Child and Rose had decided that they would ride on to the library after all, after seeing that Pio had caught up with Birdie. "She should be able to keep them out of trouble." Child thought. They had all agreed to meet back at an inn on the waterfront after they had finished.
It was a fine road that led up to the city, and it was full of people of all races, eager to enter the city as the day waned. Elves on fine horses, doughty dwarves stumping along in groups, Men and women of every shape and color, all flowing into the the great white city like schools of the most colorful fish. Laughter, songs, and languages blended in the air above them.
There were even a few halflings. Pio spotted two hobbits of unusual size and stature, mounted on small horses with fine livery. One actually wore a suit of mail, and the other carried a green shield with a white horse running upon it. They laughed and sang as they rode, and shouted greetings to various people on the route.
Pio nudged Birdie hard in the ribs and gestured frantically towards the pair. "Bird! she whispered excitedly. "Do you suppose..."
Birdie craned her neck to look at the halfling riders and shook her head. "Nah, couldn't be" she said dismissively. "Feet aren't big enough." Then she had to put a restraining hand on Kali who had also spied the laughing Periannath. Standing in the cart and raising his arms to them, he started to cry "Cousins!"
Birdie pulled him down again, not ungently, and explained. "Kali, you have to stay in disguise. These people don't even know Hobrim exist, and now's not the time to show them. Perhaps later we can introduce you to more of your 'cousins', but for right now you have to pretend to be a Man-child."
Kali looked at the lofty, huge men surrounding him, and then cast a doubtful look at Birdie. But he pulled his hood close about his face, and subsided into silence, looking longingly after the two diminutive riders who were disappearing into the crowd.
But all thoughts of the people around them were forgotten as the cart approached the Great Gate. Bird pulled up the cart, and all gaped in silence at the magnificant structure rising before them. It was only the shouts of those behind that brought them to their senses again. Pio and Bird had read often of the Great Mithril Gate built by Gimli and his folk, but all the words of all the authors in the world could not duplicate this first sight. It was a true Wonder of the World, and its like would never be seen again.
Levanto knelt behind Pio and Birdie, peering out at this work of the "Land Races". For one of the few times in his life, he was completely without words. Bird smiled back at him, then shook the reins and clucked to the pony. They were entering the city at last.
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O.O.C. - Here's a link to an great map of the city
Minas Tirith, now Minas Arnor
[ July 06, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]