[Child of the 7th Age]

As Cami heard the commotion at the door of the kitchen, she set down the serving platters she'd retrieved from the Common Room after the last luncheon setting and came over to find out what was happening.

She could scarcely believe the words she was hearing from Halfred's mouth. Her dear friends, who had given their life's blood to save and preserve the hobbits of Beleriand and Numenor, were now to be taken aside and treated as if they were common criminals. Cami pushed her way to the front of the group and stared at Halfred, spluttering out her rage and frustration.

"Fool of a hobbit. Just ask anyone in the Inn. We can all vouch where the two of them were when these attacks took place. Go ahead, talk to anyone you like, and they'll tell you the very same thing."

Halfred narrowed his eyes and glared back at Cami. "That's not what my sources say. Indeed, your high and mighty friend, the Elf, was out gallavanting about the countryside for a considerable period of time. Her husband arrives here after months of being apart, and, a few days later, his wife disappears with no explanation. The whole thing sounds fishy."

"In any case, Cami Goodchild, I don't believe a word you're saying. You're so enamored of these outsiders that you'd say and do anything on their behalf." He pushed Cami roughly aside and strode forward into the Inn, insisting that Ruby take him to the suspects so he could begin their interrogation.

As the kitchen door slammed shut behind Halfred, Prim tugged on Cami's sleeve, and pulled her into the pantry, lowering her voice so that she could not be heard by anyone casually passing by.

"Don't bother with him, Miz Cami. He's lost all reason and sense. The best thing we can do is to start organizing to defend ourselves against these bandits, and try and come up a plan for figuring out who they really are."

"Cami, I need to stay here and prepare the evening meal, since Cook is still resting. I want you to run over to Bag-end and see if you can persuade Mayor Sam to call a meeting in a day or so for the residents of Bywater and Hobbiton. Then we can talk about these things and decide what we should be doing."

Cami nodded her head in ready agreement and went out to the stables to saddle up a pony. She told Maura she'd be back shortly, then took off speedily for Bag-end, glad to be doing something other than sitting still and worrying.

[ March 27, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]