[Child of the 7th Age]

The loaves of freshly baked bread filled the burrow with a rich aroma, which even Loren found inviting. Cami set the bread on a tabletop that she'd constructed from one of the doors Lorien had wrenched off the most dilapidated of the burrows. Cami scrounged through the other holes on her own, gathering up anything she thought might add a little comfort to the place.

Except for helping to drag back the makeshift table, Lorien sat quietly by himself watching Cami work. He'd finally offered to help with something, agreeing to walk over to a deserted apple orchard just the other side of the pond, and bring back some fruit. Cami promised to cook up a batch for apple butter, leaving some for Lorien, and bringing back the rest to Bird and Piosenniel.

With the first knock at the door, Cami thought it might be Frodo coming to help her finish the work on the burrow. She went over to draw back the latch and, within an instant, heard Pio's familiar voice. Her immediate thought was to bail out through the back window and run off in the direction of the orchard to warn Lorien to stay away. But, as she heard Pio's words, and, even more, her conciliatory tone, Cami thought it might be alright to push the door ajar and let the Elf come inside.

The hobbit smiled nervously and asked her friend to have a seat, expaining that Lorien was out gathering apples, but should be back shortly. She offered her friend a slice of fresh bread, apologizing for the lack of apple butter, a deficiency that she hoped would be remedied shortly.

"But why did you come?" Piosenniel asked.

"I wanted to try and get more information out of Lorien, but I ended up staying and trying to clean up this place. Frodo and the Gamgee children were over to help too."

"You know, Pio. This old place isn't half bad. A little more elbow grease and a few extra pieces of furniture, and it might actually be livable." Cami's eyes darted quickly around the room. It reminded her a bit of the very small burrow that Maura and his family had occupied in Gondolin.

"And Lorien?" questioned Pio in a low quiet, voice.

"Lorien's no Gandalf, but he's a bit like this burrow. He grows on you after a while. Doesn't make a good first impression, but there's more to him than you thought at first."

"Anyways, he did one good thing. He gave me this." Cami fidgeted under her belt and drew out an envelope with its seal still intact, showing it to Pio. "This is from Maura. I've been waiting to read it until I get back to the Inn. This should help me decide what to do."

It was at that minute that the door pushed inward, and Lorien entered carrying a bag of apples slung over his back.

[ March 10, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]