THE LONELY STAR (Contd. from BD birthday party)

[Birdland]

The jackdaw struggled along, scanning the waves for any signs of boat or halflings. She tried to ride the thermal drafts, as she had observed the seabirds do, but she was a crow, not a seagull, and was not designed for such effortless gliding. Determinedly, she flew on.

Suddenly, the golden form of Angara passed her by, swooping and rolling through the air, then hovering like a hummingbird in front of Birdie, though she did not move her wings to do it. Bird ignored her. She could tell a game of one-upmanship when she saw one.

"Is that the best you can do, Changling? Seems you could have chosen a more airworthy, not to mention pleasing, form."

"I do not choose the form; it chooses me." Bird said with an effort, and flapped on. "I assume that Pio sent you to look for our missing crew? Have you seen anything?" she puffed.

"Nay, but there is a small island coming over the horizon. I shall fly ahead and scout it out." Angara flipped her wings once and shot up into the sky, heading West. "Take your time." she called back over her shoulder.

[ July 27, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]

[Rose Cotton]

Kali lead them back over to were he had been swiming. They followed him down under the water until they could see a tunnel. They went through and reached a cavern. It was just like Kali's. "Hobrim home." said Kali.

"Wow." said Daisy.
"This is what Kali's home looked like. More or less." Rose told Daisy.
"And there was another one at the city river." said Kali.

"Look." cried Rose. "There's stuff on the walls. Let's go see."

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child stood with Piosenniel on the deck of the ship. A short while before, when Piosenniel had declined to answer questions about her background, there had been an awkward moment of silence between the women. Now, with their companions in apparent danger, all other thoughts and divisions had vanished. Though separated by different form and visage, both women were now bound together by their common concern.

Child gazed into Pio's eyes, her fear for Kali and Daisy and Rose mirrored openly on her face. The hobbit whispered to her friend, "I know what Birdland is thinking, but I don't believe this is some contrivance by Daisy to strike out at Kali. Even though the little one's grief is far from healed, I believe that she is loyal at heart, and would not reach out in anger towards us."

Pio shook her head in agreement, "I feel that you're speaking the truth. But Birdland must reach that decision and trust on her own time and in her own way. Until she accepts Daisy in her heart, nothing that we say or do can change her feelings."

At that instant, both Pio and Child heard reassuring words from Angara ringing in their minds. "I have seen it, an island. Their boat is moored there. I believe they are safe. Bird and I will investigate."

Piosenniel took Child's hand in her own, squeezing it in reassurance.

[ July 28, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Kettle of fish]

Already it was starting to get dark. The kettle saw the two tall figures, stiff with worry, leaning over the edge of the boat, as if hoping the sea or sky would tell them something. It looked up, the dragon was gone from it's usual post as well.

[Rose Cotton]

On the wall of the cavern were expert drawings. A little like the ones Kali drew but with much more detail. Rose reconized a picture of the isle. Another one showed...hobrim?...standing on a beach. The last one. It had to be the house Daisy and Rose found. It looked alot different but Rose could tell. Around the building were hobrim...no they were drawn too tall..elves?

Many smaller drawings strewn around the cave showed the hobrim figures interacting with the elf figures and what looked like mer-people and dolfins.

"Well," said Rose "At least we know they got along."

"How do you know." Daisy replied. "They could be fighting eachother in those other drawings." She laughed and they continued to explore.

[Birdland]

Angara had already circled the island, and was sitting on the bow of the empty skiff when Birdie finally arrived, landing with a thump on the branch of a driftwood log lying along the shoreline. She sat slumped, catching her breath and raising her wings to cool herself after the hot, long flight. It had not improved her temper one bit.

Finally, she caught her breath enough to ask "Did you see them?" Angara shook her head, then gestured wordlessly up the beach. The light footprints of three halflings, one with webbed toes, led up the sand and into the interior of the island. Looking to the right, Bird saw another set of prints coming out of the woods and leading back down to the shore, where they disappeared into the waves.

"Oh, no," sighed Birdie. Stretching herself one last time, she flapped her wings wearily and dropped into the waves, changing into dolphin form once again. Angara lifted above the water, then dove like an arrow after her.

[Rose Cotton]

Rose made sure as they searched Daisy stayed with her. She didn't want Birdie to find the younger hobbit alone. The skin changer might not totally believe in Daisy's inocence.

[Rose Cotton]

Rose thought of somthing. "Bird? Did you see Levanto when you came to get us?"

"No." Birdland replied. "He was with you wasn't he?"

"He left us just after we got to this island. I thought he was going back to the Lonly Star."

"Probably taking care of his own things."

Rose wondered about that.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Angara and Bird emerged in the cave at the very same time. Ahead of them, they saw the two girls searching the wall for more and more pictures. Birdland quickly morphed back from her dolphin form.

The instant she had done this, Bird looked about the cave from side to side with concern evident in her face. "I see the two of you, but where is Kali?" she stared directly at Daisy.

The young hobbit's words came tumbling out with nervous apprehension, "I'm not certain. He was just here a moment ago. He led us into this place. He has to be here somewhere!"

