[Child of the 7th Age]

Cami had spent most of yesterday afternoon at the home of Hob and Minta, helping to take care of a parcel of children who'd been left there so their parents could go off searching the countryside for some sign of Fosco and his assailant. She had fussed and fretted at first, wanting to grab up her bow and go galloping through the lanes and fields. She still remembered a number of hiding places from her childhood, and yearned to go have a look, and see if she could find any clues as to the whereabouts or identity of the bandit.

But, by the time she'd gotten to the stables, all of the beasts had been claimed, so she would have had to go on foot. Worst of all, Cami was still feeling nauseous and a jaunt across the countryside, even for a very serious reason, did not seem like a good idea. So she had stayed and helped Minta care for a whole houseful of toddlers and babies who were crawling and tottering about in ten different directions at once.

By the end of the day, her feet and body were aching. Cami wondered if it wouldn't have been easier to go off on her own searching for clues in the lanes and byways. At least, then, she'd have been able to stop for a while and rest, something which had proven impossible with such a gaggle of small children all trying to escape at once out of the doors and windows. As the news had slowly filtered back through the day and evening, she found herself increasingly depressed with the realization that Fosco was nowhere to be found, and all of their children now stood in danger of further attacks.

With the return of the final search party, Maura had come over to retrieve her, now that the other children had been picked up by their parents. The two of them decided to sleep in the stable, for what little of the night remained. That way, Maura reasoned, he could keep a closer eye on Gamba and his charges. Cami immediately drifted off to sleep in the hay, while Maura tucked the littlest ones in under Gamba's watchful eye. Then Maura went and barred the stable door and lay down in front of it to make sure no one else could force their way in. It was probably not necessary, he thought. But, under the circumstances, one could never be too careful.

They'd gone to the Inn that morning to get breakfast, and Cami had searched for Mithadan and Piosenniel, banging on their chamber door with no succeess. Whether they were out, or just preferred to maintain their privacy, Cami could not guess. She had then searched the hallways and back courtyard for her friends, but they were nowhere to be seen. She was deeply worried about Fosco and the other hobbit children, but she also kept reflecting on Bird and Mithadan, and what the shirriff might try to do to them. Even worse were the muttered curses that she'd heard on the part of some of the other hobbits who should have known better. Cami felt an urgent need to see Mithadan and make sure he was alright.

By the time, she stumbled back into the common room to get a bite to eat, she saw Cook and Hob and Maura seated at a table with Pio. Cami joined them, saying little beyond a gruff good morning, not joining in the conversation which centered almost wholly on the latest news, and eating only a crumb or two. After finishing their tea and cleaning bread off the trenchers, Hob and Maura had gotten up to leave. Maura had promised to hold another training session with bows and daggers and pitchforks out under the mallorn tree, and Hob had business to do in the stables, tending to all the horses who had been dropped off there after the search had ended. The Inn was now buzzing with activity, since many of the searchers had stayed the night at the Inn rather than walking home so late.

As Cami watched the two figures leave, she leaned closer to her friend, "Pio, we have to talk. Where is Mithadan? I wanted to speak with him, but couldn't find him anywhere. It's as if he's avoiding being seen. I urgently need to tell him something...."

Pio looked over at her and wrinkled her brow. "Tell him something? What's that?"

Cami opened her mind and let Pio's thoughts come slipping into her own. It took only a moment for the Elf to understand what had happened the night before. Just as she had so long ago on the Star, Cami had found herself dreaming, a vision more vivid than life itself. This time, it was not the Lady of Sorrows or the rascally Gamba with his serious brother. This time, the focus of her dream was Mithadan and Bird. There were dark shadows all about, and Mithadan was wearing a great black cloak. There were Men, evil Men, at his side who seemed to waiver between being suspicious and accepting him as one of their own. Cami knew Bird was there, but she could not see her. Still, she heard the flitter of wings overhead and a small, dark shadow in the rafters. At one point, an evil Man arose and placed his sword within a hair's breadth of Mithadan's throat. He seemed poised to draw back his arm and strike. The whole thing had seemed very, very real. It was at this point that Cami had awoken in a cold sweat with tears streaming down her face.

She glared up at Piosenniel and implored, "What is happening? Whatever it is, you must stop it. I fear for your husband's life."

[ April 19, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]