do is throw it further up into the tunnel."

Gamba snorted with disgust, picked up three more (larger ones this time) and sent them whizzing up the tunnel. They hit the rock walls with a very loud whack.

Phura paused. "Do that again."

Three more; whack, whack, whack.

"Bet you can't hit the same spot every time."

Whack, whack, whack. Chips flew off of the rock wall. Defiant now, Gamba took his anger out on the wall; whack, whack, and there was a small mist of rock dust in the air. Whack, whack... he kept at it until his anger began to subside, and there was a deepening indentation in the wall, and a scattering of egg-sized pebbles nearby.

"Wait, " Phura said. And he ran back up the tunnel full speed.

He jogged back, carrying a lit candle; dripping some of the precious wax, he stuck the candle on the rock wall. Then he rejoined Gamba.

"Put it out."

Gamba chose a stone, aimed, and threw. The rock neatly removed just the flame and left the candle standing. Darkness returned.

In the darkness, Phura smiled.

[ October 11, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[mark12_30]

Gamba, now weary from stone throwing and from his anger, let his arms dangle, feeling the blood flow through them.

"Tired now?"

Gamba nodded, resentfully.

"How about a swim?"

"How can you ask! It'll sting, and I'll get a chill besides. Forget it."

"Come on. It's nighttime. It's dark."

Gamba, still resentful but curious now, studied Phura.

"I've never seen them, " Phura said. "Do you think they might be shining?"

He doubted it, but still, Gamba's mouth twitched, as he weighed the pain against the possibilities.

"The air seems clear. Doesn't it taste clear?"

"I don't know."

"I do. I bet the sky is clear. Come on."

Gamba had nothing to lose. He shrugged, and something about the way he shrugged stopped Phura in his tracks.

"Wait. That's why you have no hope. You think you're going to die."

Gamba evaded his gaze again. "They take the weak ones, and the insubordinate ones. And they don't need me to dig anymore."

"You are not going to die, " Phura said, simply and with finality. "I need you. You've got work to do."

Gamba just stared at him, unconvinced.

"Into the water, " Phura urged him. "Come on." Phura jumped in, and Gamba hesitated, wondering why the stars would still be there; but as his brother turned away, the thought of only hearing the tale, if they were there, and never seeing the sight, sent him into the water. He came up hissing from the pain, but he and his brother swam downriver, and sooner than Gamba expected, they came out from under the rock roof, and looked up; in a blackness different from any they had ever seen, far, far above them they saw veils and pinpricks of glistening white-silver.


*************

Phura was too lost in his own wonder to pay much attention to Gamba at first. But eventually he looked at his younger brother.

"Aren't they beautiful?"

There was a long silence, and then Gamba spoke. "They're not gone. Is he not dead, then?"

"What? Who?"

"Gorthaur didn't kill him after all?" It was a question.

"Kill who?"

"Eru. I thought Gorthaur was at the top of Meneltarma because he killed Eru. Wasn't that what the guards meant when they said, 'Death to law, to light, to love, cursed be moon and stars above?' They laughed when they said it."

Phura was horrified. "When did they say that? Which guards?"

"My last day at the graveyards. They were new guards."

"You've been listening to the wrong guards. That's part of Morgoth's old oath. And it's not true. It's crazy. The darkness doesn't have that kind of power. It's not true."

Even in the dim starlight, Phura could see a change in Gamba's eyes. "He's not dead?"

"Not even defeated. That was a lie."

Gamba went to sit in the shallows, numb with surprise, and began laughing softly. "Not dead? He's alive. Eru is alive."

Phura joined him, amazed. "I never knew you believed that."

"But how else would Gorthaur have control of the top of the mountain?"

"I don't know, Gamba. But nothing defeats Eru. Nothing."

Gamba lay back, and drank in the stars, and their light took root in his mind's eye even as his brother's words took root in his soul. Hope grew, and courage with it. He was silent for a long time, too full of sudden joy to speak much. But eventually he asked another question. "Do people see the moon and the stars every night?"

"If there aren't clouds, yes. And you will too, " Phura replied.

Gamba shook his head in wonder.

[ October 10, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[Child of the 7th Age]

When Daisy pulled out her water mug for dinner, she was surprised to find a small face peering back. Bird leapt forward and balanced precariously on the rim. “We need to talk,” she whispered.

Daisy glanced surreptitiously from side to side. This wasn’t going to be easy! It wasn't the guards that bothered Daisy. They were lazy and spent most of their time sleeping or gaming. But, even in the evening hours, the cell was crowded with hobbits, all keeping a close watch on one another’s business. And a talking neekerbreeker was much harder to explain away than a talking bird.

