THE LONELY STAR (Contd. from BD birthday party)

[Child of the 7th Age]

Rose quickly made her way over to the cabin which had been assigned to Kali. She knocked on the door.

Kali answered with a shy smile, happy to see one of his cousin's visiting him.

Rose hastily explained, "Someone has a surprise for you Kali, a big surprise they hope you will like."

Kali looked back with puzzlement in his face, but agreed to accompany Rose down to the galley. Rose was so excited she took Kali's hand in her own and pulled him along behind her. They came together to the galley door, and Kali gently pushed it inward. Rose let him go through on his own, and slipped backwards into the hall to run away to her own cabin, hoping that Kali and Daisy could make peace on their own.

As Kali went through the door, he immediately saw the table which had been beautifully laid out with so many of the seafoods which his own mother had prepared for him so many years ago. Memories began pushing into his mind.

Then, he turned and saw Daisy, standing at the head of the table. Her brown curls had been pushed back carelessly from her face because of all the cooking she had done, and she still held a long spoon for stirring in her hand. She had meant to go back to her cabin and change into a clean dress, but Kali's early arrival had put an end to that idea.

For once, she looked not tough or angry, but sweet and vulnerable, as if she were afraid Kali would reject all the efforts at friendship she had made. Daisy held out her hand to her guest. In it there was a small present, much like a mathom one hobbit would give to another on her birthday.

"This is for you," Daisy whispered, "the present and the meal. No one else on board knows this but it is my birthday today. I am sixteen years old, and I wanted to share this day with you. Go ahead, open it." She pushed the small package towards him.

Kali peeped inside the paper wrapping and took it off slowly, as if he were afraid he might destroy a magic treasure inside. Out from the papers fell a small knitted bag. The knitting had definitely been done by a beginner, as there were a few holes here and there which perhaps should not have been there. But Daisy had evidently labored over this hard and long. Child had taught her the basic stitches and made her unravel any of the rows which got too unruly.

Daisy continued, "I know how you like to collect shells, and I made this little bg for you to store your treasures in."

Kali looked up and smiled softly, "It has been a very long time since my mother and grandmother died, and this is the first present anyone has given me since then. It's very special to me, Daisy, especially when you took so long to make it with your own hands."

Daisy looked up at Kali and smiled, "This is special for me too. Last year, my mother had died in Bree, and I was left all alone. So now I have friends to share the day with. That is, I hope I do."

Child's ear had been pressed against the galley door for the duration of this conversation. The moment she heard it was Daisy's birthday, she sent Rose around to everyone to let them know about it. She also included a gentle suggestion that it was hobbit custom to give small gifts for birthdays.

She heard Kali and Daisy talking inside. It seemed that all was going well.

[piosenniel]

A long night had advanced into a long day, and now evening was upon her.

Pio had spent most of the day looking at Tuor's navigational map with Mithadan. The storm had proved fortuitous, and now they were just off the coastline of the sunken realm of Beleriand. Tomorrow the ship would turn north once again and head for the sunken bay of Balar. Angara and she would then risk a flight to sight for landmarks, and the ship would attempt its first time shift.

But tonight, the ship had dropped anchor per request of Child. They were to have a birthday celebration for Daisy, her 16th birthday. 'A special day in any young one's life.' thought Pio. 'I must find her a special present to celebrate it.'

She showered, trying to wash off her weariness. Once dried, she pulled from her bag a soft grey dress with a border of shells and flying seabirds along the neck and lower sleeves picked out in silver thread. Tugging it over her head, she smoothed out the wrinkles, and passed her fingers through her dark curls.

'Angara,' she said to the dragon lying on the foot of her bunk, 'come help me pick out a gift.' She pulled a large leather roll from under her bed, and unrolled it in front of the dragon. Her hands travelled over several items until she found the one she sought.

'What do you think of this?', she asked, holding it aloft.

'A handsome gift,' said Angara, 'but are you sure you want to give it away, and to her?'

The elf smiled. 'Yes, I'm sure.' She placed it on a piece of soft leather and rolled it up, securing it with a leather thong.

Pio left it on Daisy's pillow, and then the two of them went to the dining area to join the others for the party.

[ July 23, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Birdland]

Birdie had only seven words to say when told about the impromptu birthday party for Daisy: "I have no time for such foolishness."

She then went back to checking the ship for storm damage and preparing it for the next stage of its journey.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child looked into her little collection of mathoms. There didn't seem to be anything there that would suit the young Mistress Greenhand. She wanted something special, something that a young hobbit girl would remember with fondness.

Child dug deep into her pack where she carried her special treasures. These were things that her own family had given her, some of them handed down from one generation of hobbits to the next. Her fingers felt the chain and locket that she was searching for. She drew it out of the pack.

It was very old and simple,at least by hobbit standards, a silver band to be fastened about the neck with a heart attached. Child had gotten this from her own mother when she was quite young. Many of her other pieces she had gladly given to her own son and daughter. But this special piece still remained. She wrapped it in a scrap of velvet, and wrote Daisy's name on the outside. Then she took it to place on a table on the deck where others were also leaving their gifts.

She hoped Daisy would understand that it was given with much love from one hobbit to another, a gesture of kindness that the young girl had experienced all too few times in her own short life.

