THE LONELY STAR (Contd. from BD birthday party)

[Child of the 7th Age]

Rose quickly made her way over to the cabin which had been assigned to Kali. She knocked on the door.

Kali answered with a shy smile, happy to see one of his cousin's visiting him.

Rose hastily explained, "Someone has a surprise for you Kali, a big surprise they hope you will like."

Kali looked back with puzzlement in his face, but agreed to accompany Rose down to the galley. Rose was so excited she took Kali's hand in her own and pulled him along behind her. They came together to the galley door, and Kali gently pushed it inward. Rose let him go through on his own, and slipped backwards into the hall to run away to her own cabin, hoping that Kali and Daisy could make peace on their own.

As Kali went through the door, he immediately saw the table which had been beautifully laid out with so many of the seafoods which his own mother had prepared for him so many years ago. Memories began pushing into his mind.

Then, he turned and saw Daisy, standing at the head of the table. Her brown curls had been pushed back carelessly from her face because of all the cooking she had done, and she still held a long spoon for stirring in her hand. She had meant to go back to her cabin and change into a clean dress, but Kali's early arrival had put an end to that idea.

For once, she looked not tough or angry, but sweet and vulnerable, as if she were afraid Kali would reject all the efforts at friendship she had made. Daisy held out her hand to her guest. In it there was a small present, much like a mathom one hobbit would give to another on her birthday.

"This is for you," Daisy whispered, "the present and the meal. No one else on board knows this but it is my birthday today. I am sixteen years old, and I wanted to share this day with you. Go ahead, open it." She pushed the small package towards him.

Kali peeped inside the paper wrapping and took it off slowly, as if he were afraid he might destroy a magic treasure inside. Out from the papers fell a small knitted bag. The knitting had definitely been done by a beginner, as there were a few holes here and there which perhaps should not have been there. But Daisy had evidently labored over this hard and long. Child had taught her the basic stitches and made her unravel any of the rows which got too unruly.

Daisy continued, "I know how you like to collect shells, and I made this little bg for you to store your treasures in."

Kali looked up and smiled softly, "It has been a very long time since my mother and grandmother died, and this is the first present anyone has given me since then. It's very special to me, Daisy, especially when you took so long to make it with your own hands."

Daisy looked up at Kali and smiled, "This is special for me too. Last year, my mother had died in Bree, and I was left all alone. So now I have friends to share the day with. That is, I hope I do."

Child's ear had been pressed against the galley door for the duration of this conversation. The moment she heard it was Daisy's birthday, she sent Rose around to everyone to let them know about it. She also included a gentle suggestion that it was hobbit custom to give small gifts for birthdays.

She heard Kali and Daisy talking inside. It seemed that all was going well.