[Child of the 7th Age]

Once the storm had abated, Child spent the entire day perched on a tall ladder searching the Seas for signs of her friends. Her vigil was to no avail. Frodo, at least, had been rescued from the open deck but there was no indication of those who had fallen or jumped into the waves. Child wondered if they had been seized by a kind of madness which comes from one of the mysterious forces of the world.

The three ships now were within hailing range of each other. Other Elven vessels were also gatheing along the outside of the Ring, apparently hailed by Meneli. Mith's ship had attempted to send out a small boat to search for their captain, but they had found nothing. Command had been temporarily given to one of the senior dwarves.

Child feared what the Barrow-wight might say if they had to return to the Downs and explain the fate of the unfortunate Mith. She did not look forward to such a meeting. Moreover, she had no idea how to explain or understand this turn of events.

Child determined that nothing further could be accomplished by staying up far into the night. As was her custom, she was the last one on the ship still awake. She lay down on a pile of old sacks and curled up to go to sleep. In her head, she began composing the first page of a new article she was considering writing entitled "Idril and Tuor: True Lovers of the Sea."

[ June 14, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]