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Child of the 7th Age · 03-13-2003, 05:34 PM

Cami and Maura had left to take a walk immediately after their conversation with Lorien. He had assured them all their relatives and friends would be brought safely through to the Inn in one large group sometime later that afternoon. Since there was still considerable time till then, Cami had suggested they take a wicker hamper from the storeroom, and load it down with goodies for lunch. Holding hands and singing as they tripped blithely along, the pair headed off in the direction of Hobbiton.

"I'll take you to all my favorite spots, and then we'll head over to the party field. There's a beautiful mallorn that grows there now, or so I've been told. It will make a shady nook for us to eat."

The two hobbits ate their lunch under the spreading limbs of the mallorn and laid down together on their backs, staring up into the blue skies and guessing which animals the large puffy clouds resembled. Maura took out his pocket knife and cut off pieces of apple, popping them into Cami's mouth one-by-one. Afer watching the butterflies play on the breeze and chasing each other around the meadow several times, Cami suggested they return to the Inn just in case Lorien decided to bring their visitors through a little early.

They were about half-way down the Hobbiton/Bywater Road, when their stroll was interrupted by the sudden arrival of another hobbit. Prim the Innkeeper stood before them on the roadway, doubled over and breathing hard.

"Prim, what's wrong? You're exhausted. What's happened?" Cami led her over to the side of the road, and set her down in the tall grass.

"Oh, Miz Cami, you and your Mister have to come back now. Right now. Something awful has happened. Aren't you Gamba's mother?"

Cami felt her heart freeze as she nodded mutely in Prim's direction. "Yes, why?" she managed to ask.

Prim had gathered her facts carefully before she had come. She told Cami about the arrivals at the Inn, the broken window pane, and the attack on Mithadan. Cami sat still, staying calm and saying nothing. It was only when Prim got to the part about Gamba telling Piosenniel how he hated her and something about being put in chains that the fire in Cami's eyes roared up, and she began sprinting along the road in the direction of the Inn.

"And Pio? Where is she?" Cami asked.

"She's gone, galloping off madly on her steed."

"But where?"

Prim replied tersely, "I'm not at liberty to say that, at least to the likes of you. If I were you, I'd keep better control of those boys. They've no manners in their body."

At this point, Maura suddenly interrupted Prim's lecture to Cami, "That will be enough. Let's stop bickering. It doesn't help, anyways."

As they trotted up to the courtyard, Cami was greeted by a large crowd that included a battered-looking Mithadan, a despondent Bird, her own son Gamba, with his brothers in tow, and someone who looked like Lindo accompanied by a passel of young hobbits. Lorien stood in the background smiling.

Cami threw a stern look in Gamba's direction, then stopped for a moment to count noses. She and Maura exchanged feverish glances as they came to the same conclusion, and whirled around to face Lorien.

"You said they would come through in one large group later today. That's not what happened."

Maura ran directly up to Lorien, "We're missing hobbits." He glanced around hurriedly one last time. "Rose Goodchild, Cami's daughter, and my sister and their family! Where are they?" Maura's voice was as close to hysteria as Cami had ever heard it, even in the Orcish camps.

Lorien shrugged his shoulders lightly and smiled, "Now, let's see. I know they came through somewhere. Yes, somewhere in the Shire."

"In the....Shire?" The words came out very slowly. "But the Shire is a very big place." Cami glared at Lorien and vehemently added, "It has exactly 21,400 square miles! I suggest you start looking for our families."

It was at this moment that a good-sized dust cloud appeared on the horizon, which appeared to be a small cavalry unit of hobbits, charging towards the Inn with staves and cudgels drawn.

[ March 13, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

03-13-2003, 05:34 PM	#185
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	Cami and Maura had left to take a walk immediately after their conversation with Lorien. He had assured them all their relatives and friends would be brought safely through to the Inn in one large group sometime later that afternoon. Since there was still considerable time till then, Cami had suggested they take a wicker hamper from the storeroom, and load it down with goodies for lunch. Holding hands and singing as they tripped blithely along, the pair headed off in the direction of Hobbiton. "I'll take you to all my favorite spots, and then we'll head over to the party field. There's a beautiful mallorn that grows there now, or so I've been told. It will make a shady nook for us to eat." The two hobbits ate their lunch under the spreading limbs of the mallorn and laid down together on their backs, staring up into the blue skies and guessing which animals the large puffy clouds resembled. Maura took out his pocket knife and cut off pieces of apple, popping them into Cami's mouth one-by-one. Afer watching the butterflies play on the breeze and chasing each other around the meadow several times, Cami suggested they return to the Inn just in case Lorien decided to bring their visitors through a little early. They were about half-way down the Hobbiton/Bywater Road, when their stroll was interrupted by the sudden arrival of another hobbit. Prim the Innkeeper stood before them on the roadway, doubled over and breathing hard. "Prim, what's wrong? You're exhausted. What's happened?" Cami led her over to the side of the road, and set her down in the tall grass. "Oh, Miz Cami, you and your Mister have to come back now. Right now. Something awful has happened. Aren't you Gamba's mother?" Cami felt her heart freeze as she nodded mutely in Prim's direction. "Yes, why?" she managed to ask. Prim had gathered her facts carefully before she had come. She told Cami about the arrivals at the Inn, the broken window pane, and the attack on Mithadan. Cami sat still, staying calm and saying nothing. It was only when Prim got to the part about Gamba telling Piosenniel how he hated her and something about being put in chains that the fire in Cami's eyes roared up, and she began sprinting along the road in the direction of the Inn. "And Pio? Where is she?" Cami asked. "She's gone, galloping off madly on her steed." "But where?" Prim replied tersely, "I'm not at liberty to say that, at least to the likes of you. If I were you, I'd keep better control of those boys. They've no manners in their body." At this point, Maura suddenly interrupted Prim's lecture to Cami, "That will be enough. Let's stop bickering. It doesn't help, anyways." As they trotted up to the courtyard, Cami was greeted by a large crowd that included a battered-looking Mithadan, a despondent Bird, her own son Gamba, with his brothers in tow, and someone who looked like Lindo accompanied by a passel of young hobbits. Lorien stood in the background smiling. Cami threw a stern look in Gamba's direction, then stopped for a moment to count noses. She and Maura exchanged feverish glances as they came to the same conclusion, and whirled around to face Lorien. "You said they would come through in one large group later today. That's not what happened." Maura ran directly up to Lorien, "We're missing hobbits." He glanced around hurriedly one last time. "Rose Goodchild, Cami's daughter, and my sister and their family! Where are they?" Maura's voice was as close to hysteria as Cami had ever heard it, even in the Orcish camps. Lorien shrugged his shoulders lightly and smiled, "Now, let's see. I know they came through somewhere. Yes, somewhere in the Shire." "In the....Shire?" The words came out very slowly. "But the Shire is a very big place." Cami glared at Lorien and vehemently added, "It has exactly 21,400 square miles! I suggest you start looking for our families." It was at this moment that a good-sized dust cloud appeared on the horizon, which appeared to be a small cavalry unit of hobbits, charging towards the Inn with staves and cudgels drawn. [ March 13, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ] __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.