[piosenniel]

The ink was faded, almost a pale grey against the surface of the vellum, now lightly yellowed from the passage of many years. On the page, the words centered carefully, was written:


~*~ Being the Account of Camelia Goodchild Tuk ~*~

- Year 1000 of the Third Age: After Her Return to Greenwood -


“Tuk” had been lined through, once, she noted, and above it, printed in legible letters, was the single word, “Zaragamba”.

Pio’s heart was racing, and her hand shook as she tracked the letters of that familiar script. She took a deep breath, steadying herself as she let it out slowly.

This was Cami’s journal! From her time in Greenwood. How had it come to be hidden in the ashes of her burned down house by the Bywater Pool?

There had been a thin envelope, she recalled, stuck between the cover of the first book of the stack, one of the Postal ledgers. Pio had pulled it out and laid it on the bed beside her, thinking to look at it later. Some letter, undelivered, she thought, stuck in the daybook by one of the post men. Now she picked it up, and fished out the thin piece of paper, its brief message written in a bold hand.

It was a note from Merry Brandybuck, written to his friend and fellow author, Pippin Took. He had recently come upon a number of interesting books concerning events pertinent to Shire history and hadn’t had time as yet to look through all of them. Would Pippin, he asked, be so good as to look through the lot he was sending him, and they could discuss their merits at their next meeting. Four of the books, he thought, might interest Mister Bilbo’s old student – Cami. Would Pippin see that she got the chance to look at them?

At the bottom of the note, were a few sentences penned by Pippin. Hope you enjoy looking through these books, he had written Cami. And asked her to take a few notes for him and Merry; then send them onto the Mathom House if she thought them worthy of keeping.

‘Oh, Cami!’ cried Pio laughing through her tears at the twist of fate that had hidden the answers to Cami’s questions and wonderings. ‘Here was the treasure, right under your feet.’

She turned the page and glanced quickly at the first entry. With a gasp she took in the barebones of it, then closed the ledger, her hand touching firmly against the leather cover. Mithadan would be home later in the evening. This is something that he should see, that he would want to see. They would read it together, when the evening’s routines had been seen to.

Pio opened the drawer to her bedside table, and fitted the ledger in. She could hear Gilly and the twins returning from their visit. They would need to be washed and fed, and then a light supper made and kept for the rest of them as they awaited the return of Mithadan.

Giving a last glance at the little table, Pio hurried from the bedroom. Duties to be seen to before desires were met . . .