[piosenniel]

This man is insufferable! If I have to sit here much longer I shall be forced to do something drastic.

Mithadan put his hand on hers. Don’t hurt the Shiriff, Piosenniel. There is no use reasoning with him, either, or so I found out from our previous encounter. Just let him finish speaking and he’ll leave.’

Pio squirmed on the chair in the kitchen as Halfred went on and on with his questions, insinuations, and barely veiled threats. She was uncomfortable today and short tempered from lack of sleep. The twins were up at night, kicking and pushing against her ribs and hip bones. She found it hard to breathe as they pushed upward against her lungs. Her hand rubbed across her belly wondering if she could talk them into either settling down . . . or perhaps coming early.

She laughed abruptly at the thought of going into labor at this very moment. Now that would surely put an end to this ‘interview’. The two men turned to look at her. Halfred glared at her, thinking she was laughing at him. Mithadan offered her a hand up, and she stood, rubbing at the small of her back.

The sudden disruption brought an abrupt halt to the 'interview'. Mithadan shrugged his shoulders at Halfred. ‘You’re a married man, aren’t you, Shiriff. Did your wife get so out of sorts in her last month?’

Halfred watched as Pio paced back and forth. His face softened as he thought of his own wife and babies. ‘It’s a trial, Mister Mithadan. My own Millefoil is a right terror the last few weeks. Just wait until she’s having the babies and tells you she’ll kill you if you ever touch her again.’ Both men turned to watch Pio as she sighed and rubbed again at her back. ‘Begging your pardon,’ remarked Halfred turning the the Man, ‘but yer Missus, looks as if she might be able to follow through on that threat.’

‘Ah, well . . .’ Mithadan ran his hand through his hair, and scratched his head. He smiled in agreement at Halfred, nodding his head.

Halfred put his hat on, and made his way to the door. ‘Look, Mister Mithadan,’ he said quietly, ‘I don’t like the idea of Big Folk in the Shire. They bring trouble with them, even if they don’t cause it directly. It’d be best if you and the Missus were to leave the Shire as soon as you can. Right after the babies are born would be best. There are going to be a lot of hard feelings and harsh words before this whole thing is over. I’d hate to think it would spill over on to some who might be innocent . . .’

Bird, perched on the lintel of the door, watched as Halfred passed through it. A shiver passed through her at the Shiriff’s last words, and she ruffled her feathers trying to shake off the presentiment of impending misfortune.

Mithadan, she saw, was standing near Pio, talking in a low voice to her. His voice was filled with concern and his hand found the small of her back, rubbing it gently, as he moved her from the kitchen toward their rooms. Bird heard him say something about a short nap . . . and, ‘I’ll rub your back til you fall asleep’ . . . ‘You’ll feel better . . .’

Bird glided silently down to the floor, changing into her human form just as she landed. She didn’t like the way things were going in the Shire. Things were askew these days. She sat at the kitchen table, arranging the salt and pepper shakers and the cups left over from afternoon tea into varying formations as ideas about what she could do to help ease the situation came and went under the cold eye of close scrutiny . . .

[ March 28, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]