[piosenniel]

Pio sought out Daisy as soon as she entered the dining area. The hobbit was standing next to Kali, and the two were chatting in between the well-wishers who came up to wish her a happy birthday. Pio, herself, went up to the both of them and gave them each a big hug. 'Look at you two.'she said, one hand on an arm of each of them. 'This is the kind of feelings I like to see between the companions on this ship!' She looked at each of them intently. 'I hope this is only the start of a firm friendship between the two of you.' Neither of their faces betrayed a different thought than this. Mithadan and Khelek came up behind her to congratulate the birthday girl, and she left them all together while she sought out Child.

Child and Rose were both near the table, replenishing the supply of food as the platters and bowls became empty.

'It looks as if things are going well, don't you think?' she said to both of them, indicating the area where Daisy and Kali stood together.Rose and Child both agreed with her. 'Where's Bird?' 'Has anyone seen her?' Child shook her head and pointed up to the main deck.

'I see. Well then perhaps I'll just get an assortment of food and go up and speak with her.'

She loaded up a large plate with an assortment of offerings from the table, found a bottle of wine and two glasses, and went up to the helm deck. Bird was sitting on the bow railing, watching the sunset.

'So, is this your idea of preparing the ship for tomorrow's journey?! Polishing the rail with your derrière!' She laughed and ducked the wrench Bird aimed at her. 'Careful! I come bearing food and drink.'

'Hmmph. Probably poisoned, knowing her!'

'Come now! I've personally tested each of these delicacies and suffered no ill consequences. Share this plate with me.' She put the plate down on a barrel head between them. 'We'll wash it down with some good Dorwinion wine.' She handed the glasses to Bird, pulled the cork on the bottle, and poured them each a full glass of the dark, red wine. The scent of plums and berries mixed with oak and spice teased their noses.

'To a succesful journey!' said Bird, raising her glass high.

'And may its price be small!' responded Pio.

They raised their glasses and clinked them together. In the light of the sinking sun, a blood red light flared from the glasses for a brief moment, staining their hands. Each took a drink and then set the wine aside.

'That was an odd toast, Pio.' said Bird, stuffing her mouth with the seafood delicacies.

'Mmmmhmmm' returned the elf,noncommitally, and concentrated her attention on the food.

[ July 23, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[piosenniel]

Much later that evening, after the party had wound down, all the well-wishes given, the mathoms gathered up, Daisy said a tired goodnight to Rose and to Kali. They had promised to see each other the next day and go for a swim. Rose and Kali were going to teach Daisy some tricks to stay beneath the water longer without needing to come up for air so often.

Daisy yawned widely as she went down the hall to her and Pio's room. There was a soft light on; she could see it streaming under the door. The elf was sitting cross-legged on her bed, the porthole open, starlight streaming in when she entered. She appeared engrossed in writing in a well-worn journal as the hobbit entered, but soon put it aside and greeted her.

'So, was it a Happy Birth Day for you, Daisy?'

'Oh, yes, ma'am! Very much so!'

'I noticed you seemed to be getting on quite well with Kali. Yes?'

'I had a long talk with Rose, ma'am,' said Daisy,putting her party clothes away and pulling on her nightgown, 'and I think I'm starting to put together all the things that people on this ship have been trying to teach me. It will take a while, I know, but Kali has promised to bear with me and Rose has promised to yank me back when I've stepped over the line.' She giggled. 'And besides, Kali is a lot of fun once you get to know him! We're all going swimming tomorrow! That is, if you don't mind, ma'am.'

'I don't think there will be a problem, there. Just make sure you schedule it well before we time jump.' Pio watched as the hobbit brushed out her curls. 'What about Bird?' she asked.

The brush stopped in mid stroke and Daisy sighed. 'She's a lot like me, sometimes. She's angry and suspicious of me. I hurt her friend and I hurt her,too. I wish I could make it up to her all at once, but I know I can't. It'll take time, maybe lots of it.'

She put her brush on the little table by her bed and sat down on top of the quilt. 'O! what this?' she said, finding the leather roll beneath her. She pulled it out,undid the thong, and carefully unrolled it.

'It's my birthday present for you.' said Pio.

The hobbit's eyes were wide with wonder. Before her, on the piece of leather, lay a small sword. Golden-red in color, with a black leather-wrapped grip, and a pommel crusted with pearl dust that picked up light and reflected it like a small blazing sun. Along its blade ran glyphs of sea shells and waves, twining round and round the blade from hilt to point. She picked it up, feeling its solid weight in her hand, and tried a few of the practice strokes she had learned.

'This is beautiful!' she exclaimed, perching herself on Pio's bed, and turning the sword over and over in her hands.

'This is a sword, given to me when I was very young by my sea-friends. It is named Eäranna, Sea-gift. Take care of it, and it will serve you well.'

Daisy frowned, and laid the blade down on the bed, between herself and Pio.

'You do not like it?' asked Pio.

'Oh, I love it! And I'm honored that you would think of giving it to me. But this is something special, something a mother should give her daughter. You should save it for that day, Lady Pio.' She pushed the sword toward the elf.

Pio cradled the blade in her hands and placed it gently on Daisy's lap. 'I cannot wait for that day, Daisy. And it is you to whom I choose to give it.' She turned off the light, and only the bright starlight now lit the room. 'Wrap it back up, and put it away safely now. We should sleep. Tomorrow will be a busy day.'

Daisy placed the wrapped sword gently beneath her bed, and crawled in under the covers. She lay her head on the pillow and whispered, 'Thank you, Pio.'

'You're more than welcome.' came the soft reply.

Both sank gently into sleep.

