Day 13-Freidei, Augusta 20...Battered, bruised and not going anywhere

My headache was unbelievably painful this morning...who am I kidding? My head hurt all day long! Never in my life have I felt this sore and beat up. I woke up before Antonia, she looked a whole lot worse off than I imagined I looked. I wondered where Olin found her, and after sleeping on it I kind of wanted to know how Olin was able to run off or kill those raiders that ambushed us. I could ask him, but I'm not sure he would tell me. He has never been much of a story teller or one for any conversation for that matter. Olin came in and checked on Antonia and I this morning and bluntly told us that we would be staying here until Antonia was able to travel again. He guessed two nights ought to be enough but only time would tell. I almost brought myself to ask him about the ambush, but I didn't. He seemed distracted by something other than the scrap from last night. I laid my head back down on the pillow and must have slipped off to sleep, because when I woke, Antonia was propped up in her bed eating some soup or something liquid like. She glanced over at me and shot me a smile through her scratched up face and her fat lip. It was a welcome sight to see her alert and somewhat smiling. I can't believe the relief I felt when I saw her laying next to me last night, and now she is alert and eating and I feel even better. I don't know what I would do if I lost my friend in such a senseless manner. Antonia finished eating and drifted off to sleep again. I guess it is exactly what she needs right now.

I spent the rest of the day thinking about my nightmare, and what is causing it to happen or what it all means? It is slowly starting to drive me crazy, and on top of that there is this mystery that I have gotten myself mixed up in. I suppose I could just forget all about this mystery and move on with my life as if nothing ever happened. After all, this whole thing has nearly killed my best friend. I'll have to talk it over with Antonia when she is feeling better and get her thoughts on the matter.

Olin came in to check on the two of us one last time before going off to bed himself. Antonia was resting comfortably in her bed. I, on the other hand, didn't feel like sleeping. Olin sat in the chair near my bed and ,shockingly, gave me an abridged version of what happened with the raiders and where he had found Antonia. He said that he saw me take down my first opponent after I crushed his jaw, and he was too late getting to my side when the second assailant clubbed me in the base of my skull. The hit sent me flying forward and I appeared to be unconscious before I fell to the ground. He struck, the guy who clubbed me, with his sword and he toppled to the ground dead. Three others chased after the horses that were, at this point, dragging Antonia off into the trees. He pursued the trio and caught them off guard while they were attempting to calm the horses down. He said they didn't offer up too much of a fight and he killed the three of them quickly. He was able to calm and untangle the horses, then he found Antonia just a few feet away. He feared the worst when he saw her, but when he approached her to pick her up she was breathing. She was out cold but alive. He placed her on the back of a horse and came back for me. He loaded me up on the other horse and brought the two of us into Vensk. I do believe this was the most I've ever heard Olin talk. I asked him if anything else was bothering him as he left our room. He said he wasn't able to find our contact to get word back to Distress, and no one seems to have seen our contact in a day or two...could he possibly be, yet, another victim to this strange mystery. Why does everything always seem to come back to these disappearances? Perhaps it is just a coincidence? We'll see tomorrow I guess.

Day 12-Dunsdai, Augusta 20...Edgewood and beyond

Wow, I slept like the dead last night. Thankfully! I must have been truly worn out and exhausted. If only I could manage to sleep like that every night. I feel rested, relaxed and rejuvenated and not a moment too soon. If I had continued on my downward spiral I don't think I could have made it to the Lake District with my sanity intact. I realize that I may be celebrating my return to the living a little prematurely, as we still have the better part of two days or more, but I felt real good this morning. Sure, my mind is still swimming with everything going on but I am not feeling so overwhelmed...so beaten down by it all. Most importantly my appetite has returned. I'm just worthless if I don't eat, and eat is exactly what I did when I woke up this morning. I got out of bed, cleaned up a little, dressed and headed for the breakfast table at the inn we were in. They were serving fresh baked biscuits with sausage gravy and apple filled pastries. It was wonderful. Olin stammered down from his room he looked a little sore from the scrap he was in with the raiders. He didn't say much (he rarely does) and just sat there and devoured his breakfast. Antonia on the other hand preferred to sleep in as long as Olin and I would let her. She must have needed sleep more than food.

We packed up our horses and headed out of Edgewood and made our way towards the Pass of Sorrows, our most dangerous and difficult part of the journey. The terrain leading up to the summit of the Pass of Sorrows is very rocky and unstable making it very difficult on our horses. We were going to need to walk parts of it, however, the views were spectacular looking back down toward Edgewood. Our destination was a small village that lies just below the pass called Vensk. Olin said it was a fairly rough place filled with miners and nomads. We were to watch our step when we arrived.

