[piosenniel]

The lesson had been cut short by a giggling elf girl. Pio had never understood what those young females saw in her cousin. He was nice, of course, and his hair was always just so, but honestly he was a little too much on the scrawny side for her taste. She would concede that he was a master with his knives, and at the bow none could surpass him. But to her mind a nice down to earth Boromir or a dashing Meriadoc Brandybuck was more to her liking.

Before Legolas had retreated to his room, he had managed to get her to understand how to moderate her private thoughts. She had been successful in keeping thoughts to herself around him, but she still wasn't sure about Cirdan. Best to keep a physical distance from him til she locked in the lessons completely.

She made her way to the railing of the ship where Bird was still hung over the side, looking a little green still about the gills.
A glint of silver caught her eye as she glanced over the side at the effluent of Bird's stomach floating on the waves.

'What was that?' she asked her. 'I could have sworn it had a face.'

Birdie shrugged her shoulders, then turned a paler shade of green as the pitching of the waves increased in intensity. 'I've got to go below and get a hold on my stomach she moaned!

Pio helped her down the stairs to her quarters and settled her in with a bucket by the head of her bed. Placing a cool rag on Birdie's forehead, she leaned down to her and whispered, 'When you're feeling better, we should help each other - I want off this boat!'

'Find Child,' whispered Birdie ,'Tell her it's the Demon Lover . . .'

Pio closed the door as she left and went back up on deck to find Child, Rose, and Veritas. It was time for some sort of plan to start taking shape where they could be back in control of their futures. Visiting the old country was one thing; being kidnapped was quite another.

[ June 10, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]