[ July 24, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Kettle of fish]

The kettle had watched the feast and the melting of hostilities with joy, doing a quiet dance in the corner. But now night had fallen, and it was time to copy these creatures and sleep.

[Rose Cotton]

ooc: Pio: Not complaining but it seems as if you had TWO first swords as a child

This was my first sword, given to me by my father's sister, my dear aunt. It was the blade she first used as a child.

Probably just a mistake. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] ::

The next day Daisy couldn't help showing off her new blade. At least not to Rose. Daisy came into her cabin that morning and showed her the sword. Rose couldn't help laughing out loud. "Why Daisy that's wonderfull." she took out her own sword and held it up to Daisy's. "This was also given to me by Pio. Yours the Sea-Gift and mine the Star-Jewl. But I'm afraid your is better. Ready for a swim?"

Daisy nodded and they went to find Kali.

[Mithadan]

Mithadan approached Piosenniel after the feast. All appeared to be sated and of good humour, notwithstanding the serious tasks to be undertaken in the upcoming days.

"It appears that Daisy and Kali have agreed to set aside their differences," he said. "Your efforts have borne fruit."

"Yes," replied Pio. "Though this is just a start."

"Indeed," answered Mithadan. "But I wish to speak of something more serious. Your instruction on swordplay is a worthy effort and a welcome diversion. But in our case we must avoid battle at all costs. Not even an orc should be slain by us."

"Why should we concern ourselves about the fate of an orc?" questioned Pio.

"Consider this," said Mithadan. "We slay an orc chieftain in the First Age. If he had lived, he would have been the ancestor of Azog of Moria. Because he is slain, Azog never exists. Instead, another orc becomes the chief of the Moria orcs. When Thror enters Moria, he is slain just as is told, but instead of sparing his companion to tell other dwarves of Thror's death, this hypothetical new chieftain also slays the companion. Word of Thror's fate never reaches the Dwarves and there is no Dwarf-Goblin war as a result. At the time of the quest of Erebor, the orc army that assails the Lonely Mountain is far greater and defeats the Elf, Dwarf and Mannish armies, seizing Erebor. Bilbo and all his companions are slain in the Battle of Five Armies... Do you see what I mean?"

[piosenniel]

The day rose overcast, soon to burn off with the mid-morning sun.

She had wakened early, and lay in bed thinking about the conversation she had had with Mithadan after the party. She turned his argument over in her mind, examining it from all sides. The logic of it seemed sound enough.

Yet . . . three things worried her. She could not see how they might accomplish this quest without being able to defend themselves if attacked. And second was the niggling thought that if this quest were meant to be then perhaps their actions were already woven into the fabric of the Age. Lastly, she was not certain of this, for Mithadan's argument had been a solid one, but she did not believe that the vectors of time and space necessarily produced events which progressed from each other in such a constrained and linear fashion. But then again, it would be wise to err on the side of caution.

She yawned and stretched, throwing her arms out wide as if to throw away this twisty puzzle.

She pulled on her clothes hastily and hurried to the galley for some strong tea. Then up to the helm to plot their course with Veritas and Bird. And finally to awaken the sleeping dragon.

[ July 24, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Rose Cotton]

As they swam Rose made sure that it was Kali that taught Daisy the most. It felt important that they became even better friends. Just to make it official. After a few hours they climbed back up to the ship's deck. Rose noticed Pio talking to Angara. She told Kali and Daisy to go get somthing for them to eat and that she would be down in a minute. As soon as they were out of sight Rose crept up behind a barrel to eavesdrop. Perhaps she could find out more information if she did it untruthfully.

[piosenniel]

'Angara, don't breathe your sparks onto the map, please!' Pio pulled the old chart from under the dragon's nose and brushed off the hot spots. 'I know it's a dangerous business going up; you might be seen and all that. But we need to do it. I want to triangulate our position from this distance and do my closest guestimate of where we are on the Beleriand coast.' She rolled up the map after making a few more notations on the rough sketch of it in her notebook. 'And beside that, you're a big lovely dragon. Wouldn't you like to make a few swoops over the ship and impress the crew?'

She knew the elf was appealing to her vanity, but nonetheless Angara agreed to meet her in an hour on the water, well away from the ship. 'I don't suppose I could flame the topmast just a little, could I?!' asked the dragon with a hopeful look on her face, as she went to the maindeck to find something to eat.

Pio put her notebook and the small sextant and compass in a well-worn leather pouch and belted it around her waist. She walked toward the steps to the maindeck and heard a small rustle of clothing coming from the direction of a stack of barrels next to the stairs. She smiled to herself, and walked on past the now quiet barrel.

About halfway down the steps, she spoke over her shoulder. 'You'ld best come and have some lunch, Rose! There'll be no eating once we go up. I'll need you to write notes for me while I mark our position. And wear something warm, please.'

[ July 24, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[piosenniel]

On her way toward the stairs to the galley, Pio noted that Child was pinning some maps and charts to a line she had strung between the main mast and the railing to the helm deck. She stopped to look at them, and marvelled at what her friend had managed to produce in the last two days.

'So this will be the start of the lessons on Beleriand and Numenor.' she observed, giving the hobbit a hand with an oversized map of Arda, First and Second Ages.

'Yes,' said Child, 'we'll start right after lunch is done and see how much we can get accomplished today.' She finished her arrangements and walked down to the dining area with the elf.