Daisy looked about for a solution. A ragged blanket lay on the ground near the edge of the cell. She tossed it over her head and shoulders, using it as a cloak. Settling back into its folds, she was greeted by a cheerful voice, “This is comfortable.”

“Maybe for you!” Daisy was not in a pleasant mood. She was stiff and sore and hungry. Even more, she felt frustrated at being in the Locks. She was tired of sitting and waiting while others did things on the outside. This wasn’t how she’d planned for things to go. One part of her realized she’d been lucky to escape with so little punishment. The other part wasn't sure.

“The Star is fine. They’re worried about you. And Levanto is bringing our news of the letter to Mithadan and Pio.”

Bird tried to sound reassuring. “Daisy, that letter was important. I know you don’t like it here. But if you’re careful, you’ll be out in a little while.”

Daisy sighed. To her, four days seemed like forever.

Bird hesitated and went on, “I did hear one thing. Tomorrow night, the Eldar meet to discuss the rescue. They’re hoping to get hold of some kind of weapons for the hobbits. And they want to make sure everyone gets out.”

“And I’ll be sitting here in this cell,” Daisy grumbled. “You’ll be at the meeting?”

“I’m not sure. I’m supposed to meet Levanto. He’s coming back to check on us. Anyways, I don’t know how much help I could be. They need someone who knows strategy, and that’s not me. Maybe Levanto will have some ideas.”

“Bird, will you promise me one thing? Just one thing. Ask them not to forget the Locks. I don’t know how many hobbits are here, but there’s a lot. And some of them are children. We have to get them out.”

The neekerbreeker looked at her and nodded, “I promise. That's my second promise today."

"And what was the first one," Daisy asked, genuinely curious.

"There’s one more thing I want to do before I get out of here. Just once, I’d like to match wits with the monstor who sits on top of this mountain and cheat him out of his daily sacrifice. Just once, I’d like to take his ‘selection list’ and see two names scratched off instead of added on.”

“Bird, be careful,” Daisy cautioned. “That could be dangerous. You’re not just taking on guards. You’re talking about Gorthaur and his prey.”

Bird turned a bright eye upward and gave what looked like a tiny insect grin., “I know. That’s exactly what I mean to do.” Then she excused herself. “See you tomorrow, Daisy.” She hopped on the shoulder of a Man who was going towards the main cavern for supplies. She was whistling a marching tune as she left, much to the bafflement of the guard.

[ October 11, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Mithadan]

Levanto's news was ill-starred; Daisy imprisoned and more guards being posted at the caverns. Mithadan rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes for a moment. Then he returned to the rail and cried out "Levanto!"

The Mer-Man returned to the surface and approached the ship. "Yes, Mithadan?"

"When you return to the caverns, we need to find out one thing," said the Man. "We need to know when Daisy will be released. If she remains imprisoned at the time of the rescue, we may need to make specific plans to assure her safety." Levanto nodded tiredly and sank below the waves again.

Mithadan stood by the rail, looking toward the North with a frown upon his face. Then he turned and went below decks. He halted before Rose's cabin and knocked on the door. After a moment, the Hobbit opened the door, blinking away sleep from her bleary eyes.

"I have a task for you Rose," he began. In the foremost port side storage hold, you will find rolls of greased cloth. We use it to make emergency repairs of small breaches in the hull. Take two rolls and locate the sturdiest needles and sail thread that you can find. We will need shears and hot pitch as well. Ask the Hobbrim elders for help. Have you paper and ink?"

She nodded and returned to the door with paper, ink and a quill. Mithadan knelt and drew quickly what was to be made with the cloth and handed the drawing to Rose. She looked at it without understanding but nodded. "I will begin immediately," she said.

Mithadan then proceeded to the Hobbrims' quarters and found Kali chatting with his new cousins. "Kali, can you come with me please?" he asked. The Hobbrim accompanied him back up to the deck. Sitting on a barrel, Mithadan took a deep breath and looked Kali in the eyes. "Kali, we have news from the caverns. Daisy has helped us greatly, but she has encountered a problem." He related briefly what Levanto had told him of Daisy's efforts and her imprisonment.

"No!" cried Kali. "She must be saved! I must help her!" The Hobbrim stood and hopped up to the nearby rail, preparing to dive into the water. Mithadan leaped forward and caught Kali out of mid-air, holding him tightly as he squirmed and fought to get away from the Man's grip.

