[Child of the 7th Age]

[OOC -Menilduliniel and Gimli -- Sure you guys don't want to board the ship to the Undying Lands? Gimli, you can visit your pal Legolas there. In case you don't make the sailing on time, I'll leave my dragon Anagara behind to pick up stragglers.]


Child stretched. She had fallen asleep for a brief spell. She didn't think it was the mysterious sleeping draughts. She had just found Quenya vocabulary lists quite sleep inducing. She put her book away and opened the closet door.

There was Pio waiting for her. Pio seemed somewhat surprised and alarmed to discover they were on a ship with Cirdan at the helm. Child explained about the proclamation asking Frodo and Sam to come for healing to the West, and about the possibility of a further assignment from Manwe and Varda. Child was actually quite jealous of Pio. Because she was an Elf, Cirdan seemed distinctly more friendly to her.

Child turned around and saw Rose Cotton who was looking up at her expectantly. She again explained about the proclamation for Frodo and Sam. Child knew she would also have to explain to Rose how Cirdan thought the hobbits, other than the Gamgees and Baggins families, were expected to work as servants on board. She figured that Rose would have a distincty negative view of such an arrangment.

She briefly explained the situation to Rose who did not look terribly pleased.

Now, Rose is quite an intelligent hobbit nd she immediately saw a way out of this less than desirable situation. She leaned over and whispered in Child's ear.

Child smiled back at Rose and said she'd be glad to take care of that. Then she went on her way to straighten out the situation.

"Oh, Cirdan, " Child intoned. "I forgot to tell you something. Miss Rose and I also happen to have ties to one of the Ringbearers, so it is highly inappropriate for us to be scrubbing the decks and doing other menial chores."

Cirdan tilted his head quizically, and Child continued. "We are the favorite nieces of the esteemed Bilbo Baggins. Our uncle couldn't make it today so he sent us as his representatives. I know Uncle Bilbo would be displeased if he knew we were being used as servants!!"

Now, this was not exactly true. Rose and Child were distant cousins of Bilbo, since almost all the hobbits in the Shire are distant cousins of each other. But Child knew that hobbit family trees were so complex
that there was no way Cirdan could check on this claim.

"All right" grumbled Cirdan, "Gandalf might be angry if he knew I was slighting Bilbo's favorite nieces."

"Oh, yes, Cirdan, since we are Bilbo's official representatives, Rose and I expect to be consulted on all serious issues on this trip, both on the voyage and in Aman." continued Child.

Cirdan grunted and shook his head. Child was amazed that she had pulled off this scam.
She hoped she and Rose would not run into Gandalf on Tol Eressea, or they might be back to scrubbing floors again.

"Oh, yes, Cirdan, by the way, hobbits do care for each other, and I will be happy to help out in taking care of Frodo and Samwise since they do seem grievously wounded. I doubt that Sam will be able to assist Frodo as he usually does, and we will try to help out" Child said.

This statement, unlike the earlier ones, was truly and sincerely meant, and she thought that Rose would also be happy to help if the two hobbits were still ill.

Child went to get extra pillows for Samwise, and extra Lembas for Frodo. She wondered when the ship would sail, what she would see, and if her friend Birdland would come on time, or would have to fly with Angara. She also wondered about the rules for admiting dragons to the West. Oh, well, they would surely manage something.

[ June 07, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]