[Child of the 7th Age]

Andreth looked over at the hobbit and shrugged her shoulders, "Probably nothing, but none of us will know that till we try."

She was careful to add the word 'probably.' The truth was she didn't know. She'd heard so many wild tales from her father. There was no way to be sure what would happen until they actually reached the Castle,....if she managed to survive that long.

Andreth quietly beckoned Holly over to the side of the road where she halted for a minute, sliding her hand under her belt and drawing forth a tattered volume that looked as if it had seen much wear. The girl glanced cautiously from side to side to make certain no one else was looking. Then she fingered the small book gingerly, sliding her hand over the rough leather binding and carefully opening the cover.

"But I do have something to help us, all of us. This tome has passed down in my family from one generation to the next." Andreth slowly turned a few of the brittle sheets, being careful not to rip them. "You can see how old it is. Some leaves are faded and others missing, but they do seem to give a lot of description about the Castle and many of its rooms."

"I think once there must have been a map folded here as well, but that's now missing." She pointed towards a jagged edge where it looked as if something had been wrenched out of the volume. "I would give a great deal to look upon that map, for I think it could be matched up with the descriptions in the book."

"And look here....it's almost as if someone had tipped in a document or deed, then hastily removed it. I've often wondered what that was, or why it was taken out."

Holly poked her nose deep inside the binding. "But what language is this? I can't even read it."

Andreth laughed and admitted, "Neither can I. My father says it's the language of the Elves, the one that's very old. Not Sindarin, but High-Elven, what they call the Ancient Tongue."

"I suppose Gandalf could read it," Holly interjected, "or that other Elf, the sour one called Nardol, or perhaps Bethberry."

Andreth nodded in agreement, then deftly tucked it back under her belt. "For now, I'll keep it safe here. When we approach the keep, perhaps I'll give it to one of them and see if they can untangle the meaning."

[ December 24, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]