[piosenniel]

Child's post:

Cami's initial response was governed solely by instinct. Horrified to glimpse the small girl struggling in the grip of a maniacal demon with a dagger, she hurled her body in front of Shifty so that the thug would have to leap over her or knock her out of the way in order to make good his escape. With this split second diversion, Ruby and Merimac had an instant to dash over and position themselves at the rear of the porch.

Still reluctant to relinquish his coveted prize, and convinced he had nothing to fear, the rogue crammed the squalling bundle under his left arm and hostilely surveyed the three hobbits who were threatening to cut off his route of escape. Selecting Ruby as his most likely target, he instinctively thrust forward with his dagger, coming within a hair's breadth of the hobbit's shoulder before she adroitly pivotted and doubled back. He came at her a second time with his clenched fists and pummelled her over the edge of the porch.

Cami fumbled frantically at the belt about her waist until her fingers gripped the crosspiece of her sword. With a single smooth motion, she unsheathed the blade and drew it before her, darting in and out, vainly searching for a place where she could strike that would not endanger the squirming Larkspur. But except for a few glancing blows to the man's legs, she was unable to do any serious harm.

Intending to finish off the other two hobbits and take out his revenge on the child, Shifty hurled Larkspur's body down with a sickening thud, drew out his second dagger, and advanced towards Merimac with blades extended in both hands. Meri tried to parry and, despite the huge disparity in height and weight, matched Shifty stroke for stroke until the hobbit's sword found its mark, leaving a slash in the man's breeches and exposing a gash on his right hip.

Beside himself with anger, Shifty hurled his entire weight on top of the smaller hobbit, planning to hammer him into the ground. Without thinking of what she was doing, and, with all the might she possessed, Cami raced forward with her sword outstretched and struck at Shifty. She felt her blade go in easily, skewering the man in the back, as Meri recovered his balance and slipped harmlessly away. Shifty halted in mid-pace, lurched forward to one side and fell to the ground, the sound of his jagged breaths first slowing then replaced by an omenous silence.

In the few seconds in which all this had played out, Pio had raced back towards the cottage landing on the porch in a single bound. Running up to Larkspur, she cradled the child in her arms carefully examining her to make sure that she was no more than bruised and dazed. Ruby gave the Elf a weak grin already pulling herself up from the grass and limping off with Merimac back towards the fence.

Cami knelt unmoving beside the still body, unwilling or unable to pull out her sword from the ruffian's back. Her face was a mask of conflicting emotions. Relief, confusion, and sadness mingled together as she stared down at the blood that was pooling on the porch.

"He never saw me Pio. He never even saw me. I just ran him through the back. But he would have killed Larkspur. I know he would. And I don't understand why he hated us so much...."

_____________________________________________

Pio’s post

Pio pulled the sword from Shifty’s body and flung it in a high arc toward the burning fields. For a single moment it hung high over the flames, the blade catching the flickering red and orange lights that licked up to claim it. It fell, heavy hilt first into the cloud of smoke and ash, disappearing into darkness.

Shifty, she left lying there, he was nothing to her. But she bent down and drew Cami up, pulling her close to her and hurried her from the porch and to the fence with the waiting ponies just beyond. The others were waiting for her there. Merimac led the way with Fosco planted firmly on the saddle before him. Behind him came Frodo-lad, followed by Buttercup with Tom before her, then Ruby holding tight to Will. Gilly was next to last, cradling Larkspur close to her, safe in the folds of her cloak. The little girl whimpered for her dolly as they rode away from the cottage. But Gilly comforted her saying that she would see to making her a new one, and what did she think the new dolly should be called . . .

The Elf took Cami up to ride before her. The Hobbit was cold, and she shivered though the night was warm. Pio tied the makeshift sling about her friend and nestled the babies in. Cami’s arms went instinctively around the little ones, and Pio drew her cloak about all of them, holding them all close against her.

They rode in silence for a long time, the ponies picking their way carefully through the smoky terrain. At last the air about them grew clearer, and the myriad of stars that grace the summer’s night shone bright again. Cami pushed back the cloak and let the clean breeze wash over her.

‘Why did you throw the sword away, Pio? I may need it again,’ she said, pulling the cloak over the sleeping babies. For a long moment, only the sound of Falmar’s hooves clip clopping on the hard ground answered her. And she thought perhaps the Elf had not heard her question.

Pio shifted in the saddle, finding a more comfortable seat. ‘It did not fit your hand, Cami,’ came the soft reply, as the Elf bent her head close to the Hobbit. Cami’s brow furrowed in the darkness. ‘But that was the one we practiced with, you said it fit me fine.’

‘I was wrong, then wasn’t I. Too blind and stubborn to see your hand was not made for it.’ Pio shook her head at her own foolishness. ‘The sword isn’t your weapon, Cami. Your words and thoughts are. Set down with your pen on paper, they shine out in the darkness. Little beacons, little guides.’ She flexed her right hand, making a fisted grip. ‘The blade is my weapon, the pen and inkwell yours. And against the darkness both are needed.’

They rode on in silence once again, and Pio could feel Cami relax against her, the rhythm of the movement lulling her into a drowsy state. Pio put her left arm around her and held her securely on the saddle. The little brown head nodded as sleep claimed her. Pio bent to kiss her curly mop. ‘What a treasure you are, my friend . . .’

He would never have seen you. she thought to herself, thinking back on what Cami had said on the porch. Not even if you stood before him, in the clear light of day. No, he would never have seen you . . .

[ July 22, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[ July 22, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]