First Dream

This entry makes me wonder why he even bothered to write about such an insignificant-seeming dream. It's almost as if he knew how much importance it would have later on his journey. But you don't know about that yet. One step at a time. Have patience with me please, we're getting there.

Stellas 22, 296 e.m.

Day 9,

I had an interesting dream last night. Actually, I guess it wasn't that interesting, but the fact that I dreamt at all is odd. Usually, my sleep is just dreamless shadow, even while I'm traveling. Really it was only a flicker of a dream though.

It was very dark in my dream, almost too dark to see anything. I managed to make out, however, the vague outline of something that resembled giant rocks all around me. Really big rocks, bigger even then the inn in Horlath.

I knew it was a dream, which was another unusual part for me. I stood there for several minutes, unable to move or see anything more than dark giant shadows on an even darker backround. And then I woke up. It was that simple, and yet there was a feeling about it that was very complex...

Well, it was only a dream, so enough of that. Once again we made wonderful time. There was a slight chill in the air, a last whispering of winter before spring overtakes it, but golden sunlight illuminated our path. There was no hint of danger anywhere in sight, but the horses seemed worried about something unseen. They were constantly prancing back and forth, and it took a firm hand on the reigns to keep them under control. The bright weather would normally have relaxed us, but the odd behavior of the horses put us instead on edge.

However, we encountered no trouble thi day. We made camp beside a stream that runs across our path. We will wade across tommorow.

Once again Daeroth and I began my lessons soon after we stopped for the night. I don't really think there is any reason to write of them in every entry, so I'll simply say that they are the worst part of the day.

There is nothing else to write of for now.

Aigon Silverwind,

The Unsure Merchant

The Art of the Sword

I figured out a way for me to get posts written up faster. I've been taking the journal to work with me to translate during my lunch break, and then I come home and type up the rewritten entry for you. So I should be able to post more frequently now.  Here is day eight:

Stellas 21, 296 e.m.

Day 8,

I awoke this morning in pain. Why are all my days filled with pain on this journey? My weak muscles screamed as I forced myself from the bedroll. If I had known learning the sword would be this painful, I would've found some way out of it.

Once I was up and had started making my way stiffly to the morning fire, Daeroth met my glares with a knowing smile.

"Hurting this morning are you?" he asked, unmasked amusement in his voice. As my scowl deepened at his tone, his smile widened. "Good. I was worried that I wasn't working you hard enough." He then walked away, leaving me spluttering in wordless anger.

Kyrainna added to my glares at Daeroth's back as she passed him. "He shouldn't be making you work so hard right after your recovery. I tried talking him out of it, but he's very determined. Now, let's see those muscles." After examining me (shirtless I might add) with an exact and practiced eye, she nodded slowly and said, "I think you're fine, other than a little soreness. It's hard to tell with humans though." She shrugged and went to help pack up. Oh yes, she's very reassuring.

Once again, our day's journey passed without incident. We are making excellent time, and may even reclaim the time we lost at Salindil.

We made camp early in the evening, and once again Daeroth insisted that I practice using the sword. My protests were more vehement this time, as my muscles were still searing like the fires of the forge, but pain is apparently not an excuse. I, the great merchant about to make history, was for the second time bullied into learning the "art" of the sword.

This time, Daeroth added a simple thrust to my lessons. Parry and thrust, parry and thrust, over and over for what felt like hours. When we were finally done, I was left with just enough energy to check the amystium and write about today's events. Not nearly enough to put the amystium, journal, ink well, or quill back in the wagon, so I guess I'm sleeping with them at my side tonight.

Sometimes I wonder why I even bother.

Aigon Silverwind,

Tired and Aching

Moving Out

Hey sorry I haven't posted in a while. During fall and winter, as well as part of spring, I take two jobs so I can earn money for collage. That's what comes of failing most of high school I suppose. I can't say I'm proud of those days, but I bet I'm not the only one. Anyway, here's another entry:

Stellas 20, 296 e.m.

Day 7,

We started out again today. My shoulder is almost completely healed, although Kyrainna claims a scar will mark the wound forever.

We traveled all day with no interuptions. We made camp in the evening, moving a ways off the road into the forest. As my companions went about making preparations for the night, I went to check on the supplies. But Daeroth stepped in front of me, blocking my way to the wagon.

"What is it, Goldsun?" I asked with some annoyance.

In answer, he held out a longsword. "I am going to teach you to fight."

I stared at him incredulously. "Fight? Me? I am a merchant, not a warrior."

"You have to learn to defend yourself. Really, you were lucky to escape that bandit attack a few days ago with your life. Next time it could be worse than an arrow to the shoulder." His eyes glittered like ice, cold and hard.

"Isn't that what I hired you for? Besides, a sword couldn't have protected me from that arrow," I responded.