Rose placed her small body between Bird and Daisy. "She's right, Bird," she countered. "Kali found this underwater place and led us in. We were exploring. He must have gone further down this tunnel, or slipped out while we were examining pictures. If anyone is at fault here, it is me. I probably led our boat too far out into the seas, and didn't keep a close enough watch on the hobbrim."

"But," Rose continued, "Kali is as old as I am. He is not a prisoner, or a small child. If he wishes to explore this island, I'm not going to stop him. In any case, none of us meant any harm."

[ July 28, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Birdland]

Birdie was anything but mollified by Daisy's words. To her they sounded like the prattings of a youngster who disclaims that "they did nothing wrong" when the damage has already been done. To take off on a Hobbit's "boating party" when they were getting ready to set out on a dangerous, mysterious journey seemed the height of folly to her. And the actions of Pio were still in the back of her mind. Bird wondered if their company was falling apart.

But the time for ranting and recriminatons was not now. Grabbing some charcoal and pieces of bark off the floor of the cave, she thrust them at Daisy, demanding gruffly. "You write, child?" When Daisy wordlessly shook her head "no", she handed the pieces to Rose, saying, "Write down everything you see on these walls. Even if the water damages the notes when you leave the cave, the action will help fix them in your mind. Some of this may be of use. Then go to the skiff and WAIT with Angara. I must go out and find if Kali and Levanto are together."

"Will you be alright?" asked Rose softly.

"By the One! How should I know!" barked the skin-changer, and she dove into the sea once again.

[Rose Cotton]

Afraid of the skin changer's rath Rose quickly wrote down what was on the walls. And she and Daisy had some of the dresses and toys they had found at the elven home so they seemed to have enough evidence. They swum back up to the boat with Angara and waited.

[piosenniel]

OOC: Whatever Kali has in his hand, let's match it to the drawing in the bag from the Minas Anor cave.
*******************************************

Evening was drawing near, and still no sign of the boat with the errant youngsters. No further word had come from Angara, which in the elf's mind was a good sign. Being a creature of few words, Angara would only notify them now if something had gone wrong.

A small wind had come up, bringing with it a chilly breeze. Pio went down to the cabins to get something warmer for herself and for Child.

She picked up a thick shawl for the hobbit from her room, and then rummaged on one of her shelves for a sweater to put on. As she pulled one down, something fell with it.

'The bag! The old bag from the cave in Minas Anor! I had forgotten it was here.!

Pio ran back up the stairs to the maindeck quickly and handed Child the shawl. She held out the bag to her with her other hand.

'Look, Child! See what I've found!'

[ July 28, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Birdland]

Thankfully, Birdie soon found Kali with Levanto. The two sea folk, big and little, were having an animated conversation, about what Bird did not hear. What surprised the changling was that Levanto seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself.

"Ah, Bird! Glad to see you could join us. Kali and I were just having the most facinating conversation regarding the similarities between the cave he and his companions just found, and the one under Minas Tirith."

"Actually," continued Levanto, "Kali here is a most charming fellow. I'm very sorry that I did not get to know him better, sooner."

"Birdee!" exclaimed Kali. "Lee-vanto says he wants to come with us to the seas of the First Age and help us. He has even agreed to ask the Mer-Folk to help me in searching for all my kin in the Fourth Age."

"That's wonderful, Kali. But we have to get back to the ship and get this adventure going, or we'll all be grey-haired before we ever find your people."

The three swam back up to the skiff. Kali and Levanto chose to swim back the the Lonely Star while escorting Daisy and Rose. Bird prepared to make a leap into the air, so she could morph back into crow shape.

"Aren't you going to swim back with us?" asked Levanto.

"No, best not for now." replied Bird from mid-air.

"Don't you want to ride with us in the skiff?" asked Daisy hesitantly.

"No!"

[ July 28, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]

[piosenniel]

Standing watch on the ship, Child and Pio saw a moving dot come toward them. As it drew nearer growing larger, it became recognizable as Angara. They saw no riders on her back, and wondered where the others were.

As she landed on deck, they went running toward her with shouts of 'What happened! Where are they?'

She stretched herself, unconcernedly, and then looked at the two frantic creatures who faced her. 'They're on their way back. The mer-people are bringing them in the skiff. Just an addle-brained tweenage outing gone awry! Bird should be here shortly, too. She was flying back . . . aah, here she is, even as we speak.'

A black and white feathered missile came hurtling down from above.

[ July 29, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Rose Cotton]

As they made thier way to the deck Rose could see that the others were anoyed. This made her the same way. She had told them they were going for a bit. That just showed how much attention she got. No. That wasn't right. Her friends normally listened to her. They just must be distracted.

Upon reaching Pio, Child and Bird, Daisy and Rose showed them thier prizes. One of the elven dresses, a few of the toys they found in the house, and the copied drawings.

[piosenniel]

Daisy pulled out a small carved wooden toy she had put in her net bag for safekeeping, and brought it up to Pio.

'Look, ma'am,' she said, excited with her find, one of the hobbit children must have left this when they went away.'

'Hobbit chidren?', said Pio, turning the finely done little carving of a ship in her hands. Rose had come up too and the two young hobbits explained what they found on the island.