"Kali, no!" he cried. "We believe she is safe for now. We cannot allow you to risk yourself by attempting a brash rescue. If she is in danger, I promise you we will save her." Kali ceased his wriggling and settled down in the Man's arms. He looked up at Mithadan with tearful eyes.

"If it were Piosenniel in prison, wouldn't you rush off to rescue her?" moaned the Hobbrim.

Mithadan held Kali close for a moment, then released him. Their eyes met again. "Yes," he answered. "But I would think things through first. A dead man cannot accomplish a rescue." Kali whimpered and closed his eyes. Mithadan took him by the shoulders and said firmly, "If she is at risk, we will save her. I promise." Kali opened his eyes and looked at the Man. "I promise!" he repeated...

----------------------
Later that day, Mithadan came on deck to find Rose and several Hobbrim busily cutting pieces of cloth and sewing them together. A small stack of the finished materials had already accumulated. It was a hot morning and Rose was sweating as she worked. Seeing Mithadan, she stood and walked over to him.

"We've made about 10 of these things already," she said. "How many do you need."

"Perhaps 20 more for now, maybe more later," he replied.

"What are these things?" asked the Hobbit.

Mithadan smiled enigmatically. Motioning her to follow, he took one and carried it down to the galley where a pot of pitch was being heated. Taking up a brush, he spread pitch along each of the seams of Rose's creations and waited while it cooled. Then he brought the sack to his mouth, bunching up the open end and blew into it until it had inflated. He deftly tied off the open end and dabbed more pitch into the opening.

Then Mithadan headed back up to the deck followed by a curious and slightly annoyed Rose. Going to the rail, he threw the sack overboard. It bobbed on the surface a few feet from the boat. Then, to Rose's surprise, he leaped in after it. Mithadan swam over to the sack and threw his arms over it. The sack supported him on the surface. He kicked back towards the Star and shouted up to Rose, "These are bladders. They will support those who do not swim well and can be used to carry things which are heavy or should not get wet. We can use these to carry things into the caverns and to carry Hobbits out!"

[ October 11, 2002: Message edited by: Mithadan ]

[piosenniel]

Pio sat a long while considering what Levanto had said. She brought the images to her mind of The Valley of the Tombs, and the network of caverns which lay beneath the Pillar of Heaven. She traced the course of the Siril back to its source, the springs deep within the caverns. The natural outlay of the land and the positions of the tombs were clear in her mind, but nothing came to her when she sought to see how the prison grounds might look themselves.

Where were the hobbits kept? Where did they go to work? Where were the guards stationed & how many were there? Where were the headquarters. Where was the armory? Where were the Locks and how were they guarded. In order for the meager troops of the Star to stage a succesful operation, all this needed to be found out.

She could not ask Levanto to increase his trips. He was already exhausted. And the information would have to be gleaned from what the prisoners told him. It would be too long a process. She wanted the whole picture, seen the way she needed it to be seen, and now.

What concerned her most at the moment was the exact location of Daisy. Anger that the girl had been placed in such a dangerous position and anger at herself for agreeing to such a scheme pushed her resolve to go to the prison grounds and see for herself what she might do. 'Probably nothing.' she thought grimly to herself, knowing she could not jeapordize the larger rescue to bring back Daisy now. She contented herself with the thought that at least when the day came she would know exactly where to find her.

Mithadan was overseeing the making of flotation devices and discussing the techniques in using them with Rose when she found him. He looked at her as she approached and she motioned for him to continue his discussion, but asked that when he was done, would he come speak with her in her cabin.

She found her map of Númenor among the piles of books in her room and was just laying it out on the bed when he entered. 'Come look at this.' she said. 'I have a detailed map and journal notes on all the areas of the Isle. We know exactly how we will get there and how long it will take us.'

'Yes?!', he said, wondering where she was going with this, and hoping it was not what he knew it would be.

'The prison area itself is a cypher to us, Mithadan. We cannot go into such a dangerous situation having no information about its particulars. Too many lives here and in the future depend upon us to complete this task, to do it well. Time grows short. The day of the rescue will soon be upon us. We need that information now, if our few hands are to be successful.'

'I am going to the caverns. When I return I will have the answers that we need. Tomorrow morning, early, I will leave for the River Siril, and by late night I should be under the mountain. It should not take me long to find the information, and then I will return directly.'

She looked at the map, and pointed to a place about halfway up the river. The site of a large dock, as he recalled, from that first excursion up the river with 'Tulë'.

