Arion+Ten

Septrem Twentieth, Late Night

Ah… Oriscina at last! Back to civilized life and warm glowing fires for warmth. I led everyone back to my mother’s home for a bit of rest and reprieve from the horrid weather, intent on finding some other dwelling to stay in for a while. Mother wouldn’t have it though… perhaps is has been too long since I have been home, but she insisted on putting us up for the night. Truly, that was fine with me… I haven’t had a chance to sit and write since the attack days ago. It’s grating, and frustrating to have things to get out of your mind, but no solitude to do so!

I managed to get a chat in with the young gipsy girl. Turns out it was Kyla! She was using some visual charm to change her appearances… I am a bit upset I didn’t think of that one, seeing as how I use one all the time lately! She swore me to secrecy, but I don’t do well with secrets… so knowing something and not relating it has been gnawing at me for days on end now. Thank goodness for the pen.

Kyla’s story fits with the theme of the past few weeks… utterly unbelievable and completely true at the same time. She says she and the other minstrels and musicians at the ball were invited to a private dinner with the royal family. At the dinner, things went sour. There was a flash of magic and the king, her master, and a few others were dead. The prince tried to help Kyla, from what I can tell, and managed to get himself turned into a bird… a hawk if I’m not mistaken. Kyla is on the run, being blamed for the deaths and mishaps in Bel Aman’dur. She is seeking help in the north. I wished her good luck and speed for her journey, and swore that I would not breathe a word of her story to another soul. So here I am, writing it down like some gossiping fool who can’t handle keeping a tale like this in! Perhaps I will burn the journal some day. Probably not though.

Also, on the way here, we passed a few other travelers who had encountered attacks as well. They all seemed to be random and unrelated except for the fact that in each case, animals had been killed in the same manner… gnawed upon by some small creature. There is never any trace of the creatures… just claw and teeth marks on their prey. It’s a bit unnerving.

Mother mentioned that there is a house up for rent in the area, and Jenica is interested in living there, with the intent on obtaining citizenship here in Oriscina. She is hoping that if she is no longer a citizen in her home town, Carter will have no claim to her… what with the arranged marriage and all. Good luck with that one sweet heart. It is a valiant attempt, but be watchful of the loop holes a desperate man will find! It’s sad, really. I truely wish her the best, but I have a sinking feeling that her efforts are seriously in vain.

Other than getting Jen settled, there isn’t much in town for me to do… I will probably leave shortly and head over to Nys. Our home there is a bit more off of the beaten path so to speak. I will offer to let Kirin join us… he and Eli are quite attached to each other, and he has nowhere else to go other than back to the brotherhood. It is up to him though. As for Lia and Dunin… I wish them luck in their hunt for the Hissians that destroyed their village. I hope this trip hasn’t pulled them off of their prey’s track for too long.

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