'If all goes well this afternoon,'said Pio, just before they entered the galley, ' we should have a real visual for them to hang their learned facts on. Angara is taking Rose and I up to get our bearings, then we'll do a trial jump.'

[ July 25, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Mithadan]

Mithadan watched Angara rise with Piosenniel and Rose on her back. Their task was to seek any observable and recognizable landmarks from which they might be able to determine their position with respect to the sunken coast of Beleriand.

Mithadan was troubled by the breadth of their undertaking and its possible consequences. But assuming that Pio could position them well off the coast of Beleriand, there was one reason for relief. Historically, Morgoth was not known to have ever assembled a navy. So long as they were on water, they would be relatively safe.

[Birdland]

Earlier, Pio had talked with Bird about Mith's concerns about the possibility that the actions of the "Lonely Star" and her crew could have disasterous effects on the past and future of Middle-Earth's history.

"Hmmmmmm", said Bird, sitting cross-legged on a water barrel and puzzling through the 'goblin theory'. It's an interesting theory. And if taken to it's farthest end, it should discourage us from making ANY attempt to go back to the First Age. I suppose it is possible that a rabbit we kill for our supper in Beleriand could have been meant to be eaten by an Eagle. Because we took the rabbit instead, that Eagle may die from hunger. If that Eagle was the Great-Great Grandsire of Gwaihir the Wind Lord, then that one rabbit could change the whole course of Middle-Earth history!"

After a moment though, Birdie said slowly: "N-n-n-ooo. I can't believe that it is that simple. Or complex. Whatever. Our success or failure on this journey is being guided by something more than chance events. If we make it to Beleriand, and have any effect - for good or ill - I feel in my heart that it was meant to be. The things we experience were meant to be experienced, and the people we meet? Well, I feel we were meant to meet them."

Suddenly Bird sat upright, and a startled look came to her eyes. "The people we meet, we were meant to meet..." she repeated. Then Bird looked to the right as the stowaway, Daisy, came up the ladder from below deck. Wonder and grave doubt, in equal measure, spread across the skin-changer's face.

[piosenniel]

Dragons were amazing creatures in flight. They could generate great speed with their large wing-span and aerodynamic bodies.Unfortunately, their top speed was not one which other, more earth-bound creatures, could endure, or even survive.

Rose was glad that Pio had told her to dress warmly. They had risen far into the sky, where the air was colder. That, combined with their speed, made her shiver even in the blanket the elf had wrapped around her.

Angara had planned to fly this high - it would be less likely that a casual observer would take any notice of her, and she knew that it had been many long years since the coastal people had set dragon watches.

They were heading northeast from the ship. Pio hoped to sight the city of Vinyalondë to her right and the tip of the northwestern coast of Harlindon to her left. From between these two large points, she looked to find Mt Dolmed. Once this was known, she knew she could determine the distance from it to the coast of Beleriand, using her instruments and the rough drawn map she had sketched in her notebook.

It took them almost two hours to make the flight and do the sightings. Rose's fingers were numb with cold, but she held firm to the pencil and wrote down the stream of numbers and directions that Pio directed at her.

An hour later the dragon made a graceful landing in the waters near the ship, and the elf and hobbit rowed themselves back to the Lonely Star. Rose's teeth were chattering and her cheeks had a red, angry look to them from the cold, chafing wind.

Several cups of hot tea later, and a consultation with Veritas and Mithadan, the crew began sailing the elven ship northwest, keeping about a 450 mile distance between themselves and the present coastline. In approximately a day or two, they would reach the area just beyond the Bay of Balar on the Beleriand coastline.

Child came to the bow railing and stood with Pio looking out at the expanse of water. 'Well, it was a successful class, if I do say so.' she said. 'Although, tomorrow, I don't think I'll schedule it for after lunch. Had to poke too many people with my pointer who were dozing off after eating!'

She leaned her elbows on the railing. 'I thought we might have that visual you were talking about just before you left. Did you decide we should cancel that?'

'No, we'll still do that, but in a few hours. I'd like it to be later, with the sun setting behind us and off a forested, less populated section of Beleriand's coast. What say we have an early supper and do it then?'

Child nodded her head, and went down to enlist Daisy, Khelek, and Kali in the preparations for the meal.

[ August 04, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[piosenniel]

Supper was over. Rose and Pio had eaten large helpings, several times over. And the elf was just thinking she had room for one last slice of pie.

Her thoughts on this matter, however, were cut short by Child, who stood up at her place at the table and wrapped on it with her knife handle. All eyes turned to her.

'Now you know we were studying about Beleriand a little today.' she began. She heard a low groan come from down the way and fixed an icy eye on Bird. 'To continue - I think we've had our fill of food for the time being,' she stared at Pio who had just reached for the pie pan, 'and Pio has promised us that we will see the real thing this evening. So, let's leave the dishes and food for now, and go up on deck, shall we?'

The entire crew went upstairs and lined up along the starboard railing. Even Levanto had been hauled up by net for the time being. Rose, Daisy, and Kali stood together, looking out at the wide water and wondered what they would see.

Veritas placed the crystal in the slot they had figured for the First Age and gave it a little twist to secure it. 'Okay,' she said, 'Hold on! Once I close the top and lock it, the desired transition should take place.'

It was so quiet on board they heard the cover snap shut and the snick! of the key as it turned in the lock.

The sea in front of them shimmered and seemed to blink for a second.

Before them, about twenty-five miles from the ship, a great expanse of forested coastline appeared where once there had been only open sea.