'There is another matter we need to take care of once I return. I think I will be too tired to take care of it myself this trip.' She indicated the area just north of the dock. 'This is where a small patrol ship is at anchor. It bears the black banner and is the one which Levanto saw on his early trip upriver. It seems to be permanently stationed there.' She paused, considering her next words. 'I saw it there when I was looking for eel. That night I boarded it and inspected the interior. There are five men aboard, and a moderate number of weapons - mostly blades and bows for the use of the crew. They do have pigeons aboard, probably for carrying reports north to Gorthaur or one of his close minions. I had planned to travel back upriver to eliminate this problem before we took the elven ships upriver. I wonder now if perhaps you might have some thoughts on how we might do this together. Think on it, if you will and we can discuss it when I return.'

She went to the end of her bed and opened the small chest. Selecting four knives, she laid them out on her bed, and then looked for the sharpening tool. Mithadan had not spoken a word as yet, and she considered that a favorable sign.

Pio sat on her bed cross-legged and began to inspect and hone the blades. He sat down in a chair and watched her. 'He will speak when he's ready.' she thought. 'Until then, I will make ready to go.'

[ October 11, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Child of the 7th Age]

Cami sat on deck staring at the endless waves that slapped against the hull of the Star. Usually these brought comfort and consolation. Today this was not the case.

Each wave seemed like a giant hill separating her from where she wanted to be. Here on the Star, she could do nothing, nothing, to help her people. She wished a hundred times that she had skill in arms and swordplay. But young hobbit girls brought up in the Shire in her day were unlikely to have been taught such things. It was true that she was a good hand with the bow, but in the close quarters of the tombs this hardly seemed helpful.

She envied Rose and Daisy their youth and quick hands. At least then, she could have stood in the front line of those advancing and actually accomplished something. A few days ago, it didn't seem to matter, but now everything had changed.

The Elf had asked Cami to her room and told her about Daisy and selection lists. Cami listened in horror as she heard how hobbits and men were sacrificed day after day at the top of the Mount. For several hours, she had sat and cried at the image of Daisy held captive and the cruelty of the guards. Finally, she had stopped crying and tried to think her way through the problem.

She wanted to help, but what could she possibly do? She thought of speaking with Ancalimon, but this was something important for her to figure out on her own. Maybe the figuring out was almost as important as the doing.

Then it came to her. It was so simple that she'd had trouble seeing it before. She wasn't sure how to do it, but she was certain what should be done. She'd talk with Rose and together they'd go ask Mithadan or Piosenniel and see if anything could be arranged. Cami went below deck to hunt for Rose.

Before finding Rose, she came upon a group of hobbrim standing with Andril and crying. The wise woman came up to her and said, "We have spoken among ourselves. We will leave our children to wait on the Star, but the adults and the older youth want to be allowed to go with the landing party and fight." The request did not surprise Cami. She promised that they would go together to find out what could be done.

[ October 11, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[mark12_30]

The next morning, Gamba was getting ready to go up to the Locks when Asta checked in. "How's your back?"

"Not bad."

"Shall I wash it for you?" She gestured towards the water bucket.

"Esta," he whispered.

She looked up at him closely, drew nearer, and replied, "What?"

"Phura and I saw the stars last night."

"The stars?"

"We swam out. Esta, it was so beautiful. I wish you could see them."

"I can swim, " she whispered. She drew still nearer, and he suddenly wondered if she was being coy.

"Swim?" He stammered. "Would-- would you swim out with me?"

She nodded, smiling , eyes shining. "Yes."

"You-- Esta, you would?"

She took his hand, and guided him to the bench at Phura's study table, and they sat down. She did not let go of his hand. "Yes, Gamba. I would. I would go with you."

His head spun. She was two years older than he was; he was just sixteen, she was eighteen. He stared at her in disbelief, and looked down at their clasped hands.

"All those years of chasing you around that circle, and wondering which one of us you would choose," he whispered. She giggled. "But-- me? You chose me?"

She nodded, smiling. "You." Her eyes sparkled and she waited.

"But... but the others are taller, stronger... "

"And you're the youngest in the group." She smiled wider, "And the spunkiest. The worst rascal. And tenacious? You never quit."

His face fell. "Esta, I almost did, these past couple of days. I was ready to."

She shifted closer to him, reached up, and gently touched his face. "But did you?"

"Thanks to my brother, no."

"All right then. That's the Gamba I know." And she drew still closer to him, waiting, and it occurred to him to give her a kiss.

He thought, am I really that much of a rascal? Perhaps I am. And I do think she wants one.

He leaned over, and kissed her, and the sudden pleasure took him by surprise. He gasped, much too loudly.

They heard footsteps, and the guard looked in, ducking to see into the low-ceilinged study. They both cringed, looking very guilty and feeling not a little frightened.

