[piosenniel]

***** DALE - Bram *****

Thump! came the irregular beat af something banging against the ship's railing, then Thump! Thump!. Bram put on hastily his oilskin breeches, jacket and hat, and ran up to the deck.

He listened closely. There it was again - to port. He hastened over to find the rope securing the bow of the small skiff to its davit had come loose. The wind and rain pushed on the small boat, causing it to bang against the ship's railing. He hauled on the rope to even the skiff, and had just knelt down to belay it, when he heard a thin voice call out.

'Hello!'

A curtain of rain hung heavy on the ship, and Bram could barely see who spoke. He secured the rope and made his way toward the the voice.

It was Frain! Bram lent him his arm, and hauled him to his feet. The storm was loud with the pounding of the rain as it beat on the ship, and the cracking of the thunder. He leaned in close to the Dwarf's ear and asked him what he was doing on deck.

'I wanted to help.'said Frain simply. Bram looked at him in an appraising manner.'Well, you're wet already, and there are a few things I could use a hand with, so come along then!'

Under Bram's direction, Frain helped to secure a few more loose ropes, and store a stray crate or two, that had been missed earlier, in the hold. When they were done, Bram took him to the helm deck, and ushered him into the Captain's cabin.

'Rira! Captain! You here?' he called into the darkened cabin as they entered. He lit the lamp to the left of the door, and gasped at the scene. There was Rira, hand on his cup, his head on the table, and fast asleep. An empty bottle of wine lay on its side on the floor. He was drunk! Drunk as a Corsair in a cheap dockside tavern.

Bram sighed and stripped off his oilskins, hanging them on the peg by the door. He motioned to Frain, and together they got the Captain to his bunk and threw a cover over him.

Frain's teeth were chattering from the wet and cold. Bram bade him strip off his wet clothes and wrap himself in a warm blanket. Once done, he gave frain a cup of wine from another bottle he had found under the Captain's bunk.

The Dwarf arched his brows at this discovery, but Bram said only that Rira was a good Captain , and that even the best of Men had low patches to get through as they could. Frain drained his mug, and Bram poured himself and the Dwarf another drink.

They sat in comfortable silence, listening to the storm rage and then spend itself out. Rira, in counterpoint to the music of the storm, snored softly through it all.

************************************************** ***********

It was nearing midnight when the storm abated. Frain had gone below to pull on some dry clothes, then came back to the helm. A few wispy clouds scudded across the dark, night sky, obscuring the moon momentarily as each passed. Bram brought Frain up to the Great Wheel, and had him climb onto a crate he had put there.

'Now put your hands just here and the other, there.' he said, as he placed Frain's hands on the wheel. The river is fairly straight and deep in this section. Just keep her in midstream, while I check for storm damage. I'll be in hailing distance if you need assistance. Just use your Dwarven common sense, and all will be well.'

Bram strode off, leaving the petrified Dwarf to handle the ship. The first minutes were terrifying and Frain thought of all sorts of things that could go wrong, all of which ended in the same scenario - the ship lying splintered on the river bank, its crew flung lifeless on the ground. But a half hour passed and then an hour, and none of this scene took place. Frain relaxed into his task and began to get the feel of the helm as the ship cleaved through the river's water.

He was smiling, and humming a Dwarven tune to himself, when Bram returned from his labors. The man took the helm from him, and Frain sat nearby in a chair, enjoying his pipe as the sun rose.

It was a fortunate thing that Frain proved such an able hand at the helm. The Captain took ill over the next few days, and was too weak to pilot the ship himself. Bram and Frain spelled each other at the helm.

The weather held, and there was a fair wind that filled their sail. They had lost time during the storm, and now sped past the fair land of Lorien and Caras Galadon.

On down the mighty Anduin they sailed, past the field of Celebrant, then the Wold, until they entered the Area of the Emyn Muil. To starboard lay the East Wall of Rohan.

Captain Rira, now recovered, took the helm as they entered the Sarn Gebir between the Eastern and Western Emyn Muil. The rapids were a difficult area for a ship to pass, but the Captain had done it before, and now brought this ship safely through them.

All were on deck when they passed the Argonath, the ancestors of the very King they would meet within the next week.

Finally, they entered the calm, wide waters of Nen Hithoel, and docked on the western shore. Bram had them drop anchor and tie off the ship with two stout ropes.

When done, they off loaded the ponies from the ship and what goods, equipment, food, and supplies they could transport. They loaded much of this onto the ponies and the rest they shouldered in their packs.

They made their way south, on foot, keeping the river in sight to their left. It would be a two day journey to the point just beyond Rauros Falls, if they walked from sunrise to sunset.

There, Bram had promised would be another ship, waiting for them. Frain found himself looking forward to getting back on the water. His hands itched to take the helm of a ship once again.

He laughed out loud as he strode along, and many of the company looked askance at him, wondering why he seemed so cheerful.