Child and Kali were standing a little apart from the rest, talking. Child had opened the little bag from Minas Anor and was carfully unfolding the piece of parchment within. The elixir Pio had used on it had worked well, and the paper folded open without a tear. Revealed upon it was a crude drawing whose meaning the two of them were trying to decipher.

Rose wandered over to them, wanting to see what they were looking at. She peeked at the paper and exclaimed, 'O! it looks just like the toy we found on the island, Child. Come look!'

Sure enough, in Pio's hand and in Child's were representations of what appeared to be ships of elven design. Each bore an identical banner, a six-pointed star with a faceted jewel in the center.

'Show them the drawings, too, Rose', said Kali. Rose unrolled her quick drawings of the etchings in the cave room. There for all to see was another rendering of the ship with the star banner.

'What can this mean?', said Child, studying all three closely.

[ July 28, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[piosenniel]

The finds from Kali, Daisy, and Rose's expedition provided much fodder for conversation during dinner. There was an undercurrent of excitement as each voiced their interpretation of the ships, most hoping for a connection between what they'd found and their own ship's upcoming trip into the past.

Ever the voice of reason, Mithadan reminded them that their own banner had once flown on an elven ship in a previous age. He wondered if the ship referred to by the drawings might be that of Eärendil, himself.

Others agreed with that possibility, but the hope that it referred to their tiny ship ran like a live current beneath the arguments.

Pio sat back, and hoped this course of conversation would overshadow the request that she answer questions on her own history. Seeing Bird, Child, Kali, Khelek, and Mithadan engaged in close conversation, she stood and made to leave the galley area.

She had almost made it out the door and to the steps, when a voice called to her.

'Pio! Wait! You said you'ld answer questions for us, and we do have some.'

She turned back, to see Bird and Child looking at her expectantly. Rose and Daisy glanced at each other and shrugged their shoulders, not knowing what was going on.

Pio came and sat down in her chair. 'Ask then, and I will answer as best I can.'

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child looked into Pio's face with trusting eyes. She did not want to hurt her friend, but she felt it was essential that the Elf share whatever knowledge she had with the others on board. If Piosenniel did have direct experience of First Age Beleriand, that understanding could be crucial to everyone on the ship. Indeed, it could be the one critical component which determined whether or not they were successful in finding and reuniting Kali's extended family.

But there was something else too. Something which Child could not admit even to herself, let alone to her friend. Child desperately wanted there to be more to the hobbit past than to have her people dropped down in the middle of nowhere on an Anduin River bank some two thousand years ago. And she wanted that past to have some dignity and meaning, even if it was humble by Elven standards.

How many times had Child heard men, and Elves, and dwarves arguing with great passion about their ancient roots, how their people had been favored by one of the Valar or the Maia, or how they had trekked West to follow the Light? She had listened time and again to tales of great battles, or marvellous inventions. But, in all these splendid tales, no one spoke of hobbits.

Many hobbits who contentedly tilled the soil and loved the earth did not bother their hearts with such questions. But Child knew she was not the only one to find the silent gaps in her people's past intensely disturbing.

One time, she had asked Bilbo about where the hobbit people had come from, and exactly what their relation with the big folk was. He had shaken his head sadly, and said, "I have spent the past fifty years learning the lore of Elves, and also that of men, but however much I learn, one piece of that puzzle is missing. And that piece is where my own people come from, and what brought us to this point in time. I cannot even explain why hobbits are divided into three clans, or why we have a feeling for the green earth and small growing things, beyond all other living creatures in Middle-earth."

Child remembered that Bilbo had sighed and reached out an aged finger to softly stroke the cover of his large book of translations from Elvish lore. And he had stared off into the distance, at some point known only to himself, as if gazing at a blank sheet of paper could somehow will the words of hobbit history to write themselves. It was the closest that she had ever seen him to weeping.

And then he had whispered the final words he had ever spoken on the subject. "Perhaps, sometime and somewhere, our people came to realize that the green earth is not to be taken for granted, but is a special gift of the Powers, even when we do not call those Powers by a name. Some tragedy perhaps, or some mishap, awoke in hobbits a fierce love of the soil, and the desire for a quiet life."

She remembered quite clearly how he had laughed and looked down at her, an orphan and a girl, hardly a likely candidate for adventure. Yet there was something more in his words that day, some hope passed from older to younger, some sense of a task left undone. "Perhaps, Child, you can help find the missing piece, and, if you do, remember these words I have given to you today."

Child drew in a long breath. She suddenly realized she was on a mission to rediscover part of herself, and to fulfill a promise she had silently made to her teacher that day. But child knew she could not do it without her friend's help. She turned to Pio.

"Pio, we'd like you to tell us first whether you or your parents ever lived in Beleriand. I believe you told me once that your mother was a hobbit. I had no idea then that your heritage might extend so far back in time."

"If this is true, how did your Elven father and hobbit mother manage to meet and have a family in such troubled and ancient days? Was it difficult for them? I have never heard such tales among my own people. Even Bilbo, who knew and loved ancient tales with his whole heart, was never able to search out these truths. And, even in his long and happy life, I believe it made a little hole that he could never quite fill."

"Please, Pio, for me and my people, for Kali and his kin, tell us what you know."

