[piosenniel]

It was very late at night before Bird staggered back to the cottage. In a few hours it would be dawn, and most of the men in Shifty’s cabin were dead drunk and collapsed on the floor, the sounds of their loud snores and grunts punctuating the stillness of the night.

Bird reached the door and fumbled at the lock with her key. Pio, had slid beneath the fence as she saw her friend returning, and gone silently up the stairs behind her, listening to the string of invective Bird hurled at the recalcitrant key.

‘Here. Let me try it for you.’ The low voice at her shoulder and the feel of the hand as it slid over hers to steady her grip made Bird gasp and twist away from the perceived assailant. Pio could see the thoughts forming in Bird’s ale-fuddled mind, and she grabbed Bird’s arm. ‘Open your eyes and look at me,’ she hissed, moving in closer. ‘Bank the fires, Bird. It won’t do to have the dragon spring out now.’

A certain level of clarity invaded the red rimmed eyes, and she growled back at Pio. ‘Two more seconds, Elf, and you woulda been toast!’ She cuffed Pio clumsily on her ear. ‘When will you ever learn? Don’t scare the shapechanger!’

By now Pio had the door unlocked, and opening it wide, dragged Bird into the dimly lit front room and locked it securely. ‘Sit down and collect your thoughts as best you can. I have heard from Mithadan, not long ago. Bird sat down on one of the straight back chairs at the table, and held her head in her hands. ‘And if you have anything for that headache you will have later today, best you be taking some soon.’

Pio outlined when Mithadan would arrive, and with how many Hobbits. She explained what he and the greater body of the group would do at the north entrance, and how he would send several Hobbits with ponies to help in the escape of the children. Bird’s face turned a pale shade of green at the mention of the little mounts and she looked beseechingly up at Pio.

‘Tell me you aren’t expecting me to ride one of those overgrown dogs back to the Shire! My gut is already lurching at the thought of it.’ Pio laughed at the expected remarks, saying she had hoped that Bird would become the jackdaw and spy out any who might pursue them. ‘Your plan is sounding better by the minute, Elf.’

Bird rose from her seat and searched the cupboards for a packet of headache powder, and finding one poured herself a mug of cool water to mix it in. Down it went in a gulp, followed by a mighty belch. Pio laughed quietly and shook her head, as the sour odor of old ale mixed with the sharp smell of willow bark powder perfumed the space between them.

The sound of the door to the back room opening, stopped her laughter cold, and she slid into the shadows at the corner of the room. Her blade, slipping easily from its sheath, was held lightly in her hand.

It was Gilly, she had heard the voices and come to see who it was. ‘I thought I heard a familiar laugh, Miz Bird,’ she said, peeking round the room. ‘But it must just have been a dream.’ Her eyes stopped on the dim figure in the shadows and she cried out in fear.

Pio stepped into the dim light, sheathing her sword, and motioned the frightened girl to her. ‘Not a dream, Gilly. I have just come to tell Bird that Mithadan and a great many of our friends from the Shire will be here tomorrow night, about this time. And that I will come to take all of you to safety.’ Gilly collapsed against Pio, sobbing silently. ‘I knew you would come.’

She drew back and sniffled a bit, wiping her eyes and nose on the sleeve of her dress. ‘You have been very brave, Gilly,’ said Pio, taking the Hobbit's hands in hers. ‘I got the information I needed from the Innkeeper at the Perch thanks to you.’ She plucked a folded square of cloth from her waistband, and held it out to Gilly. ‘And this, too, that you left for me.’

Pio tucked the square safely away again, and sitting down on one of the chairs drew the lass in closer. ‘I know, too, what a comfort you have been to the babies. They were depending on you, and you came through for them. I will always be in your debt for doing that for us.’

‘If you’ll just get us out of here, Mistress Piosenniel, I’ll consider the debt repaid a hundred times over.’ She straightened up her posture and gave another swipe at her eyes. ‘Sit right there. Let me get them for you.’

Gilly came back out, a sleepy eyed Fosco trailing along with her, one hand gripping firmly Gilly’s skirt. ‘Pio,’ he said, rubbing the sleepy dust from his eyes. ‘Has my mommy and daddy come to take me home?’ He looked about the room hopefully, his thin little fade falling when he did not see them. His lower lip quivered and a tear threatened at the corner of his eye.

Pio gathered him into her arms and spoke softly to him. ‘Can you be brave for one more day, Fosco?’ he nodded his head hesitantly at her question. ‘Your daddy is depending on you, Fosco. He is riding here with Mithadan and will be here tomorrow night, about this time. Can you be brave until then?’ The little Hobbit hugged her fiercely and nodded his head vigorously. ‘And be as quiet as a mouse about it. Say nothing about me or what I have told you until we come for you. The bad men must not know about us.’ Fosco’s solemn little face broke into a smile at the thought of having one over on the bad men, and he hugged her once again.

The babies, held in Gilly’s arms, stirred at the sound of their mother’s voice and the scent of her nearness. They cried out and she reached out for them, drawing them in close to her. Their sweet baby smell came through the layer of grime that covered them and their raggedy blanket, and she could hardly breathe for the intensity of feeling their presence brought her. She nursed them, letting them take their greedy fill of her, until drowsy with milk, they slipped into satisfied dreams. She looked at each little face for a long time, and kissed the corners of their lips. ‘Take them from me, Gilly,’ she said handing them one by one back to the Hobbit. ‘Before I cannot let them go.’

She stood, straightening her tunic about her, and drew on the cape she had thrown over the back of the chair. ‘Tomorrow,’ she said to them. ‘Until then, know I will be near, watching out for you as I can. She kissed the twins on the cheek and ruffled Fosco’s hair.

Bird blew out the lamp and opened the door, checking for any prying eyes. There were none, and she motioned Pio out the door, watching as she climbed over the side of the porch railing and disappeared into the darkness.

[ July 18, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]