[Mithadan]

Looking out over the bow, Mithadan satisfied himself that they were not in imminent danger of running into any rocks or shoals. Nor were any other vessels visible. He looked out at the distant shoreline with a frown, yet a light burned in his eyes. He had long studied the legends of the First Age and longed to see the fabled lands of Beleriand.

"Alright," he said. "We're here. Now when are we?"

[piosenniel]

Pio sighed in relief when the coastline came into view. So far their calculations had been correct, now all that was needed was some fine tuning along the time line. There were several ways to adjust the crystal once they knew their initial date of entry, but that would have to wait until she had gotten some sleep.

She heard Mithadan voice his question, as he looked toward Beleriand. "We're here. Now when are we?"

'We won't know exactly "when" we are until we reach our position west of the Bay of Balar, though Veritas and I believe we are somewhere in the window between the beginning of the Battle of Unnumbered Tears and the Fall of Gondolin. Once we reach the Bay, I will go ashore and pinpoint our exact time, then we can adjust the crystal as we wish.'

'A dangerous time for an elf to be in Beleriand.' remarked Mithadan, frowning at this revelation.

'Yes. It was.' sighed Pio, looking toward the now darkening shore.

She turned back toward the helm and helped Veritas reset the crystal to their previous position.

The land winked out of existence and once more the Lonely Star sailed northward through the unbroken expanse of The Sea.

[ July 25, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Birdland]

Birdie did not know what to expect when they traveled back to the First Age. Would it be a land somehow fresher, greener; an entire continent touched with Elven grace? Would they be given a taste of what the Elf Kind see when they travel to the Farther Shore?

But the land off the bow of the Lonely Star looked no different than the one they had left. If Bird had not seen the shore line appear instantly where there had been only open ocean, she would have thought they were in any sheltered bay of the Fourth Age.

As Pio and Veritas winked the ship back to their original location, the skin-changer heard Pio and Mith discuss the pinpointing of the place and time they would be in when they made their final "departure".

"Yes", thought Birdie, "but how are we to do that? Walk up to one of the local First Agers and ask them for the time?"

[Rose Cotton]

Rose came up behind Birdie with Kali and Daisy behind her. "Hey Bird, would you like to come with us? We're going to go out on the water for a bit. Levanto is coming. Please."

[piosenniel]

'Hey, Rose! Sounds like fun.' said Pio. 'But why don't you get the others and go in by yourselves for now? I need to speak with Bird for just a few moments. She smiled as the hobbit lass' face turned from sunshine to stormy. 'I promise!! It won't take long, and then she can join you!'

Rose ran to gather up her friends and con Levanto into playing with them.

'I was going to ask a favor of you once we get to our position off the Bay of Balar. I need to get to a place just north of there, Barad Nimras. But I want to go without taking the ship. I'll go ashore there and find out what year and date we have the crystal set for. With that we can figure out how to set it for the exact date we want.'

'Barad Nimras?' interjected Bird. What is that, and how do I figure into this. Surely you don't think I can go walking about in First Age elven-land without drawing some suspicion?'

'What I need from you, if you'll agree to it, is to get a small boat and myself as swiftly as possible to Barad Nimras with the help of Levanto. It will be a lengthy swim for you, but I thought if we took a boat you can rest in it periodically in your human form. As to Barad Nimras, it is a tower on a small peninsula in the Falas, the kingdom of Cìrdan, if you will. It's in northwestern Beleriand, between the harbors of Eglarest and Brithombar. The sea-elves dwell there along the coast and it's with them that I'll be talking. And no, you need not go ashore. Just wait for me in the boat, with Levanto.'

'What date are you hoping to set the crystal for?' asked Bird.

'510 1st Age is the year when Gondolin fell to Morgoth. His intention is to capture the hobbits at that time who are in the Hidden City of Turgon. He will imprison them in Dorthonion, and we must make contact with them there. By the time The War of Wrath occurs, we must make sure they are safe in the Dorthonion Highlands and have not been taken to Angband, or we must take them all before Gondolin falls, before Morgoth's capture of them, and hide them on Tol Fuin in the 2nd Age. We will have to work this out with Child, Mithadan, and Angara.'

'I think I can do the boat trip with the aid of Levanto. It should be no problem.' said Bird. She looked speculativlely at her friend. 'But tell me, how do you know all this?'

'It is always in my thoughts.' replied Pio, quietly. 'And now that I have seen Beleriand once again, it burns ever brighter.'

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child stood on the deck, staring across at the shoreline of Beleriand. It was hard for her to believe that she had hobbit ancestors who had dwelled in this strange land.
For so long, she had read and been told that the earliest hobbits in Middle-earth were those who had lived on the shores of the Anduin about the year 1000 or so in the Third Age.

She wondered if the hobbits of the First Age would look and act like those she had known all her life. This was something that had never occurred to her before. She had always mentally assumed that hobbits of any age would dress and act and talk exactly alike. Now that she thought about this, however, she realized such an assumption was quite foolish.

Her distant ancestors could, indeed, be quite different from herself or Rose or even Kali. This idea was not especially comforting. She would just have to wait and see.

[Birdland]

Birdie agreed with Pio's plans, but the background she gave and the questions Pio asked to herself only increased the skin-changer's trepidations.

Superficially, Bird looked like any other human, but she certainly would not look like the mighty First Age Second Children of Ilúvatar. She thought of the grace and beauty of the Numenorians she had seen in Minas Tirith, and knew that she would stand out like a scrub pony in a field of Rohanian purebreds.