[ July 29, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[piosenniel]

'Of the ancient history of Hobbits I can tell you little. For even in my younger days that was clouded, as if hidden by some power greater than the memory of Elves or Men. I will tell you, in time, what was told to me.

But let me first speak of my family. My mother was said to have been a fair hobbit lass with a fiery spirit when first she met my father. Her name was Holly, of the Stoor clan. Her family was one of a small number of hobbit families who had settled near the River Esgalduin in the forest of Region, in Doriath. They were, by nature, an independent lot, and had not gone with the others when the Westward call had come to settle altogether in the Hidden City.'

'The Westward call? The Hidden City?', asked Child.

'This will come clear in time, Child.' assured Pio.

'But let me continue. The forest in which they dwelled was near the great Elven city of Menegroth, City of the Thousand Caves in Doriath, delved for Thingol and Melian by the dwarves of Belegost. My father was from that city. His name was Elurìn, one of the sons of Dior and Nimloth, and the elder brother to Elwing. Dior was, himself, the son of Beren - a Man, and fair Luthien, the daughter of Thingol and Melian. Thingol is said to be one of the originally awakened elves, and Melian is a Maiar.'

She paused for them to take this in, and then continued.

'Suffice it to say, my father met my mother on one of his many hunting trips to the forest there. Over time, they fell in love, and he thought to make her his wife. She was already carrying me, the fruit of their deep affection for one another, when my father, in 504 of the First Age, brought her to dwell in Menegroth, thinking it would be a safe place for his new family and that they would celebrate their wedding there. This was not to be.'

'In 505, shortly after I was born, my father was lost in a great war of elf against elf, the second Kinslaying. The sons of Feanor, determined to fulfill their oath to regain the Silmarils, sacked the city of Menegroth, destroying the fair realm of Doriath. Dior and his two sons were slain, while Elwing fled with the Silmaril recovered by Luthien and Beren.'

All was silent in the little room, as she paused to take a sip of water.

'I never knew my father, save what my mother told me of him when I grew older.' She shook her head sadly, and went on.

With Menegroth gone, and the land of Doriath in chaos, my mother made her way to the River Sirion with me and northward to the Hidden City - the city of Gondolin.'

She looked at Child. 'This is the place to which the hobbits were called and hidden soon after their Awakening.'

'Their Awakening?' asked Child.

'Yes, when Men awoke in Hildòrien, so did hobbits awaken in the the Vales of the Great River Anduin, the valley lying between the Misty Mountains and Eryn Lasgalen, Greenwood Forest. But hobbits, so it was told to me, were to serve a hidden and greater purpose than Man. And so, on their Awakening their memories were clouded and they were brought west to Gondolin to be hidden and safe from Shadow. From there they would be brought forth to serve Arda when need was greatest.'

'But what about you and your mother, ma'am?' blurted out Daisy. 'What happened next?' asked Rose.

[piosenniel]

'Let's go up and sit on deck under the stars.' said Pio, feeling as if her words in that small room were crushing her with their sadness.

'Who told you about the hobbits?' asked Chld as they walked up the stairs. 'Not your mother, since her memory must have been clouded also. Did the elves know all of this?'

'No, this was not common knowledge to the elves. Only to some who were to aid the hobbits. And as to who it was who told me, I have made a promise, and cannot tell you.'

'But your mother,' said Kali, 'what of her?'

'We made it safely to Gondolin, and were allowed in, there to dwell with the many others of our kind. Many clans, all together. My mother and I came to the notice of King Turgon's daughter, Idril. And she took us under her wing, to smooth out my rough edges and teach me my elven heritage.'

She looked up at the stars, and tears dimmed her sight of them. 'I was happy there for five sweet years. Until that horrid day in the year 510 when we had all gathered as was the custom of the Gondothlim to celebrate the great feast Tarnin Austa, the Gates of Summer. The armies of Melkor, his orcs and balrogs, serpents and dragons, fell upon the city that night. And not even the eleven houses of the Gondothlim and the bodyguard of Tuor could prevail against them. "Great was the Fall of Gondolin", so said the King before he went to his death.'

'My mother was at that time in the house of Idril and Tuor, and she asked Idril to look after me, saying she needed to see about others of her clan who were in the northern part of the city, and she wanted me kept safe. I think she knew that she would not see me again. She took from her neck a fine silver chain with an enamelled silver holly leaf on it bearing three red berries, a present to her from my father in happier times. She put it round my neck and held me close, kissing me once on the forehead. Bending close to my ear, she said 'Remember, Pio. And return to me if I cannot return to you.' Then she placed my hand in Idril's and ran down the stairs. We were soon forced to flee the city with other elves of Gondolin and became refugees in a land that now groaned under Shadow.'

'But your mother' asked Bird, 'did you see her again?'

'She never returned to me.' said Pio quietly, 'but now I am here, and I will return to her.'

There were many more questions that buzzed in the air as she finished this portion of her history. Pio stood, her eyes now dry, and asked that she be allowed to continue tomorrow. She used tiredness as her excuse to finish her story later, but it was grief that stopped her flow of words.

[ July 29, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Kettle of fish]

Suddenly all aboard were struck with the new significance of the quest. And of how it was more than chance that put them on the path. Each would have the role to play, and each prayed that when the moment of need came, they would not falter.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child sat in the stern, watching the waves slide behind the ship, one-by-one. She talked to no one. Her eyes were wet with tears. Now, she understood why Piosenniel the Elf sometimes withdrew by herself to remember days long ago.