"There may be times when we cannot help you. You must learn to protect yourself! And though a sword wouldn't have protected you, the reflexes and skills you will learn while fighting very well might have."

"You're insane! All of you!"

A small smile appeared on his lips. "Of course we're insane. That's why we took the job."

No amount of arguing could convince him that I really didn't need to learn swordfighting. And so, we had the first of our lessons today. It was not very long I suppose, and thank goodness for that! Apparently, it was too late to bother training with practice weapons, and so we used real swords. The first time our weapons struck, vibrations shot up my arm with such force that I let go of my sword and watched as it went flying, narrowly missing Zillan. That brought laughs from my audiance which included all my guards except for Daeroth, since he was teaching me, and Kayissa, who had taken one look at me holding a sword and said she had decided to retire early this evening. I spent the rest of the lesson fumbling through a simple parry, and finished with many disgusted looks from my mentor.

I'm going to sleep now.

Aigon Silverwind,

Merchant-warrior in Training

Trade

I am enjoying posting these entries for you. It gives me a chance to re-examine the journal and notice some of the things I missed when I first read it over. I hope you are all enjoying reading this as much as I am enjoying writing it. Oh, and if you have any friends or relatives that you believe might enjoy reading this too, please feel free to share it with them. Here is the next entry:

Stellas 19, 296 e.m.

Day 6,

Before any of us were awake this morning, Kyrainna apparently went out into the forest to gather a few special herbs and the like. I woke to a horrid smell coming from the boiling pot she was stirring over the brick fireplace(fireplaces being the only things made of brick in the entire town). She said it was a healing potion that would cure my shoulder wound faster than usually possible. It did not taste good at all, but the wound has started closing up and the throbbing at least has gone away, though it still aches when I move around too much.

After, when Kyrainna was examining the effects of the potion on my wound, there had been a very pleased twinkle in her eyes. Suddenly she had said, "I've never used a potion on a human before." That was reassuring.

Once everyone was awake, we all decided to stay in Salindil until tomorrow. If that was the case, I thought, it would be profitable to get some trading in before we moved on. It would have been impossible to get my whole wagon in, so I had Daeroth and Kadon carry a portion of the merchandise into the tunnels. Brilynn insisted on helping as well, claiming she didn't need to be a man to carry spoons and nails into the city. I'm not even selling spoons or nails!

It wasn't easy to set up a stand in the tunnels, and I had to make do with dragging a small table from the inn out into the main hall. Most of the people who came didn't have silver to buy with, and instead traded goods. Many of them wanted furs, as hunting was not allowed around the city, and they traded rich spices or jars of honey for them. All in all, I didn't earn any more gold than I had started out with, but the variety of my wares increased substantially.

Nothing else of interest happened today.

Aigon Silverwind,

Master of Riches

Salindil

I have been receiving numerous questions relating to the truth of this blog. Many people seem to believe that this is all some kind of elaborate prank, that the journal doesn't even exist. I thought I had explained all of that in my first entry. Yes, it will seem strange and unbelievable. When I had only read to this point, I was a little skeptical myself. It will become more clear later on. For now, just continue reading and enjoy it if you can. Here is the entry for the fifth day:

Stellas 18, 296 e.m.

Day 5,

We left late this morning. Kyrainna wanted me to get as much rest as possible before beginning the day's work. I rode in the wagon so that I did not have to handle the reigns of a horse. 

We reached Salindil a few hours before nightfall. I had heard that it was originally built by the elves, and that it was beautiful, but I hadn't known that a city could be so in touch by nature. There were no walls around that city. No fortifications at all. It would be easy to take with a good army, as humans had done so many years ago.  But the residents of Salindil were not concerned with war. There had not been fighting anywhere near Salindil since the Age of Blood. They thought only of the beauty of their town, and the pleasure of those within it.

The houses of Salindil seem to come right out of the trees around it, made of smooth, rich wood. They twist and turn and intertwine along the forest floor, making it seem as though there is a tangle of over sized roots all around. The entrance was a round hole, just big enough for me to fit through without bending over.
We found a sheltered area that was apparently used as a stable for the horses and the wagon. The main tunnel wound around the whole city, with other marked openings leading to people's homes or shops. It was lit by softly glowing flowers placed in strategic locations along the walls and ceiling. We walked until we spotted the entrance with the word "Inn" above it.

I rented rooms for me and my companions, then sat down at one of the round, stump-like tables to order our food and drink. When I asked the innkeeper what the name of the place was, he just chuckled and said, "Around here we just call it 'the Inn.'"

Finally, I am resting comfortably in an actual bed. Now, I am going to sleep in an actual bed. Goodnight.

Aigon Silverwind,

Still Hurt but Comfortable