And how did people dress in the First Age? Did they dress at all? What WOULD Halflings look like? Certainly in dress nothing like the proper Hobbits that peopled the Lonely Star. Birdie doubted that waistcoats and corslets were standard wear for First Age halflings.

And what of Pio? Bird knew that her Elf friend was displaying an eagerness and interest to explore the First Age beyond the usual preparation for an "adventure". How would Pio react to her meeting with any of the First Born?

Suddenly the skin-changer had a surprising thought. Surprising because she had never thought to ask before. Just how old WAS Piosenniel? She knew all Elves were "immortal", though she wondered if anyone under the Doom of Man could really conceive just what that meant. When Pio spoke of the landmarks of Beleriand, was she calling upon her knowledge of books and legends...or was she relying on memory?

[piosenniel]

Bird had questions. A number of questions, if Pio had read the expressions playing across her face correctly.

She stood waiting for her friend to voice them, wondering all the while, how she might couch her answers.

From her perch on the mast top, Angara watched the interchange with interest.

Time grows short. she heard the elf think to herself. Perhaps truth will be the better path.

And which truth will that be, Elf? the dragon wondered.

[ July 26, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Birdland]

Birdie thought about how she would couch her last question to Pio. Asking an Elf his or her actual age was considered to be rather "bad form". They might hint at their age in general terms, or speak of events in the ancient past that they had witnessed, but Bird had never heard an Elf say "Today is my 7,356th birthday."

The best that Bird could finally come up with was:

Uh, Pio...? When you finally get the chance to walk in Beleriand, is there a chance that you might already BE there?"

[Rose Cotton]

Rose, Kali, and Daisy lowered a small boat down to the water to meet the mer-man. Then they started to drift lazily away.

[Child of the 7th Age]

OOC -- Oh, goodie, my title came through!
_____________________________________________

Child walked onto the deck and stood in silence listening to the interchange between Bird and Pio. It seemed to the hobbit that, the deeper they penetrated this maze, the more bizarre and entangled everything had become.

On the one hand, there was the question that Bird had posed hesitantly to her friend. The thought of coming face-to-face with one's own past did not make Child happy. She wondered whether the "old" Pio, if there had been such a First Age version, would be a child, a maiden, or a fully grown adult. The thought of the childlike Piosenniel clutching onto toys seemed even more foreign to the hobbit than the possibility of encountering a fully mature Elf.

Child also wondered if Mithadan, who spent so much time worrying about how they might alter the past, had envisioned this particular scenario. She did not think he would be particularly happy about it.

And there were other possibilities Bird had forgotten or perhaps hesitated to mention. Child had always understood that one of Piosenniel's close kin had not been an Elf, but a hobbit. Indeed, if Child remembered correctly, that close kin had actually been Pio's mother.

Now, it was quite true that her friend looked nothing like a hobbit. In fact, Child reflected, the surprising thing was that Pio generally spoke and acted as if she had no hobbit blood whatsoever. How many times had Child seen Pio storming about the ship protesting some little trick or silliness which one of the hobbits had managed to concoct? Khelak or another Elf might have laughed at these antics, but Pio had taken strong offense, lecturing Child or Rose on their behavior.

And, truly, Piosenniel's behavior was the most "Elflike" of any Elf whom Child had ever encountered. Child recalled the innumerable times she had come upon Piosenniel standing erect upon the deck, her Elven face strict and imposing, looking with longing and sad eyes out to the distant corners of the Sea. It seemed that her friend rarely let herself go, or let others peep into the hidden corners of her heart.

And, just as significantly, Pio never talked about her family or past with her friends. From a hobbit perspective, that was truly the strangest of all. For any hobbit, however positively or negatively they might view their kin, spent considerable time ruminating on these issues and discussing them.

Indeed, Child remembered that Daisy had only begun to heal after she had spilled out the sadness of her family to Child. Never had Child heard Piosenniel reflect on her kin with either happiness or sadness. Yet, however Pio might deny it, Child sensed there was a small piece of hobbit underneath which could not be forgotten or denied.

It was almost if Pio had consciously decided to take a part of herself and hide it in some deep place. Perhaps, she hurt too much to deal with that aspect of her fea, or perhaps others had made her feel that it was not such a good thing for an Elf to have a hobbit mother.

Child had not considered these questions before, or how heavily Pio's past might weigh upon her. Child knew that the sons and daughters of human/Elf unions had been required to make a choice. Earendil himself had chosen the path of an Elf, partly out of deference to his wife. But what about the children of Elf/hobbit unions? Did they make a choice too? And where and when did that choice occur?

A few Elf/human unions were recorded in the books of lore, but Child had never read about marriages between hobbit and Elven kin. Only once had her Uncle Bilbo made a strange and fleeting reference to a "fairy" in the Took family tree. Child had immediately seized upon that sentence and pressured her Uncle to explain more. He had said nothing, but merely fixed her with a stony glance that said she had stepped on forbidden ground and was to discuss this issue no further.

Just how forgiving and loving would the two communities have been if faced with such a union? Child knew that her own hobbit kin would not have been tolerent of outsiders, and she suspected the same of the Elves.
Perhaps it wasn't surprising that Piosenniel looked lonely and aloof sometimes, or preferred to keep some things private.

