[Child of the 7th Age]

Child lay in bed awake. She simply could not sleep. Even the ship seemed restless and unable to be silent. The timbers creaked, the ropes whined as the wind hit them, and she could still hear the noises from the docks below where men worked under the light of torches into the night loading and unloading provisions in preparation for the early morning departure of a vessel. It was quite unlike the time they had spent on the open Bay, when the silence of the night had been absolute and pure.

A small knock came to her door. It was Kali wearing a nightshirt and small candle in hand to guide him through the dark passages of the ship.

"Kali can not sleep. Heard noises so knew you were awake too." the little one whispered.

Child laughed, "Yes, I am having trouble closing my eyes, just as you are. Let's sit here and talk a bit."

Kali and Child went through a range of topics, most of them relating to the magnificent sights the hobbrim had seen the day before.

Then, they went on to play a game with words. One would suggest a word, and the other say what it made them think of. They managed to finish a number of words, many of them related to eating or things a hobbit might do at a party. They were both laughing and feeling much better. Kali reminded Child of her own son back home, or at least how he had been years before when he had been in his 'teens.

Without thinking what she was doing, Child started with words related to the ship. She began using terms that described the physical vessel and then moved on to those associated with sailing itself.

Again, with her mind wandering and teetering on the edge of sleep, she casually brought out the word "west." Kali shook his head and looked serious, "Not good, not good."

Child was too curious not to ask him what he meant by that.

Kali patiently replied, "I already tell you. Explained this afternoon. Ulmo say Kali's people go east, towards the Bay, and wait for ship with star. Going west not good."

The pieces of the puzzle clicked in place within Child's mind. So that is what the hobbrim had meant by clutching on to the helm and attempting to wrest it from Pio.

Child reassured Kali and explained, "Kali, I think Ulmo meant for you to wait here until we arrived. Now, however, our path of searching may take us again towards the west. And I think this is what Ulmo would have wanted. The West isn't bad. In fact, most of us believe it's very good and even special, just like you and your people are special."

Kali thought a moment, and seemed to accept Child's explanation. He went padding back to his cabin, as Child lay down to sleep.

[ July 10, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]