The guard's eyes softened, and a slow smile, which he tried to hide, spread across his features, and he shook his head. "Quibbling about poetry at this hour?" he chuckled loud enough for the other guards to hear. "It's time you two got to work. Why don't you set aside your literary interests long enough to have a productive day?"

"Yes, sir, " Gamba stuttered, and the guard, having now mostly hidden his smile, turned casually away.

Gamba clung to Esta's hands for a few moments more, and then got up. He was late. He stole one more quick kiss, snatched up a folded cloth holding crusts and raisins, and ran out into the main cave, and sprinted towards the Locks. It was several hours before he remembered his welts again.

Several people in the kitchen wondered why Esta was humming that day.

[piosenniel]

Night passed uneventfully on the Star. Pio had kept watch the greater part of it. Sleep would not come. Her thoughts raced over details that must be gotten into place.

'Only eight days until the Teleri come.' she sighed to herself. 'So little time! So little time.'

Khelek had come on deck, bringing with him a cup of tea for her. She thanked him, and asked him to stay and talk with her a while. She told him of her plans to go to the caves. He didn't seem surprised, only shook his head at her, and smiled as if he had expected her to say this. 'You should have called me to stand watch, Pio. You look tired. You could have used the rest.'

'There are too many details to think of now, Khelek. Even in dreams the endless lists of things to be done march by!' She looked at him closely, and smiled. 'There is a thing I need done. Started today, in fact. Will you do this for me, since you are so well rested?' He grinned, and said he supposed he would.

'I am going to speak with Cami and Rose, and with the Hobbrim woman, Andril. This morning, actually, before I leave.' She punched him lightly on the shoulder, though hard enough to make him wince. 'The Star has few fighting men of your caliber, Sir Elf!'

She grinned back at him. ' I want you to take all the able bodied hobbrim under your tutelage. You will need to go down to the ship's armory and bring up the weapons we have stored there. Mithadan has been so kind as to have sorted them for us, but I need someone to begin to teach whoever can bear a weapon, how to hold the weapon of choice, how to defend one's self, and how to attack. I know it will be only a rudimentary education in arms, but it will greatly enhance our chances of being successful in the rescue. I think you can mostly focus them on getting the hobbits to the ships safely. Have Mithadan help you if he will. Make sure he shows the hobbrim how the hobbits might use the floating devices and how the hobbrim might help ferry the hobbits and whatever else is needed to and from the ships.' He nodded at her, and said he would find Cami and speak to her about this.

Pio laughed. 'You're in luck! Here they come now. Let's get you and them started this morning if we can.' She hailed the trio and walked toward them with Khelek.

'How tired she looks!' thought Cami. 'And how thin.' She frowned as she looked at her friend, and started to speak. But the Elf cut her off, saying that she hadn't much time, and would she please speak with Khelek about something very important to the mission. Khelek stepped forward and began to talk about the need for the hobbrim to be involved in the actual mission, and that such involvement meant arming themselves. He gathered the trio together and asked them to come down to the armory to help pick out what might be usable for the hobbrim.

Cami looked over her shoulder at the retreating Elf, a look of concern on her face. Then she was hurried downstairs by the insistent urges of Rose.

Pio went to the stern and looked down at the waters below. They looked cold, and uninviting. Barefoot, and dressed only in light, short breeches and a sleeveless, undershirt, she shivered at the thought of another long swim.

'Are you cold,Pio? Can I get your cloak for you?' came the soft voice in the shadows behind her. She turned and heard a sniffle and a long sigh.

'Kali?' she said, crouching down. 'Have you been crying?' She held out her arms to him and he came to her, burying his face against her neck. She could feel the warm tears on her skin, and held him tightly until they stopped.

'Oh, Pio! I have been here all night. Mithadan told me about Daisy yesterday, and I am so worried about her, and so sad. I feel so helpless here on the ship.'

She held him at arms length, searching his face. 'You feel just the way that I do, Kali. We both love her.' The hobbrim nodded his assent, not taking his eyes from Pio. 'Perhaps we can help each other, then. Do you think that you can follow my lead and do as I ask you to do?' 'I can.' he said.

'Then here is what I would like you to do. I had thought to swim to the caves today, seeking information. But if you will help me, I think we can take the skiff at least near to the mouth of the river. There are some oyster beds not too far from it and the coast overhangs here and there, affording some places in which to hide. Once to the oyster beds, then we must tie off the skiff and you must remain hidden while I go upriver. I will be there late into the night, and you must not worry. I will return to you. Then you must help bring the skiff back to the Star.' She looked at him closely again. 'It would be a great help to me if you would do this for me.'