For some strange reason she did not understand, a memory came and tugged on her heart. It was something she had once seen as a child but had forgotten for many years. She recalled going with Bilbo to a great meeting in the town hall of Bree. It was the first and only time she had seen that city as a young maid. She had been so excited to go and carry her Uncle's scrolls and books.

When they had reached the hall, a group of men were engaged in a lengthy debate. Child had shrunk into the corner of the room and listened with every bone in her body, remaining absolutely silent. Bilbo had sat in a chair at the table listening to the words of the men.

At the end of the discussion, the men had turned with great solemness to Bilbo, and declared that they indeed had figured out the origins of the hobbit folk. The leader among them, the one whom the others deemed most wise, got up before the group and declared that the hobbit people were half-way between the non-sentient animals of the world and humankind. Since hobbits had no inscriptions or great works of art or large buildings, and waged war very infrequently, they could not possible be men themselves, or even a race equal to that of men. They lived in holes in the ground and, therefore, they must be animals.

She remembered that the men had assured Bilbo that he himself was, of course, an exception to this general rule. Bilbo had sat, smoked his pipe, and said nothing. Child had shrunk into the corner feeling more and more like a rabbit who had been cornered after the hunt and was awaiting the kill.

Then they had left and gone home to the Shire, and Bilbo swore never to return to Bree again.

On their way home, Bilbo had looked at Child and asked her what she thought of the men's speech. Child had shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I wanted to ask that tall man how many of his ancestors had listened to the call of the Dark One to become Uruk-hai or to go out and murder his own kin or perhaps to pound down all his neighbors beneath him so he could rise up over them as lord. I don't think that there were too many of us who did such things. Perhaps, if being a man means such things, it actually might be better to be called an animal."

Bilbo had looked at her, reached out his hand to tousle her hair, and laughed quite heartily. He then said, "You have a head on your shoulders, Child. Don't ever lose it, but also hold onto your love of mathoms and parties and running through the fields and silliness. You are wiser than the big ones know. And remember too that not all men believe such nonsense. Seek out the ones whose hearts are true. "

Perhaps, Child thought, if the big ones had heard Piosennil's story, they would not have been so ready to call her own people insulting names. But maybe they would not have stopped to listen to the story, since they were very busy with their own affairs in the Fourth Age, and sometimes seemed to forget even the wisdom of the Elves.

Child shook her head and, once again, tried to decipher the meaning of Piosenniel's words. Then she got up from the deck and decided to go search out Rose and Daisy, and tell them that she thought their journey in the small boat was not such a heinous act as Bird had said. For, if one could not do some silliness with friends now and again, what would life ever come to? And she added to her list to try and speak with Birdland sometime soon, for the shapechanger had seemed a bit sad and testy in recent days even for one of her own kind.

[ July 29, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Mithadan]

Mithadan had listened to Piosenniel's words in silence, then quietly slipped from the room. He retired to his quarters to think. In one sense, Pio's tale was just another sad story of the ill-fated First Age. But her desire to reunite with her mother alarmed him as did this entire quest. If they mis-stepped, could they disrupt future events? Or were past events set, perhaps captured within the music of the Ainur, so that they could do their part and no more?

Sleep came to him uneasily, but at length he settled in his bunk and journeyed in Lorien's realm. In a dream, he stood on a beach facing the West. Waves lapped the shore and sea-birds cried their mournful songs above. Knowing what would come next, as it had so often before, he sat in the sand and waited. Beside him was a shell, a small fighting conch tinged with orange and shades of cream. He lifted it to his ear and heard the quiet music of the waves that had been captured within such shells from the beginning of the world. The whispers of the shell continued for a time, then changed and in it he heard a small voice which said "He comes."

He stood and looked out upon the sea. The wind rose in the West and far out to sea, a wave rose and climbed higher and higher as it approached the shore. Just before it reached the sand it collapsed, revealing a tall figure, bearded and bright-eyed. On its brows was a string of mighty pearls and it wore a corselet of shining silver fish scales which winked and flashed in the sun. A spray of water surrounded him which the light converted into a rainbow over his head. Mithadan bowed deeply.

"Scion of AElfwine," he said. "Who was in turn descended from Earendil the bright, ye fear what ye must do. But do not fear to act for only through the valour and determination of thee and thine fellows may the circle which began ages ago be closed and the Music made whole. Do not fear to act, yet do not seek to do more than can be done. Gondolin fell and Beleriand was drowned and in those wars many died and ye cannot halt these things. But all is not set and the tapestries in the Halls of Mandos are not complete. Ye can still fail in your task, but only if you fail will the course of things be changed. If ye succeed, worry not of the consequences of your acts for then the circle shall be closed and the history of Arda, at least this small piece, shall be whole and complete and much sorrow averted. Fear not to act."

The figure stepped back and sank into the waters. A great wind blew again and he was gone.

