[Child of the 7th Age]

Tomba had finished his chores, and now came plodding along dutifully next to Branda to search for more Elven treasure. As the two hobbits walked, the elder one draped an arm over the boy's shoulder and leaned over to talk with him confidentially , "We don't mean to be tough on you. I know things were bad where you came from, with your kin dead, and no place to go. Something like that can make a person do funny things."

"But you've got responsibilities to these folks now. You have to think of more than just yourself."

Tomba stared at the ground and sighed, "I'll try. I will. Only sometimes it's hard."

"There's something else," Tomba confided to the older hobbit as his eyes darted nervously around the Barrow. "I really don't like this place. It gives me the creeps."

"You're not the only one," Branda confirmed, peering deep into the dark recesses of the mound. "It may be warm, but I'm not sure how much sleep I can get here."

"But there is one thing both you and I could use, and I don't think the brave warriors here would begrudge us, since we have an honest need to defend ourselves."

"My own knife's mainly been used for cleaning fish and cutting lines, and wouldn't do much good at defending us from Orcs. And yours is even worse. It's so small you'd be lucky to make a prick in their hides. Let's find something nice and plain and sharp that feels good to the touch. Nothing fancy. Just something that would stand us in good stead if we face another attack on the road."

They ploughed through the mass of treasure in a portion of the Barrow where no one had searched before. Tomba had a knack for finding such things and came up with two good daggers of Mannish origin, perhaps dating as far back as Numenor. They were simple, straightforward weapons but well made and with good balance, easy for both hobbits to handle. Tomba also found a copper circlet with gemstones designed for a lady's head, intricately shaped and with Elvish runes on the back. He pulled this out to give to Bullroarer.

Finally, in the furthest corner of the Barrow, right against the darkest wall, the boy came upon something half hidden. It was a tattered leather quiver, which he quickly flung onto his lap, curious to see what was inside. Branda rushed over and wrenched it from his hands. "Don't touch those things. They could be dangerous."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Look at that quiver. That didn't belong to any Man or Elf or Dwarf. I've got a bad feeling about this. Just look at the markings on it. It could be Orcish, and if it is, those arrows probably have poison on the tips."

"Are there Orcs buried here," Tomba asked, looking around even more nervously.

"Not buried here, but my guess is that they spent the night, just as we're doing, and then got called out unexpectedly and were caught in an ambush so they never hauled treasure away, or even come back for their own weapons." He pointed towards some massive but crude rusting swords which were heaped together not far from where the quiver was found.

Branda picked up the quiver very carefully, being carefully not to touch what was inside. He stood a minute and debated. He would never use such a weapon against a Man or Elf or Dwarf, even if he was an enemy. But against a warg or an Orc, the harbingers of darkness....that might be another matter.

For one fleeting instant, Branda imagined himself the hero of the group, arrows flying straight and true, bringing down a savage beast with a single shot from this quiver. How the folk back home would cheer when they heard of it. Then he shook his head and almost laughed, Branda, you fool, you're not the best archer in this lot. Plus you're not even sure if these actually have poisoned tips. You're guessing it from Granny's tales. First, bring the quiver to Bullroarer. He knows a bit more about Orcs than you do. If the arrows are real, they should probably go to someone in the group who's a crack archer, perhaps Bullroarer himself or a huntsman like Carl. You're not bad with a bow, but you're not in that league. And when wargs come howling at us, we need the best man to have these.

Branda called back over his shoulder, "Tomba, get us a spot to bed down as close to the fire as you can. I'll bring this circlet to Bullroarer, and let him know you found it. And I'll ask about these," he said lifting the quiver up, but very gingerly. Then he quickly disappeared.

Best get this over, before I get any more illusions of grandeur or an attack of stupidity, and think about changing my mind.

[ January 06, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]