'I can do this for you!' said the hobbrim, throwing his arms around her. He noted the grave look on her face, as he anwered her. 'I will stay by the skiff and hide, as you wish, Pio. I will wait for you.' She smiled at him. 'I thank you then.' she said to him. 'Now if you will be so kind as to get my cloak as you offered, we will be off.'

Kali was soon back, and they climbed down to one of the small skiffs. Pio placed her cloak lightly about her shoulders and bent to the oars. Kali swam before her, the towline pulled taut. They made good time, at a leisurely pace, and by early evening had come to a place along the coast where they would be hidden.

She shook off her cloak and folded it neatly, stowing it beneath the seat. Kali tied the skiff securely to a rock, and watched her as she checked that her knives were secure, then lowered herself into the water.

'Wait for me!' she said, again to him. He nodded and slipped into the shadows, barely visible. He watched her as she swam against the setting sun to the Siril.

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

[Mithadan]

Mithadan stood on the foredeck watching Khelek drill the Hobbrim and Rose on the use of weapons. Cami had declined to participate, saying that she would carry a weapon if need be but would not use it save as a last resort. No amount of reasoning or cajoling could change her mind. He would have Piosenniel speak with the Hobbit when she returned.

Piosenniel...he thought back to their conversation the night before. He had forced himself not to make the instant emotional reaction of denying her wish to scout the caverns. He had wandered away to think and allow the internal debate to resolve itself. She was right, of course. The caverns needed to be seen by one familiar with their strategies. He could not do this. Not this time. The Hobbits would not trust a man. But the legendary Piosenniel...

And, for the first time he bemoaned his weakness. How he had failed to follow his decision to not reveal his love of the Elf to her. How that night on deck her closeness had consumed him, stripping him of his resolve until he revealed himself to her without hope that his love would be returned. If he had not done so...but no. That would not have altered his feelings or concern this day, save only to make them more private. And to him she was altogether precious, even more so because she had returned his love. But they had other concerns and responsibilities. And he owed a duty to Cami, Kali and himself to see this thing through to its end.

So he returned to their cabin and stood before her and ignored the cries from his soul to deny her this task. "Go," he had said. "And take care for yourself. When you return, we shall discuss our assault on the patrol ship."

He sighed. He had not slept the previous night and would not do so again until she returned. Duty. He swept out his blade and leaped down into the midst of the Hobbrim...

[mark12_30]

ooc: ((...is it midmorning now? --Helen))

Gamba ran past the three tomb labyrinth entrances towards the Locks, stopped two turns prior to the guard's alcove and stashed the wrapped bread and raisins in a low little alcove just before a fork in the tunnel. The other path led to several abandoned iron mine tunnels, and more importantly, to the Smithy. There was a guard station at the fork.

The guard was asleep.

He ran up to the Locks, and handed out breakfast as quickly as he dared. Then he casually took a candle, and wandered off towards his usual nook to wait for lunchtime. But then he slipped around again, and returned to the Smithy, shielding his candle and slipping past the still-dozing guard.

Down a long, winding tunnel, he heard the bubbling of the underground stream directed there for quenching and tempering. It was quite noisy. There was the forge; indeed, no wood. He sighed. The Smithy looked particularly useless with the firepits cold and dead. Discouraged, he wandered into the old mines. He poked, wandered, and eplored. Here the digging had been abandoned when the veins had ended. No tools here.

He wandered back to the Smithy and wandered around near the anvils. He fished around, poking the candle into every shadow. And then he saw a rusty brown pile shoved out of the way. He knelt down, reaching way in, and inspected them, and his heart sank.

Tuka had described to Gamba what Meridoc had been working on, just before the fleet had sailed and the end had been called to weapon making. They weren't daggers, or knives, or swords; they were helmet visors and cheekpeices. The cheekpeices came to a point at the chin. Meridoc had dropped one on his foot. Apparently, his unfinished work had been shoved aside, and here it was, forgotten.

Gamba sighed, thinking of Meridoc, and picked them up. They were sized for a man, of course; the cheekpeices were about six or seven inches long. The visors were crescent-shaped.

A sudden noise made him jump, and withdraw, and shield his candle. When he peered back around, he sighed softly with relief. It was Phura.

They counted the peices. There were enough for a dozen helmets; thirty six peices of steel. "Better than we dreamed, " Phura said.

"Do we take them out?"

