[Child of the 7th Age]

Cami had just finished her lessons with two hobbrim boys, teaching them how to add up long lines of seashells. She was rocking a baby in the crook of her arm, when she spied a glimpse of Piosenniel. As usual, the Elf was darting about here and there, trying to finish a lengthy list of tasks in the shortest possible time. Cami had earlier managed to speak briefly with Piosenniel, just enough to confirm that her suspicions regarding the Elf were true.

For one fleeting moment, gazing over towards Pio, Cami poignantly reflected that she was unlikely to see the children born of this union, let alone have the chance to watch them thrive and grow. For it seemed that, whatever positive choices you made in life, you had to leave so many other good things behind.

Then, she looked at the Elf more closely. Piosenniel's outward expression radiated happiness, yet her eyes looked troubled and mirrored untold depths of weariness. Cami remembered that Pio had spent most of the night swimming in the seas. She had returned to the ship without bothering to rest, and despite her words to Mithadan, had eaten but a few crumbs. At this realization, the hobbit entrusted her small bundle to Daisy and grabbed Piosenniel by the wrist, physically wrenching her from the deck and pulling her along towards the cabin.

"You're coming with me now. I said, right now!", the small hobbit insisted.

Once inside Pio's old cabin, Cami slammed the door and glared at her friend. "By all that is sacred in Arda, what were you thinking of? You have been given a gift, a wonderful and precious gift. You have the man you love standing beside you, and you carry life within your body, the children of this union. However long, it may have taken you to find this joy, it has come to you now. And how many others would give everything they have to be in your situation?" The words came wrenching out of Cami's mouth, perhaps more than she'd meant to say.

She turned about gruffly and went on, "Now I'm not one to say a woman with child has to lay in bed and sleep away the day. But you do have to take care of yourself and your family. And driving yourself to exhaustion and starvation, for whatever reason, is a betrayal of that trust."

As Pio opened her mouth to respond, Cami sharply interjected, "No, Piosenniel, daughter of Holly, I am not finished! There are others on board who can do some of these things you're so worried about. Sometimes I think you don't trust us. I will say to you what I told Mith in Gondolin. Whatever our light-hearted ways or short stature, hobbits are not children. We, along with the others on this ship, are perfectly capable of taking on a few more duties, especially if you let the crew know what is going on. And I do hope you've spoken with the father-to-be!"

"One last thing," Cami added, I've been worried about Bird and what is going to happen to her after this quest ends. And, here, you may have the perfect answer. If you do not get down on your hands and knees and beg her to join your family to help with the rearing of these children, then you are a greater fool that I took you to be. For with a father like Mithadan and a mother like Piosenniel, I fear these little ones will indeed need some plain common sense and good laughter which Bird possesses in abundance."

She stared at the Elf, awaiting her reply.

[ September 28, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]