The Lonely Star -- Chapter 4

[Child of the 7th Age]

Daisy and Anee parted at the entrance to the guardroom. Her friend went off to make beds and straighten sleeping quarters. She promised to return before the hobbit left on her deliveries. When Daisy pushed open the door to the central room, she saw no one there.

The girl hoped she might make better time today. Her ribs had been tightly bandaged and were feeling a little better. She'd decided to expose only her left side towards the guards in case one of them chose to land more blows. Perhaps this time she'd be luckier.

She wandered over to the table in the center. It was one that Captain Tarcil had admonished her not to come near. The remains of his breakfast still sat on a plate. A good share of meat and bread lay untouched. The food looked tasty. Cautiously, the hobbit extended her hand towards the platter, but then halted in mid-air.

"Noooo!" came the loud injunction of the neekerbreeker. "Do you want to end up in the Locks? That's where they put hobbits who need correction for things like this!"

Daisy shook her head no. She wasn't certain what the Locks was, but it did not sound appealing. Bird had evidently made the rounds of the camp and discovered all its hidden nooks.

"Anyways," Bird implored. "We have more important things to do. Look for a letter that has the seal of the black hand. That's the one from the Deceiver."

There were indeed piles of orders and memorandum on that table. Daisy rummaged through the mess looking for the infamous black hand. There didn't seem to be anything like that. Then she looked underneath the leftover breakfast platter. Hidden beneath it was an official-looking letter.

"Read it, read it aloud," Bird commanded. "I tried yesterday but was interrupted."

Daisy was about to ask why Bird couldn't read it herself when she realized the letters on the parchment probably looked ten feet high to her friend. The hobbit pulled out the missive and began to read:

To the commanders of all garrisons and prisons within the kingdom of Anadune:

It has recently come to our attention that a winged wyrm was sighted off the coast of our isle. This has been verified by several trustworthy observers.

A number of vessels and field troops have been commanded to locate and capture this wyrm. Until such time as this beast is apprehended, all prisons and garrisons are to consider themselves on strict military alert. The highest security precautions are to be observed. All commanders are instructed to double the number of guards on duty to ward off any unexpected attack. The officers are to make personal arrangements for the provisioning of such guards, including the reimbursement of same.

Issued by the command of Gorthaur the Cruel
under the seal of the black hand, 8 Cermie

Daisy gasped as she flung the message onto the table. At the same instant, before she could step back from that place where she had no business being, the door of the room jarred open. Without thinking and moved by some hidden instinct of self preservation, Daisy stuck her hand into the middle of the breakfast platter and stuffed a large sausage into her mouth.

[ October 08, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]