[Child of the 7th Age]

OOC -- This is real tricky to get the chronology straight when little things like work and life force all of us (including myself) to be on at different times.

My own order of posts go like this (game time):

4pm Gamba visits the children
8:30 pm Helen's Candlestones -- will paste
10:30 pm Sharon's continuation of candlestones
11 pm Helen's seizing of Gamba -- will paste
11:30 - midnight Sharon's post on completion of candlestones
Presumably Bird would then pop in about that time and the rescue go forward.


This is for 4p.m., Gamba visits the children.

Pat--Put your next post after this. Whatever it is, I will try to adopt to the chronology. I can use this single space to put in everything I have up to midight or list them after you and others as needed.

If I wake up later in the night, which is a definite possibility since I feel lousy, I'll check what you or Bird have put up, and try to adapt with markers for my stuff.

Sharon

---------------------------------------------

After the guard's abrupt departure, Cami berated herself for having been so careless. She should never have allowed such a large group to gather with the children. They'd all have to be more cautious the rest of the day to preserve an outward appearance of normal routine. The worst thing they could do was to arouse suspicion.

All afternoon, she let parents visit their children, but never more than a few at a time. Every now and again, the guard would pop his head in to check on activity in the room. Seeing nothing unusual, he'd leave and go back to his regular rounds of the caves. Every time that happened, Cami muttered under her breath. She hoped, by that evening, the guards would return to their usual patrol and let them alone. Already, in the distant corner of the room, and elsewhere throughout the cave, weapons had been carefully stashed, and were even strapped underneath shirts and breeches and skirts.

At one point, she'd heard several guards ask whether there would be a round of Candestones that night. Cami hoped so. Although the tragedy of Esta's death weighed heavily on everyone's minds, that was the one activity which could keep the guards amused. Their attention would be focused on the main cavern and away from the exits and corridors where the first signs of the rescue would appear.

Late that afternoon, Gamba stopped by to see the children after he finished his work in the Locks. Hanging on to his hands were the two little ones, Lilly and her brother, whom Daisy had befriended when she'd first been put in prison. Gamba handed them over to Cami and explained they'd be staying with her for the rescue.

"How did you manage this?" Cami asked in surprise.

He shrugged and responded. "Nothing to do with me. The guards got tired of feeding them. Plus, the prisoners had started to like them. It's the one thing they try to prevent, those kind of close ties. They know it can lead to trouble. I found the two of them roaming around the cave."

Cami smiled and thought this was their first piece of good fortune. They'd need many others if they were to make it through the night alive.

For the rest of the afternoon, Gamba stayed with his children. He sat quietly holding Maura. Ban and Asta played by his side. Roka even fell asleep with his head cradled against Gamba's knee.

The grieving boy said little to Cami. Once or twice, she went over and sat with him. She'd patted him on the shoulder, and ran her hand through his curls. The first time, he'd pulled away; the second he hadn't.

Cami was bringing the children down for dinner. After that, they'd return the youngsters to the room and have them sleep a few hours. The rest would help later that night.

Gamba agreed to follow along to dinner. He wanted to see his brother. Cami knew she'd have to stay on for the games if they decided to run them. That prospect was not appealing, but she had little choice. She suspected Gamba would return with the children.

Just as they were about to leave, Rose dropped by the room. She pulled Cami aside and whispered in her ear, "I'm the one who's replacing Esta as the fifth children's escort."

Cami squeezed Rose's hand and promised to talk later. Then she asked whether she'd heard anything from Bird. "No," replied Rose, "I've no idea where she is. Do you?"

Cami shook her head no. That worried her, but there was nothng that could be done right now. They lined up the children and headed off for dinner, with Gambi dragging along in back with his own sad brood.

[ October 29, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]