Mithadan woke and rose from his bunk. He walked to a small cabinet in which her kept some few personal things. He opened a drawer and moved a silk cloth aside to reveal a small fighting conch shell. A small hole was drilled neatly in one end, evidence of the animal's battle with another of its kind; a battle which it had lost leaving behind only its hard carapace. He had found this shell on a beach as a child and taken it home as a little treasure. His dreams had begun soon after. He lifted the shell to his ear for a moment. Then he lifted a silver chain from the drawer and ran it through the hole in the shell. Clasping it about his throat, he tucked it within his shirt.

Mithadan smiled. Let Piosenniel have her secrets. They would do no harm, he now knew. And she was not the only one with secrets...

[piosenniel]

Dawn's rosy fingers crept over the surface of the sea, slowly and then more quickly, light driving the last of darkness from the face of the water.

Angara rose up from her seat beside Pio and stretched herself from snout to tail tip.

What more will you tell them, Elf?

All but what I have promised be kept secret until he reveals it to them

Foolish old meddler! How can he know how it will work out? It could be as well for ill as it is for good!

Pio laughed. You have grown so contrary with the years, my friend! Don't forget that he works under the guidance of one greater, one who loves this part of Arda and the creatures within it.

Kali had come up to greet the dawn, and now quietly drew near the elf and dragon.

Pio smiled and drew him into the circle of her arms, seating him close against her, that they might watch the sunrise together.

'Another beautiful day has come, Pio.' he said as the waves turned from red to golden.

'Indeed!'

They watched in quiet companionship for a while, then, in a small voice, he asked her, 'It isn't just to find your mother that brings you here, is it, Pio?'

'No, little one, no, it isn't'

[Rose Cotton]

That night Rose had gone to her quarters and locked herself in. This forced anyone wanting to see her to talk to her from the hall.

But Rose's solitary wasn't entirely from greif. She was also curious. She approched the bookshelf and pulled down the Silmarillion. She jumped onto her bed and flicked through the pages past where she had last left off to chapter 14. "Of Beleriand And Its Realms". She spent all night trying to understand just what happened so long ago. She didn't remember drifting off to sleep but must have because the next morning she was woke with her head resting on she pages she had been recently reading. There was alot more to Middle Earth then she had thought.

[Mithadan]

The next morning, Child, Birdland and Piosenniel came on deck to find Mithadan already busy examining the maps and charts of Beleriand. He smiled and called them over.

"It is time for us to undertake our second trip to the First Age so that we may pinpoint our time of arrival and devise a way to get when we want to be," he said. "Also, I've been thinking about how to get to Gondolin. If the tales are correct, there are two things to consider. First, the story of Turin tells us that the vale of Sirion is occupied by Morgoth's forces and that the road was at all times watched. Second, Tuor's story implies that the Hidden Way was blocked after his arrival so that route may be closed to us. I have been considering whether Angara's services might be enlisted to carry us where we want to be during a moonless evening. What do you think?"

Birdland, Child and Piosenniel exchanged glances. Some change had come over Mithadan since the previous evening.

[Rose Cotton]

Just then Rose and the rest of the company were making thier way on deck. Rose looked around and smiled. "However sad your story was last night Pio, I think it's made us a closer group." She glanced between Birdie and Daisy hoping she was correct.

[piosenniel]

'The Hidden Way?', asked Child and Bird together. 'What is that?'

'The city of Gondolin was hidden in the Vale of Tumladen.'said Pio. 'In a giant, steep-sided bowl, if you will, formed by the Echoriath, the Encircling Mountains. The Valar themselves, it is said, "wrestled the great mountains asunder, and the sides of the rift were sheer as if axe-cloven". The Hidden Way is through the ravine and tunnel left by a now dried river. It leads to a series of guarded gates which bar the entry into Gondolin.' She turned to one of the charts before Mithadan, and traced the way for them from the intersection of the River Sirion and the Dry River. 'I, too, believe this way is blocked to us.'

Her finger moved northward on the chart to Cirith Thoronath. 'There is another way, however, though I cannot say how safe it will be for Angara to take us there.'

'But first, if you wish to leave soon, then let me go ashore and let me find "when" we are now.'

[piosenniel]

By mid morning, the ship had reached a point just south of where Barad Nimras would be, along a sparsely populated area of the coast. Veritas reset the crystal, and returned them to the First Age.

The sea was glassy, the waves stilled to just a gentle undulation. A very slight breeze stirred the sail of the Lonely Star. Bird and Pio lowered a small skiff to the water and set off with Levanto to reach the coast.

Four hours later, the trio returned to the ship. Child and Mithadan were waiting for them as they came on board.

'Did you find someone to ask?' said Child. 'Do you know what the date is we're in?'asked Mithadan.

'Yes and yes!'laughed Pio. 'We are about two and a half centuries past the Dagor Aglareb. The leaguer of the Noldor about the fortress of Morgoth holds, and the Long Peace endures. From my reckoning it is the year 325, late spring.'

Bird's stomach growled loudly as if to punctuate this pronouncement. 'What say we eat!', she said. 'I'm starving!'

[ July 29, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Rose Cotton]

Rose, Daisy and Kali had already been preparing food for everyone. They all sat down and started pestering Bird and Pio with questions.

[Kettle of fish]

The kettle watched with baleful eyes. Such cheer usually meant danger would strike soon, and hard. But it did no good to dwell on such things.

