[piosenniel]

‘I still do not like that you will be gone from the ship, Pio. One of you should stay here. We are too close to the end of this to have something go wrong now.’ Khelek’s voice was raised in frustration as he voiced his argument once again. Veritas , too, raised her objections saying that there were a number of last details that needed to be put in place before the Elven ships arrived.

‘They will simply have to wait, Veritas.’ Pio told her patiently. ‘We will be back tomorrow, late afternoon. The details will still be waiting for us then.’ She put her hand on Khelek’s shoulder. ‘We must go to the caverns, all of us - Cami and Rose to give hope to the Hobbits there, Mithadan to speak with the Elders as they requested, I to guide them. Nothing will go wrong, Khelek. Look for us tomorrow, late afternoon.’ She looked to where Mithadan stood by the skiff. ‘I must go now. Should anything arise which you feel you cannot handle, consult with Ancalimon. He also has full knowledge of our plans.’

Pio strode toward the group of Hobbrim, and, nodding at Andril, motioned for Cami and Rose to now come with her. She could feel the level of excitement running through Rose’s body as she put her arm around her shoulders and walked along with her. Rose’s eyes were flashing with the thought of an adventure finally begun. Cami though, it seemed, had banked her excitement and wore a more thoughtful look upon her face.

They boarded the skiff, now bobbing gently on the waves. Levanto leaned on the side, looking at all they had brought. ‘It will be a long trip to the caverns.’ He said, eyeing the four of them and all the equipment. ‘We should push off soon.’ He reached up and put his hand on Pio’s upper arm. ‘I hope this will be enough muscle to row all the way up the river and back again should there be no wind!’ he laughed. ‘And what’s this?’ He had found the packet of greased cloth that Mithadan had stowed away, and poked at the mail shirt within.

Pio removed the packet from his prying fingers and placed it beneath her seat. Her shirt rode up a little as she bent over. Sunlight flashed off something bright and silvery for just a moment. ‘And this . . .?’ Levanto asked, raising the hem of her tunic to find the mithril shirt beneath. She shook her head ‘no’ at him, and removed his hand gently. A small smile creased her face, as she secured the tunic with her belt.

‘Contingencies, my dear Levanto! Contingencies.’

The Mer-man gave her a doubtful look, then took the lead, swimming strongly before them, as Mithadan cast off.

Pio soon got into the rhythm of the moving vessel. It had a lulling effect on her, as she relaxed into it. She checked her weapons one last time. Two long knives, and four for throwing were secured in her belt. Two additional knives were strapped each to a forearm. She smoothed out a wrinkle in her dark grey tunic, and rolled her black leggings above her knees, letting the sun warm her bare legs and feet. Her grey Elven cloak folded small and tucked behind her head as a pillow, she put all thoughts of Gorthaur's ship from her mind and watched the flocks of seabirds that wheeled and turned in the ocean breezes.

When the time came she would be ready.

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