[piosenniel]

‘Mithadan! Do you mind seeing who is banging on the door? The loud knocking did not abate. Pio sighed, rubbed her temples, and hauled herself off the bed. Long periods of sleep were a distant memory to her, and she had been hoping to take a short nap while the twins were quiet and at rest themselves.

She glanced out the front room window as she crossed from the bedroom to the door. It had grown dark out, the stars shone brightly against the black sky, and the moon was nearing full. She reached the door and pulled it open, only to have Gilly come tumbling in helter-skelter, a rush of words preceding her.

‘Slow down! Tell me what has happened.’ Pio, a frown on her face, pushed the incoherent Hobbit into a chair and sat down opposite her.

With careful questioning, Pio unraveled the story of the kidnapping. Gilly had just been in the kitchen with Cook, Ruby, and Buttercup when Prim came bursting through the doors to deliver the horrible news. A neighbor of Angelica’s had come into the Inn, stout walking stick in hand, and rallied the patrons to go looking for the missing Fosco. The story had come out in full detail about how one of the Big Folk, ill-kempt, with dark hair and a whiskery face, had kidnapped the young Hobbit. Hobbits in the area had come together to search for the missing child, and to be on the look out for the ruffian who had snatched him. Prim had mobilized the Inn staff and they had gone off to join in the search.

Pio’s face had gone pale at the thought of another kidnapping. She placed an arm protectively across her belly, an uneasy feeling niggling at the back of her mind. Gilly sat quiet now in her chair, her knees drawn up under her chin, arms clasped around her legs. Her eyes were wide with the dawning understanding of how badly this situation might turn out, her face drained of all color.

‘Who is tending the Inn?’ Pio rose from her seat, and stepping near Gilly, offered her a hand up. Gilly sniffled, and wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

‘No one, Mistress Piosenniel. The Common Room is almost empty, the only ones left in it are the older Hobbits whose legs aren’t quite good enough for them to get around much.

‘Who is left here of the staff?’ Pio walked over to the desk by the door and drew out her knives. ‘Get my sword, please, from the chest over there, and the whetstone,’ she directed Gilly, mobilizing her into action.

‘None of the staff is here and even Rose has gone off on the search. It’s just you and I.’ She watched as Pio strapped the knives on her arms, and loosened the fastener on her baldric, placing it on one shoulder and adjusting it to fit her larger girth. Several more knives went into the fittings on it. ‘Are we going on the search, too?’ asked the Hobbit.

‘No, you and I will take care of the Inn until the others return.’ She handed Gilly a long knife to tuck into her belt.

Pio led they way out to the bar. She looked round the room, and as Gilly had said there were few customers, and all were sitting together, talking in hushed tones. Several eyed her with unfriendly looks as she took her place behind the bar. Ignoring them, she poured a pitcher of ale for Gilly to take round and fill up their mugs.

‘When you are done there, Gilly, go to the kitchen and make us a tray of sandwiches and put the water on for tea. People will be hungry when they drift in from the search, we should be ready for them.’ Gilly, glad for something to occupy her mind and hands, served the ale and headed for the kitchen as asked.

Pulling up a tall barstool behind the bar, Pio perched herself on it and placed her sword on the bar. Taking the whetstone she began working on the blade’s edge, her long strokes bringing it to razor sharpness.

Snick . . . snick . . . went the continuous rhythm of stone on steel. Her movements were calm and methodical, her face emotionless as she concentrated on the task at hand. Her thoughts, though, were troubled. Another child kidnapped. And by a Man . . . Here grey eyes scanned the room once more, glancing out the Inn windows as her gaze moved by them.

Where was Mithadan?

[ April 12, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]