[Child of the 7th Age]

Child sat in the moonless night remembering the events of the day. She thought of the dragon and his stern warning of the dangers to be faced and the need for a hobbit to hold on and endure.

She remembered leaving Angara and going below deck to stand bathed in the pale sunlight which filtered through the round window of her cabin. She had placed a deep basin of water on the table to catch the afternoon rays of the sun.

Child had stood over this mirror of water watching her wavering reflection emerge from its depths. In her mind were the pictures of hobbits Kali had found in the tunnel under the ancient city of Minas Tirith. All these had been lost and buried when the keystone of the arch collapsed.

Still, on Kali's return to the ship, Child had asked him to describe and draw these hobbit images with as much detail and accuracy as he could manage. The results had been amazing.

That afternoon Child had propped one of these drawings against the wall and then looked down at her own form and figure reflected in the bowl. What Angara had said was true. The only difference between the ancient hobbit in the picture and her own reflection was a bit of dirt and crude clothing made of skins. Other than that, Child had recognized with both shock and pleasure, she could easily have fit in with the residents of that long buried home.

Now, sitting in the darkness with few stars visible in the sky, she found her thoughts turning equally somber. Morgoth's command issued at Gondolin had explicitly stated that all hobbits were to be rounded up and imprisoned. He had certainly not thought about making fine distinctions between hobbits of the First Age and any stray time travellers who might be wandering about his domain.

At the same time Child realized that the worst thing that they could do was to give Morgoth any information that would indicate hobbits had survived as a free people into the later ages. That would be a virtual death sentence for those hobbits living in Beleriand. Once Morgoth recognized that he had been cheated of his prey, his revenge would be swift and terrible.

The answer was quite simple. Whatever sleuthing was to be done in First Age Beleriand, the hobbits must make certain to blend into their surroundings, to copy and imitate their cousins, thereby guaranteeing that no one could distinguish between Fourth Age hobbits and First Age ones. The fact that Child's Elvish and Adunaic were so halting and limited would actually be an asset in these circumstances.

In her mind's eye, Child selected her oldest and most shabby dress, with the intention of dismantling it still further. Then she could see herself concocting a strange paste of dirt and water which she set aside for later purposes.

Finally, she shook herself out of this reverie and went over to Mithadan whom she found in deep conversation with Piosenniel and Veritas. Child stood in front of him and said, "I do not know your exact plans or who you intend to include in the first landing party, but I will be one of those who go in on the dragon to Gondolin. Mithadan, it does not matter how high your lineage is, or how many ties Pio has in the court. You can not hunt hobbits unless you have a hobbit along."

"I know my own people. They will not open up or share secrets with the big folk in the same way that they would trust and talk to me. Angara was right. If you do not take a hobbit along, you will not succeed. It is time for me to stand firm."

Pio started to protest, but Child quickly cut her off. "I will be dressed and look as close to hobbits of the First Age as I can. And I saw the gleem in Angara's eye. If you do not do this thing, the dragon will not carry you. Not any of you! I am very certain of what I speak."

Child drew herself to her full height and glared back at Mithadan and Pio. "Good. That's settled then. Tell me as soon as we are leaving." She turned on her heels and left to carry out the plans which she had envisioned in her head.

Angara had been perched on the mast above listening to this entire conversation. She turned and looked at Child as the hobbit stormed back to her cabin. Angara snorted a smokering through her nose and muttered approvingly. "Good for you Child. I have an idea what you are up to. Stamp the dust off your soul and do what must be done. I'll make something of you, yet!"

The dragon arched her wings and began preening her scales as she reviewed possible flight plans in her head.

[ July 31, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]