[Child of the 7th Age]

Ráma:

From the earliest days of her childhood, the thick sands and endless open vistas had molded Ráma’s personality and her general approach to life. The desert was not an easy teacher. With one hand, it offered an outpouring of wild beauty and freedom that those dwelling within city walls could scarcely imagine. Yet, there was also constant hardship and the imminent threat of danger that could challenge the very existence of the clan. When the winds of the storm season howled and great sands swirled across the canyon floor, neither Ráma nor her kin had time to sit and ponder choices. Rather, they had to decide what to do and immediately act.

This night was no different. Within a few moments of reading the note, the girl had made her decision. Although Mithadan’s tale of befriending a maenwaith woman in a distant land sounded farfetched, there was an underlying resonance in his words and voice that reassured Ráma he was telling the truth. Given this fact, her decision was simple. Not even Thorn’s command could tip the balance in another direction. Mithadan had helped one of her people, quite probably someone with great need; she now owed him equal respect and generosity.

What that might entail was not exactly clear. Certainly, she would warn the Man from Gondor of the hidden danger that awaited his crew and ship. Although only nineteen years old, she could use a sword and dagger with finesse and was not afraid to fight against the attacking Corsairs, should that be their best option. If military action failed and the two Men needed to flee to save their lives, she would supply provisions and point them in the right direction so that they could cross the great desert leading to ‘South Gondor'. Beyond that, she was uncertain.

Once the initial decision had been made, Ráma never questioned or looked back, but began immediate preparations for the dangerous road that lay ahead. Her first act was to pound on Lena’s door, enlisting the help of her older friend. Lena agreed to care for Kyelek and to hold two camels in reserve should Ráma need these for flight across the desert. The girl’s own pack sat waiting at the door; alongside it, Lena added bundles of extra blankets and generous gifts of food, plus a number of older weapons that had belonged to her deceased husband and sons. These were plain but sturdy iron daggers and swords that Ráma planned to bring to the Men within the palace, since she guessed that the two travelers had probably left their own weapons behind on the Star.

As the women finished gathering supplies, Lena cautioned her friend to be careful. Ráma nodded her sober assent. She did not wish to be a hero, only to do what was right and manage to survive.

Whatever else happened, the girl wanted to make sure that Falasmir’s agents could not use her to trace their way back to the Cat’s Paw or to the Eagle encampment. She had been especially cautious in her remarks to Lena. Rama trusted the woman without reservation, but she did not trust Falasmir’s agents who might track Lena down and question her. While the girl confided a few sketchy pieces of information, she did not reveal the details of her plan.

To further safeguard the Eagle clan, Ráma thought it best to conceal her identity. She yanked out a silver dagger from her belt, handing the blade to Lena. “Here,” she barked, grimly gesturing towards her hair, “Go ahead. Cut…”

Lena had initially recoiled at the thought of sheering that luxuriant mass of raven curls, but a second glare from Rama prompted her to act. Within a few moments, a pile of black curls lay discarded on the floor. Ráma had changed into the tattered garments of a young male slave, using the ashes from the grate to dirty her face. The last thing she did was to load a small wagon with scrub brushes, water pails, and old bed sheets. The weapons were carefully hidden under a bed of straw and the draped sheets.

When she had finished, she said her goodbyes and hurried out the door into the coutyard. Pulling the old wagon behind her, she disappeared into the maze of darkened streets and alleyways, heading towards the palace.