[coronatiger]

21st of Mitra’s Second Month, year 412

O Ashtar, Mother of Snakes, Keeper of Death’s Door, hear my confession!

I was enjoying my breakfast when Lunas approached me with a serious look on his face. He needed to know if I held loyalties to any of the noble houses. “Of course not,” I responded quickly, eyeing him like I almost took offense at the question. “Why do you ask?” “So that our cooperation will be trouble-free,” he responded. I told him that the Loyalists had most likely killed everyone in a family I cared about, and a partnership with him could give me the opportunity to pay them back.

We discussed the King’s illness and lack of an apparent heir. Lunas was concerned for the King and hoped he’d get better soon. Talk drifted to Lunas’s family. I already knew who his father was, of course. Who hasn’t heard about Madan Aldera? It isn’t like in the Prince’s Cities, where they have more noble families than they have subjects. Here in Arland, we only have seven noble families. I’m not closely acquainted with any of them, but everyone knows the names of the family heads. Turns out Lunas has a brother, Mir, and a sister, Isa.

Lunari mentioned a group of travelers from the Prince’s Cities, who had left for Guling two or three months ago. Had Lunas heard about them? From Lunari’s tone of voice, it seemed to me that they had vanished, or at least not returned when they were supposed to, and that he had an interest in locating them. Lunas had indeed heard about them, and even knew that they had continued north from Guling, but we had to talk to others in the city to learn more. He hadn’t had anything to do with them.

The river forked and rejoined many times during the day, and I was glad to have Lunas and Keri there; without them, we’d have gotten lost for sure.

Xipil and Grogg had stayed up last night to handle the boat, and slept through most of the day. Xipil told me he was feeling stressed, and thought it was a consequence of meditating under the stars. He wanted to know if I had noticed anything out of the ordinary while he meditated, which I hadn’t. I gave him a massage to ease his tension.

Lunas informed us that the navigation tonight would be difficult, so he’d take another shift along with Keri. I suggested that one of them could go to sleep; they didn’t both have to navigate, surely. It turned out that Lunas was the navigator, and he claimed it didn’t matter if Keri had no sleep tonight.

Grogg wasn’t feeling tired, as he had just slept, so he took out his embroidery. I shook my head, brushed my teeth and went to bed. That’s a peculiar hobby for a brutish, clumsy troll.

O Ashtar! I surrender my life to Your coils. Take me while I sleep, or grant me another day in Your service, as You will.


22nd of Mitra’s Second Month, year 412

O Ashtar, Mother of Snakes, Keeper of Death’s Door, hear my confession!

We were approaching a village when I woke up this morning. Lunari complained about aches from his hard labor earlier and asked for a massage. I told him to lie down on his stomach. He didn’t see my dress slide up my legs when I straddled him and set to work. I didn’t have time for much before it was time to go ashore, though.

The villagers recognized Lunas and helped us moor Magda to the docks. Lunas told us we had to split up for a while, but he’d meet us again in Guling. He told us about a house on the other side of the village where we could get transport.

Our motley party drew some looks when we passed through the village. I knocked on the door to the house Lunas had described. A man opened, and I smiled winsomely, making a good first impression that only improved when I explained that Lunas Aldera had sent us. We got invitations for soup while they prepared a cart for us. The village lying off the main trade route, I could see the fellow struggled not to ask how we’d come to be there. He and I had an impromptu competition of who could be the politest.

Two farm boys were called in to drive the cart. Lunari wondered what we should do to pass the time, and I requested the violin. I should have known better. His most innocuous lyrics were about him waking up with a woman who was prettier the night before.

We stopped outside an inn when it was time to get some food. Only the large, middle-aged woman who ran the place was present. She served our meal, and Lunari decided to pay for dinner for the farm boys, too, who took seats at another table. The proprietress asked if we were staying the night, but we chose to go on. The boys were willing to drive through the night, and anyway, it wasn’t dark yet.

The ride was a little bumpy, and I found it difficult to brush my teeth while we were driving. With time and care, however, I got it done. One can’t let a little discomfort get in the way of one’s dental hygiene!

O Ashtar! I surrender my life to Your coils. Take me while I sleep, or grant me another day in Your service, as You will.