[piosenniel]

It was a wonderful spread of food. Pio and Bird piled their plates high and set to with a great gusto.

The skinchanger had been in a strange mood for many days now, and Pio could not puzzle out the why of it. Many questions were asked of Bird about what the place was like where she and the elf had gone, but she turned them aside with curt answers. Discouraged, the questioners turned to Pio.

Unfortunately her answers were not as colorful and exciting as the youngsters exected. Walking on a coastline strewn with ordinary rocks and growing ordinary trees, and worse yet speaking with an elf who looked much like Pio and had only one head and no fangs, halos, or wings - well, that was not much of an adventure at all by their standards!

Daisy turned the questions back to the tale Pio had been telling them last night of her life. 'Ma'am, just what did you do after you escaped with the other elves from that city?'

'Were you scared?' asked Rose.

'Yes, I was very frightened. The armies of Morgoth were terrible to see and terrible in their actions. My child's imagination ran wild thinking of the horrors that might happen if they caught us. But Idril kept me close, and I was cheered up by the company of her little boy. He was only a few years older than myself,but so brave. He told me he would protect me, and I believed him with my childish innocence. The older elves were preoccupied with getting us to safety and finding us food and shelter, so much so that they never seemed to have time for childish questions and pursuits. He was my dear, sweet friend, and a small beacon of light in that long dark way.'

'Did you have to go far to get away?'Where did you live? With Idril and Tuor and their son?' said Child leaning forward.

'We journeyed for about a year, until we came to the mouths of the Sirion at the Bay of Balar. Over half our little band was lost. Morgoth's evil infested much of the lands we passed through, and many times we fought off marauding orcs to make our way to safety. It was a grim year, but Tuor and another of Gondolin, Voronwë, brought us at last to safer lands.'

'So, you did stay with Idril's family, then.'

'No, I was fostered out to a Falathrim family, in Brithombar. Idril believed it best that I go there. She thought it safer there for me, as it was so far from Morgoth's forces in Angband. And in truth, I loved it there! It was a large family, and they taught me all their sea-craft and sea-lore. I had many new brothers and sisters and cousins and aunts and uncles of all kinds! It was a wonderful place for a child to be, yet still I wished often that my mother could be there to share it.'

'How about your friend, Idril's son. Did you ever see him again?' asked Rose.

'I saw him as often as Idril could find time to come to see me. We remained fast friends, but the visits grew less often over the years as Morgoth increased his power and his evil Shadow spread further into the land. I do remember his last visit. He had grown into quite a handsome young man. When he smiled the light played about his eyes, and he was tall and strong and wonderful to look upon. My cousins all turned into mush-brained tweenagers when they saw him, and were quite crushed when I told them they had no hope of ever marrying him. He had come to tell me he was going to marry Elwing, my father's younger sister.'

'O! Elwing!' said Rose, her face lighting up. 'She's the one whose little practice sword you gave to me!'

'But you never told us your friend's name.' brought up Daisy. 'Who was he?', pleaded Rose.

Bird looked up at this question, fixing both of the young hobbits with a disbelieving stare. 'Did you two learn nothing during school, other than to ask irritating questions and pay no mind to the answers! It was Eärendil she meant, you great ninnies!' She shoved herself roughly away from the table and stomped up the steps. Rose and Daisy stared at each other and at Child and Pio with tears welling in their eyes.

'We didn't mean to make her mad!' they cried.

Child went round the table to comfort them, and Pio went up stairs, following her friend to the helm.

'What's the matter, Bird. What's happening to you?' Pio reached her hand out to touch her arm, but Bird pulled away and was silent.

[ July 30, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Mithadan]

Mithadan looked at Birdland with great concern. She had not been quite the same since the incident where she had difficulty morphing from a dolphin to her human form. He would speak to her privately later.

"So we need to adjust ourselves by about 175 Years of the Sun," he said. "That shall be a task for you, Piosenniel, and Veritas. But I would also like to hear how you intend to have Angara land at Cirith Thoronath without being assailed by Thorondor and his kin...." He left unsaid another issue, how would they transport a quantity of Hobbits from an area invested by Morgoth?

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child stood outside the door of Birdland's cabin, knocking on the panel to attract her friend's attention. She could hear muffled sounds inside that sounded halfway between anger and tears.

"Bird, Bird, it's me. It's Child. Please let me in. I need to talk with you now."

There was no response so Child continued to tap away at the closed entry way, fidgeting with the knob in her hand.

Then she heard shuffling steps coming slowly to the door. There was a pause and then Bird's voice came in small, halting measures.

"Not now, Child. Not now. You and Pio and Mithadan are not the only ones who have much to ponder. I can not share with you until my own heart is at rest. Leave me in peace until I can see the path I must follow."

Child bent down in front of the door, and placed a small garland of sea lillies which she and Kali and Daisy had found just an hours before and carefully woven into a band. Kali, who was just learning to read and write Westron with Child's help, had scratched a greeting on the tag in wobbly letters. The card read: "We love you, Bird. We hope you feel better. Please tell us if we can help. Your friends, Kali, Child, and Daisy.

