[Child of the 7th Age]

One instant Child was discussing the situation with Faramir, and the next instant the entire party was overwhelmed by a huge contingent of Orcs and evil men.

Faramir tried to push the ladies Birdland and Child to the rear of the fighting so they would not be injured. However, Child and Bird were in no mood for this, and began clamoring for weapons.

Actually, Bird did not even need a weapon. Her huge branches could be used to wham opponents securely over their heads. Child managed to secure a bow with arrows, and she proceeded to pick off Orcs one by one. Sind also joined in.

Faramir of the Third Age seemed truly puzzled. In between his frantic sword strokes, he yelled out: "Good ladies, I have never seen women fight in battle in this manner. I can not imagine that a lady of the Third Age would be so inclined to do something of this sort."

With the clear advantage of hindsight, Child looked at Birdie and giggled.

Child managed to retort back to Faramir: "Well, you'd better remember this image of the two of us here, helping to vanquish the enemy, and realize that should you meet such a gifted woman, she is worth a great deal in both gold and valor!"

"Ladies," he replied. "I shall not forget this lesson."

Things did not appear to be going very well when, out of nowhere, a golden dragon swooped down with Pio and Veritas on his back. Pio was yelling loudly to Angara, "This is it, on the outskirts of Third Age Mordor. Go blow fire on those Orcs and evil men."

Angara was quick to oblige and soon the enemy had been driven from the field, in what might be termed a well-done state.

The exhausted parties were near collapse, but supremely happy. Pio, Veritas, Sind, Birdland, and Child were literally jumping into each other's arms with happiness. Finally, finally, we are together in one place. Now we will show that Rose Cotton what we are made of.

All of Faramir's suspicions had been allayed, and he vowed to help the five combat the evils of Rose and the REG.

Child was grinning ear to ear. "This is what we must do. Faramir, send a homing pigeon through to Gandalf. Explain the situation and tell him he must immediately let us know where Rose and the REG have landed. Sind is an Elf so he can send a mind-to-mind communication through to him. And tell Ganadalf to warn the Ents, the men of Rohan and Gondor and anyone else he can think of about the evil REG.

Child thought a minute and then said: "Tell them not to hurt Rose. She is as much a victim in this as we are. Please don't hurt our friend who is acting funny in the head. Please, please, listen to me! Hobbits don't kill hobbits and I don't want to be even indirectly responsible for the second demise of Rose Cotton."

" As soon as word comes through, the five of us will climb on Angara (he had definitely grown to a very large size!) and swoop down on the unsuspecting Rose. We've got to somehow flame the REG to extinction but get Rose out of the way,"

"To tell the truth," Child whispered, "The people I am most afraid for are those back home on the party field. I am terribly afraid what the REG may send through to them. We've got to destroy that instrument,
and get back home to help."

She hoped Frodo managed to keep an eye on things through the Palantir. She hoped he remembered that, in a real jam, they could escape the party field and get through to Pio and Birdland, simply by following the open channel from the palantir keychain. She sincerely hoped he had paid attention to her.

If not, Child reckoned, if they didn't hear from Frodo soon, they would have to assume something awful was happening. And if that awful thing happened, they would somehow need to figure out how to get home immediately.

Samwise and Frodo had experienced enough suffering in their life. Child figured the two of them didn't need any more.

[ June 04, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]