[Child of the 7th Age]

Cami listened to Piosenniel's questions and struggled through her brain to find something, anything, to say in response.

To be truthful, Cami had no idea what the boys had pilfered from the pile to take to market. There were heaps and heaps of supplies, and she would have no way of knowing exactly what was missing. Nor did she have the slightest idea where the two had gone after they'd made their trade.

She stammered out, "Give me a minute, Pio. Just a minute. Let me think."

The crowd was thick near the gates, and one or two stared pointedly in their direction at the sight of two women with their skirts askew standing beside a tiny cloaked figure who appeared to be a child. Cami tugged her hood further down over her eyes and wriggled her toes uncomfortably inside the boots she'd 'borrowed' from Bird's closet. The boots were several sizes too small for Cami's generous feet, and were making her life miserable. Perhaps she should have borrowed a larger pair from Mithadan.

At the thought of Mithadan, Cami cringed and shrank further down into the shadow. She could not imagine what the Man would say if his audience with King Ciryandil was interrupted by the unfortunate news that a riot had broken out in the city, caused by the antics of two very small strangers with very large feet who'd come from over the sea. Gamba certainly had a knack for getting into trouble!

At that instant, just when Cami was ready to concede defeat, she heard a commotion coming from inside the gate. Someone was approaching, with a shrill, discordent voice that rang out above the throng. A boy had grabbed onto the arm of a City Guard, and was pulling him through the archway, out of the marketplace, with two lads in tow.

"I tell you, sir. One of them had great webbed feet--green they were. And the other looked just like a rabbit."

"That may be so, lad," the guard replied, "But Minas Anor has no laws that says anyone's feet must be a certain way!"

"But, those two are thieves," the boy charged. "They stole a whole stack of money that Dauran gave me. Just ask the trader. He'll tell you."

"You're sure of this?" the Guard sternly intoned.

"Very sure. And they're with a scoundrel, so I've got a good idea where they're headed."

With that, Gilthor turned abruptly towards the harbour, with the Guard and two boys following close behind. Not the new harbor where their own ship was docked, but an adjacent section that was among the oldest in the city. More respectable citizens of Gondor tended to avoid that quarter of Minas Anor. Its buildings were regarded as creaky and uncertain, with some of them close to tumbling off into the waters of the River.

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