Child sighed. She had a sad feeling that the greatest challenges of this voyage would not be physical. It was one thing to take up bow or sword or knife to defend one's own life or, just as importantly, to protect the lives of those whom you cared for. But it was quite another to wrestle with hidden shadows in your own soul.

Child's body trembled gently for an instant, although no wind blew across the sails of the ship. How many times had her Uncle told her, the greatest danger from evil, came not from outside but from within. And, by that standard, Child feared, they might all be in very great peril indeed.

[ July 26, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[piosenniel]

As soon as the question was out of Bird's mouth, Pio breathed a great sigh of relief.

"Uh, Pio...? When you finally get the chance to walk in Beleriand, is there a chance that you might already BE there?"

'Well,'said the elf, considering her answer carefully, 'there is always the possibility of chance playing a major role in any undertaking. I certainly have no art to see exactly what might happen.' She laughed, 'But, come, my friend, I never knew you to be of such a philosophical nature. Let's put these musings aside and see how best we can devise a way for me to get the information needed.'

Bird stared at her as she went to find Levanto to include him in their planning. 'What sort of answer was that?' she wondered.

[Birdland]

"Now what sort of answer was that?" thought Birdie.

"Go not to the Elves for advise..." goes the old saying, but this was going a little too far. Bird was not asking for advise, just a little more information for a friend who suddenly was equivocating in a very disturbing manner. Birdie did not like this, oh, no, not at all. In fact, she was getting angry.

The skin-changer strode across the deck after the retreating elf, grabbed her arm and whirled her around.

"Now see here, Pio. Don't be trying to hand me any of your Elvish airs or answers that are no answers at all. I asked a simple question, and I want a simple answer. Shall I make it simpler still? Very well then - Just how old are you, and were you around during the First Age?"

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child had heard Piosenniel's equivocal answer, and it had not pleased her any more than it had Bird. She seemed to be saying a little of "yes" and a little of "no" which truthfully did not amount to any answer at all! All of this made Child suspect that the Elf had been less than truthful, and that she had, indeed, been a resident of Beleriand at some point in the First Age.

Child felt that the time had come for telling the truth, and she decided to join the conversation with Pio and Bird. She walked up to the two who were facing off as if in an arena of combat.

"Piosenniel, there was one other point I wanted to check with you on. I had never realized, of course, that there were any hobbits in the First Age. But now this appears to be the case. And from what Kali has already told us, there was more interaction between hobbits and elves in the ancient days than we had ever suspected. Can you tell us something about your own family, and how they came to find one another?"

"This is more than an idle or curious question. It may be very important in helping us piece together all the information we can get on hobbit customs so that we can find kali's people and help them. I wouldn't be asking this of you, but I know how much you love Kali, and any information you can share with us could make the difference in whether or not we are able to help him."

Piosenniel glared at Child and at Bird with a strange look upon her face.

[Rose Cotton]

After a few hours the three in the boat saw land on the horizon. Rose was intrested in exporing the shore. Surly since Pio said they had jumped back to the fourth age for a while it would not be perilous.

"But won't we be out of sight of the ship?" asked Daisy.

"If they need us back that bad they can just send Angara," replied Rose. "And if we need them...Pio will know."

Within another hour they had reached the land.

[piosenniel]

Angara dropped down from the mast and placed herself between the elf and the others, growing large enough to shield her should the need arise. She had knocked Bird's hand away as she landed. Now her eyes blazed, and her head on its long sinuous neck wove back and forth between the two, fixing each of their positions.

Bird and Child stepped back quickly. Surprise tinged with fear registered in their faces followed swiftly by hurt.

In that instant, Pio made her decision. Stepping close to the dragon she laid her hand upon the great neck and spoke softly.

'These are not our foes, Angara.' She looked at Bird and Child each for a long moment. These are our charges, our companions, our friends. We will face danger soon enough, and I would have them firmly by our side when we do. Let them ask their questions, and I will answer them, for good or for ill.'

'What is this "for good or for ill"?!' demanded the quiet voice from the stairs. Mithadan had come just in time to see this dangerous tableaux and hear the last of Pio's statement. He strode toward them, a frown on his face.

'Late, as usual, Son of Man.' observed the dragon, then stepped aside, as the elf stepped forward.

[piosenniel]

Pio came toward her friends and looked at each of them as if seeing them for the first time, clearly. She rubbed the back of her neck in weariness, and sat down on a barrel.

'It would be better,' she said, 'if we agreed to meet a little later. I'd like to see all the crew gathered, and all the questions done with at one time, instead of piece-mealing answers here and there in a disconnected and confusing way. Can you three get everyone together and agree on what you'ld like to know from me?' She thought for a moment. 'What about just after dinner? That should give everyone an opportunity to think through what they want to know. Will this be acceptable to you?' she asked, looking at Child and Bird.

Bird and Child went down to speak with the rest of the crew. Mithadan stayed behind. She heard his unvoiced question and felt his concern.

A fey light was in her eyes as she regarded him.

'I cannot tell you how the course of events will run, Mithadan. Only that by your presence here with us you are now well into them. Light and shadow run like twin roads beneath your feet, each step your own choosing. Choose well, my friend, and wisely.'

He turned to gaze toward the sea and hidden Beleriand. She stood and placed her hand gently on his shoulder, as if to offer some small assurance.

'After dinner, then.' she said, and went down to her cabin to rest.