Phura considered that. "No. We sharpen them here, by the noisy stream, where the filings won't be noticed, and where they won't be discovered between now and then. But we're going to put them where we can find them, and maybe even sharpen them, in the dark, if we have to. "

They did, carefully. "Sharp ones will go under here, dull ones under here. Can you find them?" They extinguished their candles, and tried it, wondering how they would deal with the edges in the dark.

"How about edges always face to the left?"

"Good idea. Which side will we sharpen?"

They debated, discussing slitting throats and wrist angles, and settled on the inner curve. They lined them all up, inner curves to the left.

Slipping out of the Smithy was far easier, candle extinguished, than slipping in had been. Gamba still had a half hour before he had to serve lunch. He tucked the cloth full of raisins and bread into his waistband under his ragged shirt, and lay down as if he had been resting, and waited for the guard to call.

[ October 12, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[piosenniel]

Khelek and Mithadan ran the weapons drills until the hobbrim collapsed in tired heaps on the deck, crying, 'Mercy!' Kehelek put his hand on Mithadan's shoulder, as the Man sought to bring them to their feet for one last round.

'They are tired, Mithadan! They cannot take in any more. Leave them to rest now.'

'There will be no rest, once the foe is engaged.' said Mithadan, in a low voice. He wiped his arm across his forehead,and looked toward the north.

Khelek sighed as he guessed what the Man was thinking. 'She will be alright. She is Piosenniel. She will do what she needs to do and then return to you . . . to us.' He gestured toward the stairs. 'Come! Let us find something to eat and drink. And then I would have you show me how you mean to use the air bladders.'

Andril was just coming up the stairs as the two men headed down. She stopped them for a moment. 'Have either of you seen Kali? I cannot find him anywhere.' When she saw that neither of them knew the hobbrim's whereabouts she continued on up to the deck, calling over her shoulder to them as she went. 'If you do see him, please send him to me.'

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

[Birdland]

Birdie sat on a ledge in the main cave, watching the comings and goings of the halfings and wondering what effect the information she had given to Levanto had had at the "Lonely Star". Her insect form was starting to chafe at her, and she pondered if she would ever have a chance to switch to some other form, either bird or dolphin. Then she decided she would hop down and check the garbage pit, as she was feeling a little peckish.

Suddenly, her antennae started to twitch. It was as if a tiny electric current was traveling down them into her head. She rubbed them irritably with her foreleg, but the itching just increased. She shook her head. And then it came to her. She didn't know how she knew. But she knew.

"Neek-breek! Neek-breek! Neek-breek!" The irritating sound resounded through the cavern. Several of the hobbits looked around trying to locate the source of the noise. One picked up a chunk of wood, threatening to put an end to the noise "before it drove them all to distraction".

But Loremaster stood up and found the offender himself. He mimed the action of stomping on the insect, while Birdie jumped from the ledge onto his shoulder.

"Take me to the river's edge Loremaster. Piosennial is coming!" Loremaster looked at his shoulder in astonishment, then turned to hurry to the riverback. "Wait," whispered Birdie into his ear. Can you bring some blankets down to the shore. She will be cold." He nodded his head and snatched up two frayed blankets, wrapping them around his shoulder as he walked.

When he reached the riverside, Birdie asked him to lower her to the water. Making sure that no others were around to see, she jumped into the water, morphing into a black and silver dolphin as she sank. Turning to Loremaster, she said "Can you wait for us here? I'm going to find her and bring her in. Have something hot to drink for her, and a fire going. And have hope! The end to your misery is coming soon!"

And with that, Bird turned and swam swiftly out to sea, searching for Pio.

[piosenniel]

She had made it to the black bannered ship. A cursory glance told her it was the same one she had boarded earlier - her strip of red material was still tied to it. She marked that the ship did not seemed to have changed its position at all.

Pio stopped for a moment and drew into the shadows of the tree roots along the opposite bank. She breathed deeply and rested, floating amid the tangles. The rest was not to a long one. The cold began to creep in as her level of activity decreased. She took another deep breath and pushed on.

Another few miles up river, and Pio could feel the fatigue start to burn in her muscles. She thought to rest a while again, and was heading toward the shallows, when something nudged her in the ribs from below. The Elf whirled in the water, following the form that had touched her, as it broke the surface and turned toward her, and dived beneath the water again. Knife in hand, she awaited its approach, senses alert.

The moon glinted off her raised blade. The attacker halted its approach. A familiar head broke the water and grinned at her, approaching slowly. 'By the One!' hissed Pio at Bird. 'I was ready to gut you had you come any nearer!' She grinned back at her old friend and secured her knife. 'How did you know I was coming?' 'I just knew.' said Bird, looking uncomfortable. 'Pio looked at her friend closely and nodded. 'I see!' she said.

