[Child of the 7th Age]

Cami awoke several hours later, feeling somewhat better, but disappointed to learn that Piosenniel had already left. She and Maura had risen early and rushed homeward in the hope that she could see her friend. Now that was impossible, since the Elf had taken the pony cart and was off somewhere searching the roads for Gilly.

Cami shook her head and wondered about the wisdom of Pio going off on her own so close to the birth of the twins. Still, Pio was an Elf, and perhaps she could tell exactly when these things were and weren't going to happen. Cami even considered whether she should try to saddle up a mount and go racing after her so that the two of them could talk. But a sharp glance from Maura disabused her of that notion.

Cami was not pleased to hear about Rose being with Mithadan and Bird. Once or twice, she scowled and asked what the Man could have been thinking when he agreed to let Rose go into such a dangerous situation. But Cami couldn't complain too much. She herself had turned a blind eye when Rose and Gilly left, altough she had suspected what her daughter was up to. Rose could be terribly stubborn, and Mithadan may not have had an easy time with that any more than she had.

Cami resiged herself to going back to the pond with Holly. For several weeks, she'd been working on two baby presents that still weren't ready. She promised herself to spend the afternoon putting the finishing touches on those, just in case Pio's twins came a bit earlier than expected.

Before Maura left for Bag-end to return the pony to Samwise, he leaned over to Cami and suggested, "We're not sure how much time we have here after the birth. We still haven't done a public handfasting. Let's do that right after Pio has her twins. Perhaps, we could do a joint party to celebrate the birth and our marriage."

Cami said she'd agree to this idea, as long as Pio felt comfortable with it. She hated to do a party when Rose and Mithadan and Bird were missing, but there seemed to be little choice. She told Maura to keep the guest list small. Given the sad situation in the Shire, it seemed appropriate that their festivities be quiet and intimate, with only close friends in attendence. Maura promised to talk with Samwise imediately after the birth and see what they could do.

[ May 08, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]