[Birdland]

Well, it would have to do. Bird was a little hurt by this new swing of events. What other motivation did Pio have for going back to the First Age, besides a quest for the fate of Kali's ancestors (and descendents)? It seemed that Pio was going to let her companions walk into a potentially dangerous situation blind. Bird couldn't believe that Pio would do such a thing. And what role did their new shipmate Khelek have in all this? "No secrets," muttered Birdie determinedly, as she went to search out the other crew members.

And could not find them anywhere! Birdie search the whole of the ship, but Kali, Rose and Daisy were not to be found. Running down the stairs, she burst into the Elves cabin. "Pio! Where are Kali and those Halfling lasses?" Pio sat up groggily, having just drifted into mortal sleep. "They said something about going swimming."

Bird ran up on deck again, looking around. The skiff was gone, and there was not trace of boat or passengers anywhere on the horizon. The others on the ship looked up in confusion as Bird ran from rail to rail, scanning the sea, shouting "Kali! Rose!" and even once "Daisy!" The changling, already suspicious from the recent behavior of Pio, immediately suspected the worse.

"By the One! If that little stowaway had done anything to Kali...!" Bird ran to the rail and jumped over, calling as she fell: "Levanto!"

[Rose Cotton]

They took out the food they had brought and were just about to eat when Levanto said he had to go. The hobbits and hobrim watched him go curiously but wern't worried. After they were full Rose stood and looked about.
"How about we explore a bit." then putting on the air of a pirate. "Arr! There be gold buried here me maties. Look for the x. Remember x marks the spot. Now spit up and find the tresure. If there be any mutany you'll be walking the plank."

At first Kali didn't know what Rose was talking about but he soon caught on and they were looking about. It didn't take long for them to relize they were on a small island. Rose was a bit dissapointed but she didn't let it damper her spirits. When they met up again Daisy cried out "Let's call the island Lonly Star Island."

"I think that is best name." said Kali. He laughed and jumped in the water. "Want to swim?"

"Actually I thought we could see what's in the center of this island." said Rose " You can stay in the water a bit Kali and join us later."

So Kali dissapeared beneath the waves and Daisy and Rose made their way through the trees to the center of the ile.

[Kettle of fish]

The kettle was aroused by the sudden noise about the ship. It heard shouting and running feet. What was the meaning of these unruly movements. Sleepily, it sank back into a doze, murmuring,
"Rub a dub dub, three men in a tub..."

[Birdland]

Birdie swam around the Lonely Star frantically, but there was not sign of Mer-Man or Hobrim. This made her feel a little better. Perhaps Levanto had followed the Halflings - where ever they had gone.

Then Birdie heard them; far away, the sea-folk, the dolphins, whistling and calling. She shook her head.

"No, this will not do. Not now." Bird turned and swam into the depths, then turned again. Beating her tail as fast as it could go, she shot towards the surface, breaking through and springing high into the air.

At the top of the arc, the body of dolphin morphed into the body of crow. The wings were still heavy with water, but they would dry soon enough.

The black and white jackdaw circled above the waves, then set out looking for a small boat with small passengers, in a very vast sea.

[piosenniel]

She heard the panic in Bird's voice, and willed herself awake. Running up the stairs, she was just in time to see Bird become dolphin and slip into the sea. Child was standing at the railing, her eyes straining for a glimpse of Kali and the two girls.

'Can you see any sign of them?' she asked Pio, as the elf shaded her eyes and swept the horizon with her gaze.

'None.' She looked again. 'None at all.'

Pio called to Angara, then, and asked if she would bring back the missing boaters. The dragon spread her wings and glided far out to sea, then rose up a great distance for a long look all around. Hovering in air for a brief moment, she then turned west and flew on.

'Angara will find them, Child.' she said, trying to reassure her friend. 'She will see them home safely.'

[Rose Cotton]

"Look!" Daisy called out. "There's light up ahead. The two hobbits ran threw the trees and came out into a large clearing. Rose could see that the sun was getting low in the sky. She wondered if anyone was worried about them.

Strewn across the grass were bits and pieces of stone. And in the middle was what looked like the ruins of a building. There were two floors. Though in it's prime it might of had more. The top floor was exposed exept for some walls and the top floor had large holes in it. As they got nearer to it they saw what was most likely the door frame. but it had large parts chiped from the sides. On the ground in front of it was a the large wooden door that had once fit into the frame. It was broken and rotted and as Rose lifted it bugs scapered out from holes. They went inside to a stone floor. The tiles were loose and they had to be carefull walking across it. Around them were remains of furiture. They looked like they were once very comfterble and elagant but were now no more then skeletons with strips of cloth and cusoning hanging over them.

"Wow." said Rose finally."What is this?"

"It looks like someones home. But who lived here?"

"More importantly, when did they live here? Help me look for clues. Any hint of anything. But becarefull."

There were quite a few rooms. Not too many. But enough that it must have been resonibly comfterble. It didn't look like a hobbit dwelling. Was it man or elf? Or even dwarf. Rose didn't know what a dwarfs living style would be. The last room Rose entered had a bed and in the corner what looked like a chest of drawers. She opened the top drawer and found what looked like some dresses. But as soon as she picked them up they started to fall apart. Rose took note that they didn't have any of the usuall signs of ware. No moth holes, and whatever dust was on them imediatly fell off. They had to be elven. So this was an elf home. When she went back to Daisy her compainan showed her dolls and other small toys. Did that mean that children where here?

Just then they heard Kali coming. He was shouting for them. "Come see. Come see. Found somthing."