'You see nothing!' The dolphin slapped the water with her tail in irritation. 'Do you want a ride or not?!' she said, changing the topic.

Pio sighed in deep appreciation and held fast to the dolphin's dorsal fin. They flew through the water, soon reaching the banks of the river within the caverns. 'There is someone waiting on the bank there.' whispered the Elf. Her hand went to her knife and she sought the darkness along the edge of the bank.

Bird drew herself up onto the bank and changed back to neeker-breeker form. Pio watched as the figure bent to carry her to his shoulder. He cocked his head as if listening to Bird, then walked nearer the Elf. 'Piosenniel!' he called. 'Come! I have brought blankets for you and something warm to drink.'

She came warily to the river's edge and looked the figure over. It was a hobbit, and he did indeed carry blankets and a mug in his hands. She stowed her knife and climbed from the river. Bowing slightly toward him she accepted the blankets and drew them tight around her, then took the mug and sipped at the warm liquid appreciatively.

'How is it that you know me?' she asked. 'And I do not know you?' The hobbit smiled. 'I am Loremaster. I know of you, but never thought to meet you. It was Bird who told me you were coming.' Pio was silent for a moment, then looked at Bird, her eyebrows raised. 'Indeed?! Well met then, Loremaster.'

She stretched out her hand and bade Bird come to her, placing her on her own shoulder. 'I have come to see the outlay of the prison.' she said to Loremaster. 'I cannot stay long. So, if you will, I would like to go with Bird now and scout the area.'

'As you wish, Piosenniel.' replied the hobbit. 'But when you are done I would ask that Bird bring you to a meeting we are having concerning our plans for the intended rescue.'

Pio thought for a moment. 'I will come. It should not take me long to fix a map of this place in my head. Then Bird will bring me back to you. Again, I cannot stay long. Someone waits for me to bring me back to the Star.'

They left Loremaster and began Pio's tour of the prison. She walked the perimeter, silently in the shadows, noting all the entrances and all the guards. When they had come almost full circle she walked through the compound where the Guard Headquarters were. She estimated the number of sleeping men within the huts, then went silently to the armory. Her nimble fingers and her knife blade soon had a side door open and she passed within, taking stock of all the weapons there. Back at the river, they passed quickly up the tunnel to the interior. Pio noted the layout of the main cave and the position of the old tombs and new tombs areas. Her main objective, the Locks, was the last place they came to. There was a guard at the entrance, and for a brief moment the Elf considered killing him, that she might enter the Locks and take out Daisy. Bird hissed at her in a small tinny voice, and shouted 'No!' in her ear. Pio steped away from the entrance, and at Bird's bidding, they went back to find the meeting Loremaster had asked her to attend.

He had waited for her near the door to it. 'I thought I should be here to bring you in. They have no idea that you are coming. Allow me to go first, and I will introduce you.'

She nodded her assent, and followed after him.

[piosenniel]

CHILD OF THE 7TH AGE POST

************************************************** *****
The light from a single torch flickered along the walls. Eleven hobbits sat in a circle on the floor, surrounded by golden urns and jeweled sarcophagi. They were waiting for Loremaster, and then they would begin.

Phura was about to speak when the soft echo of footsteps sounded a warning. Faces and eyes went tense. They were only expecting Loremaster, but this seemed like more than one person. Gamba grabbed the torch intending to extinguish it. Tuka had brought along a crowbar and lifted it up like a weapon.

Before any could go further, Loremaster appeared at the door, "No! It's alright. A friend has joined us."

At that moment, a tall figure strode forward. She wore a simple outfit, still wet from the river, and about her shoulders were draped two old blankets, her hair short and curly, and secured at her belt were several knives. She was altogether a singularly unprepossessing figure. Though, her sea grey eyes shone with an elven light as she surveyed them, or so it seemed to the hobbits in the room.

Gamba stood up with a mixed expression of wonder and disbelief. Without asking, he knew. Before Loremaster could say anything, Gamba whispered "Piosenniel?"

The Elf turned and regarded the young hobbit closely. 'Yes?!'

"But how can this be?" Gamba blurted out the question in everyone's mind. "You're supposed to be . . ."

She smiled, and stopped him with a shake of her head. 'But I am not, as you can see.' She reached out and touched him lightly on the face. 'Real enough, is it not?!'

Loremaster stepped forth and asked Gamba to take his seat. He then asked Pio to give them a brief outline of the rescue plan. She stepped forward and began.

[ October 13, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]