[piosenniel]

There were two desires warring in her mind as she stood and watched the dark cloaked figure walk away. The first was to find Child and Rose and help them get Frodo and Sam to safety, and the second was the vow she had made beneath the waves to assist Mithadan should he prove still true to the Light.

'First one, then the other', she told herself.

The ship's deck was in chaos. Crew members tried desperately to keep equipment from hurtling over the side of the ship as it listed to one side. Many of them lost their footing and slipped over the edge. 'Lot of playthings for the Oarni,' thought Pio.

She was running to the stairway which led below decks when a small barrel rolled in front of her feet and tripped her. She sprawled on the deck, the picture of an ungraceful elf, and hurled a few epithets at the barrel. 'Careful, elf! Or I'll mistake you for a sailor on this ship and burn you to a crisp!'

Pio's head jerked up in surprise. She saw two small golden eyes glowing at her from the barrel -- 'Angara! Where are Sam and Frodo? Have you seen them?' 'I would imagine that Child has them well in hand by now, along with Ms. Rose.' the barrel said languidly. 'I am waiting for them, to transport them back to safety.'

Pio considered what the dragon had told her. Her companions must be close by. She went quickly down the long stairs leading belowdeck and entered the darkened hallway. It was quiet, most of the crew had gone on deck to escape the rising water. One hand on the wall, she inched her way through the rising water. She could hear the sounds of someone struggling in the briny river that flowed up through the ship. Going forward with a little more speed she ran into something. Her hand reached out and snatched it up out of the water. It was Rose! 'Where are the others little one', she asked. "Th-th-th-they're behind me.', Rose said, her teeth chattering from the cold.

Pio set Rose on the steps leading up to the deck and told her to wait hidden in the doorway. She plunged on down the hallway to see if she could find the others.

Two bundles bumped up against her, and she scooped them up, holding their heads above the water line. It was Frodo and Sam. She shook them gently to get them to draw breath. They fought weakly against her, thinking her one of the ship's crew. She reassured them and took them to wait with Rose. Three poor hobbits shivering in the dark, only one more to find. 'Now where is Child?'

Going further down the hallway, she reached out a little with her mind. 'Child, are you near?' She found her, bravely battling the currents, hanging on to the cross beams of the hallway and half swimming, half pulling herself along. Her long skirts were sodden and impeded her progress. Pio extended a hand to her and pulled her along to the stairs. The water had nearly reached the top stair when they found the other three. Pio led the four hobbits to where the green barrel waited. 'Child, you must use Angara now to get yourself and the others to safety.'

She turned to head back across the deck, Child caught her arm. 'Where are you going? There's room for you to come with us.'

'No, Child. I'm going to find Mithadan.'