[piosenniel]

Two months later – leaving Firien Wood, heading southeast

Bird had elected to travel, at least for this while, as the jackdaw and sat perched on the handle of the brake at Pio’s side. Only half a month more of travel and barring any catastrophe, they would be in Minas Tirith.

The twins were napping, and Gilly sat, head nodding, not too far from sleep herself. Mithadan had gone on down the path, scouting the way ahead. Bored with the unending scenery of trees and hills, Bird fluttered up to Pio’s shoulder and brought her beak close to Pio’s ear, settling in for a chat. The prospect of being able to put her plans into action with a little of the funds that were hers excited her, and she talked at length about what she had planned.

The Elf, for her part, was happy for her friend, promising that she would poke about in the city’s library for any references to shapechangers. They fell to talking about Cami, and how she had been a great one for ferreting out information from the scrolls and tomes in the stacks.

Pio let the ponies amble along and brought out her daybook, showing Bird her newest entry of their trip so far. There was a small sketch of the jackdaw perched on the rim of the twins’ basket she had done one recent evening when they’d stopped for the night, and Bird turned her head this way and that, giving it a critical appraisal.

There were other small drawings on other pages, and Bird looked through them as Pio turned the pages, noting how she had captured the likenesses. One she chuckled over – a picture of Amaranthas leaning up against Angara, both their eyes fixed on the viewer, challenging them to refute some opinion they had just given. ‘That would have been an interesting meeting to have witnessed, eh, Bird?’

No response was forthcoming from her friend. Pio looked up to see Bird giving her a considering look. ‘There was something that Amaranthas said when we left, something that lay in the back of my mind. This picture just prompted it back into focus.’

Bird looked down to where Isilmir and Gilwen lay nestled together, their backs touching one another; then glanced back at her companion, who sat grinning slyly at her.

‘You’re not,’ said Bird, fluffing her feathers and giving them a shake.

‘We are,’ said, Pio, looking into the distance where Mithadan, astride his horse, now picked his way back to the wagon.

‘Her name will be Cami in the Mannish tongue, which is how she will be known by most.’ Pio grinned at the little jackdaw. ‘To me she will be Eresseleniel.’

Mithadan drew up alongside the wagon, looking down at the daybook opened on Pio’s knees. ‘What are you two talking about,’ he said craning his neck to see the pictures. His brow furrowed at the picture of Amaranthas and Angara. And he frowned down at Bird, who was hopping back and forth on Pio’s shoulder.

She looked at the twins, then fluffed her feathers once again, and shook them. Launching herself from her fleshy perch, she flew up to the Man and settled in on his shoulder, pulling at a strand of his silvered hair. ‘We’re talking about the family, Mithy . . . you . . . Pio . . . and the triplets . . .’

‘Triplets?’

‘Yes,’ cackled the little jackdaw, ‘Gilwen, Isilmir, and the one due in nine months.’

‘One . . . due . . .?’

‘Is there and echo in here?’ chortled Bird, hopping up and down with glee. ‘Your other daughter . . . Cami.’

‘Cami?’ His gaze snapped round to Pio, who simply nodded her head ‘yes’.

A wide grin split his face, followed by a deep belly laugh. The two looked at him, awaiting an explanation.

‘Well, then,’ he said, a smug look on his face. ‘Triplets it is!’ He grinned again.

‘Elvish triplets!’