[piosenniel]

Veritas and Pio soon had the crystal reset to the time requested by Mithadan. Veritas was about to close the cover and readjust the ship's position, when Pio stayed her hand.

'Let's check to see if all is ready and all are on board before we shift times.'

Veritas went to gather all crew members on board, while Pio went to alert Mithadan.

'We've set the crystal, Mithadan. And are prepared to engage it as you wish. The crew should all be accounted for onboard soon.'

'What of the problem I put forth concerning Eagle's Cleft?' he asked.

'We will bear the banner of the House of the King when we go. Thorondor will recognize it; and if needed we can request his aid.'

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child sat with her arm about Angara's neck waiting for the ship to make its leap. The dragon turned its jeweled green eyes on her, and then laid her head in the hobbit's lap. The dragon's act was a strangely protective one, as if she wanted to shield Child from some strange unknown danger.

Angara whispered to Child under her breath, "Hold on. You and your brothers and sisters. Strangely enough, I have become somewhat fond of your people. And, unlike the Man or the Elf on this vessel, you have little knowledge or lore to protect you. You go to face something you do not understand and can not even imagine."

"You may think you come from a different world and time, but if the Dark One should glimpse you, he will see only a hobbit face and body. His plans for you and your little friends will be no different than that which he envisions for all your other kin from the First Age."

"Unlike the Elf, you have never faced great evil. Unlike Man, you have never felt the touch of brokeness in your soul. But if you are going to help your people survive, I fear that sometime, somewhere you must look into the eye of darkness and stand firm."

"And I will tell you that, even with the power and wits of Man and the lore of the Elven kin, this venture will fail unless a hobbit finds the strength to endure, the simple act of hanging on and lasting even in the face of evil."

As Child listened to Angara's grim words, something inside her quailed, and she sensed a quiet fear she had not known before.

[ July 30, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[ July 30, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Mithadan]

As the crew readied themselves for the upcoming voyage, Mithadan paused before Child who sat with Angara's head in her lap.

"Why doesn't she ever do that with me?" he asked with a smile.

"Perhaps if you bathed me again," suggested Angara. "I might consider it. I feel the need for a good scrubbing soon."

Mithadan laughed. "Perhaps when we finish our tasks, we will have a dragon bathing party in your honour," he replied.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked Child. "If we witness the fall of Gondolin, it will certainly not be pleasant. It is easy enough to read about great deeds, but much harder to actually see them. And the deeds of the Noldor in the First Age were among the greatest...and the most futile."

[piosenniel]

It was nearing sunset when they jumped. Veritas closed the clasp to the crystal device, and once again the area about the ship shimmered and blinked once.

Night fell quickly. The sky was overcast with a thick covering of cloud; no light from moon or star shone through.

Silence shrouded the little ship, with only the sound of waves lapping at the sides to mark its presence.

Clinging on to Pio's hand, Daisy broke the quiet with a small whisper. 'I'm scared.'

[Birdland]

Bird sat in her cramped cabin, a place she normally avoided, except to toss things she had no need for. Those things really didn't take up much room, since the Changling had always believed in traveling light.

She had heard Pio's entreaty, had ignored Child pounding on her door. Perhaps everyone else on board the Lonely Star could come up with answers to hard questions on this voyage, but Bird wasn't even sure what her questions were, let alone the answer. Normally, Birdie was not a very introspective person.

As much as she wanted to help Kali, she feared and dreaded this excursion into the First Age, and wondered how much it would help the hobrim, and how much it would really be an opportunity for Pio and Child to explore their own past and their own questions.

But deep inside, Bird knew that the reason she was so troubled by the atmosphere on board the ship was the realization that others may find the answers to the mysteries of lost kin and their life's purpose, but it would never happen for Bird.

The Beorn were but one lofty branch of the odd and mysterious family of skinchangers. Settled and prosperous, with their own country that they defended zealously, they had no reason to question their role in Middle Earth.

But Bird was not a Beorn. She had been left at Carrock as an infant with a scribbled note begging, for the sake of kinship, that this changling be taken, "...for we must flee."

The Beorn were kind about such things, and told of other skin-changers that had been reared by them in the past, but they were never accepted into the family of "Bear-Men", and were cast out when they reached adulthood. And Bird had been cast out into a world where there did not seem to be another skin-changer. And she HAD looked.

But then had come the song of the Dolphin Folk. The more Bird assumed this new form, the stronger that call became. Was that what happened to her own people? Had they all found happier forms and disappeared into the worlds of badgers and birds, Ents and eagles, dolphins and dormice? The idea terrified Birdie, yet strangely appealed to her as well.

"We are a ship of orphans." Birdie muttered sadly to herself. It was all rather pathetic, actually.

She sighed and stood to leave her cabin. When she opened the door, a wreath of sea-lilies with a scribbled note fell at her feet.

Bird read the note and shook her head. "Ah, children. When will they learn that, sometimes, love is not enough?" It was a lesson Birdie would not wish on anyone.

She trudged up the stairs to the deck, and addressed the assembled crew. "I will accompany this mission in crow-form. And I will not be told 'No'."

[piosenniel]

Angara turned an eye toward Bird as she heard her proclamation.

'Crow is fine,' she said, 'but best not fly about in Thorondor's country, Bird.'