[Child of the 7th Age]

Maura leaned over the breakfast table, giving a kiss to his sister, and then sat down to eat.

"Where's Cami?

"She's gone off for a walk, and has asked me to speak with Gamba."

"I thought maybe you'd go off to the pond at sunrise, and set up housekeeping in that burrow."

"It's not a good time. Cami's still worried about Rose not being here. That, and other things."

"I upset her, didn't I?" Zira pressed. "What I said about her younger children."

Maura corrected her gently, "Their names are Maura and Ban. Anyway, it's not you. She's upset with her family and with herself."

Maura shook his head and continued, "In all those Elvish tales, children never enter into it. You never hear about them. It's as if they raise themselves. But, with us, it's different. When something comes between a hobbit parent and a child, it can be so, .....so painful."

He looked over at the blank wall, and stared hard at it. "In all the while we've been apart, I've never felt this bad. There's so little time. I don't know what I can do."

"We had a long talk last night. Cami would prefer that she and I leave the Inn, and go off on our own. She says she'll deal with the rest when she returns to Greenwood. I know she can't go on like this."

Zira placed her hand on top of Maura's. "You're my brother, and I trust you. Whatever you do, I'll accept. But those children are part of Cami's life now. Neither of you can pretend they're not. If you marry Cami, they become your family too. Think about that."

It was at this moment that Gamba came marching in, prodded on by Mithadan, with the other four boys dragging reluctantly behind.

[ March 17, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]