[Child of the 7th Age]

Child was beginning to feel extremely nervous. She had stepped under the deck for a short time to tend to Idril's needs. When the storm had hit with full flurry, both she and Idril had come racing up to the main deck to see if they could help.

As Child came upon the deck, she saw an amazing thing. First Rose and then Pio seemed to purposely slide into the dark waters. Child stood in stunned disbelief. She knew not what to do. So she turned and begged Idril for help.

Child had assume that Idril would be next to useless in the face of such catastrophe, but she was pleasantly surprised. It was quite obvious that Idril was an experienced mariner, more so than any other person on board. It was clear that she had gained much knowledge of sailing while living on her husband's ship.

Moreover, because of her family's close ties with Ulmo, she seemed to have a special connection with the ocean itself. Idril went forward to the brow of the ship and raised one arm to the heavens.

She spoke beseeching words in Quenya, of which Child could only guess the meaning, but it was clear that they were addressed to the Lord of the Waters and King of the Seas. Slowly, slowly, the fierceness of the storm subsided.

Yet its departure brought little joy to those on board. It soon became clear that many of their number had fallen or jumped from the ship itself into the ocean waves. Child shook her head in disbelief--Pio, Birdie, Rose, and, from the other vessel, Mith. All were missing.

This was not possible. Child was racked with guilt.....if only she had remained on deck. Perhaps she might have done something to help her friends.

Child turned a tear stained face to Idril and knelt at her feet. "If you have any special gifts of seeing, what has happened to my companions? Where have they gone?"

Idril looked on the distant horizon and spoke as if she was in a dream: "Your friends, perhaps, have perished, or may have managed to drag their bodies upon some floating piece of driftwood. Truly I cannot say."

"But," she hesitated as if not knowing whether she should even speak of such a thing, "there is one other possibility. It is said that Master Ulmo dwells in the waters under Middle-earth or in the Outer Ocean for he does not wish to assume a fana even to visit the Council of Valar."

"It is possible that your friends have been sucked into a channel which leads down to the kingdom of Ulmo. I simply do not know."

"Then, again, others have told me that sea balrogs dwell in the watery bowels of the earth. We will pray that your friends do not meet with such a creature, for they will wish that they had never lived and walked upon the dry lands."

Child hung her head. She almost began thinking that this whole mess was all her fault. But, no, this was ridiculous. She had done nothing to generate the storm.

"Idril," Child queried, "May I also jump into the waters and meet my friends and help them?"

"Oh, no, little one, Idril said. "The ways of the Sea are different. A channel that opens one moment may be closed the next. You can do naught but stay here and wait. Keep guard on the waters in case your friends have found some temporary raft."

"But look," Idril said pointing. "Here comes some small tiding of help. My husband and his ship pull up to our bow. If any man on the face of the Earth may gain us favor with Ulmo, it is my beloved Tuor, for the Lord of the Sea regards him almost as a son."

[ June 13, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]