The trail we were on was very hard to navigate. The horses weren't happy at all, especially when the wind picked up. The incline kept getting steeper and steeper and the footing looser and looser. It wasn't fun at all. I think Antonia should have taken the time to eat something substantial for breakfast this morning. She was struggling, and our measly collection of dried fruits and nuts wasn't cutting it. We approached one climb that required us to walk, and when Antonia dismounted her horse she fell hard and really bruised herself up and on top of that her horse stumbled and hurt its front leg. We rested there for quite a while and tended to both of their injuries. Olin was insistent that we make it to Vensk before night came. He said we didn't want to be caught outside the village, on our own, after dark. The dangers escalated dramatically under nightfall, and not only due to the lack of visibility. Apparently, the predators that inhabit this area are very active at night and are extremely dangerous, not to mention the rogue bandits and raiders that frequent this area. However, Antonia was in pretty bad shape, as was her horse. Niether could move very fast. We kept making progress towards Vensk but we just weren't going fast enough and we were soon engulfed by darkness as the sun faded from the sky. Visibility was near zero thanks to the ominous looking cloud cover. Olin unsheathed his sword and carried it at the ready; I followed suit. We put Antonia and her horse in between us to discourage the predators from attacking the visibly wounded. We were making slow, yet steady progress when suddenly from all around us flames erupted from out of nowhere. Olin yelled, "Ambush!" and turned to face an approaching attacker. He dispatched the bandit quickly and readied himself for the next one. That is when I lost track of Olin. I had my own problems to deal with. I handed the reins of my horse over to Antonia, and in all the confusion she was dragged off into the woods by the horses as they fled from the encroaching flames. I parried the first attacker and struck him across the face with the hilt of my sword and the rest was just a blur, then sudden darkness and silence, enveloped me. The next thing I knew, Olin was kneeling over me wiping the side of my head. I finally realized I was bleeding and then the pain set in. I have never felt such excruciating pain ever in my life. I finally muttered Antonia's name and Olin just shot me a bewildered look and a shrug. I snapped to, sat straight up and yelled Antonia's name...no answer came. I asked Olin, "Where was she?" "What had happened to her?" "Was she...was she dead?" I passed out, or so Olin told me that is what happened when I came to, again.

Next thing I remembered was lying in a small bed in Vensk, and when I looked next to me...there was Antonia in the bed next to mine. Oh thank God, she was still alive, oh thank God...

Olin didn't say anything about the night's events and I didn't ask...I really didn't want to know.

Day 11-Mittelweek, Augusta 19...Be careful what you wish for

The rain poured down on us all night long. Between the rain, the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements (I hate sleeping on the ground!) and my mind racing with thoughts of nightmares and of Jakob, I didn't get one ounce of sleep last night. Things are definitely crazy right now. I had no idea it was going to be this difficult or scary, and it's only the second day! My head hurts! My heart aches! I'm a mess! I'll try to keep myself composed in front of Antonia and Olin. I suspect Antonia isn't faring much better. It really puts a whole new perspective on these disappearances when a child goes missing, as opposed to just animals. I know I've hinted that my life thus far has been fairly dull and boring and I wanted a little excitement, but I never imagined I would find myself involved in something like this. Whatever "this" is?

We were all up before sunrise to break down camp so we could get to the village of Pont. The rain made it absolutely miserable and I don't think the horses were having much fun either. We finally loaded the last of our things and made it to Pont by mid morning. Olin tracked down our contact here, while Antonia and I asked around about Rex Thyne. The folks we talked to knew him, but didn't know where he might be, or if he would be through these parts anytime soon. Strike one on finding Rex. Pont is a much larger village than Bountiful. It serves as a major trading center out here in the Grunlow Plains. Nowhere near the size of Distress, but big enough to have its own Royal Guard regiment stationed here to protect it from brigand raids. Antonia and I talked to a few of the guards about anything they may have heard about the disappearances. Of course, we couldn't let on that we were investigating the mystery just in case any of them recognized me. We acted like we were just curious to hear the latest rumors. More of the same unfortunately, and it doesn't seem that Jakob's disappearance had reached this far yet. We kept it to ourselves.

Olin found us and we ate, then hit the road again. We had a long way to go to get to our next destination, Edgewood. The terrain started getting a little more hilly (is that a word?) and our progress slowed. We were nearing the edge of the "Green Giant" and closing in on Edgewood when we were confronted by four armed raiders. They wanted our supplies and our horses, but Olin was going to have none of that. He may have a dull personality but his skill with a sword are unbelievable. He didn't hesitate for them to make the first move, and before I could even think about unsheathing my sword he had disarmed and killed the closest raider. The others fled in such a flash I couldn't even describe what they looked like. Thank God for Olin, and I'll have to thank my father for insisting that he come. He is a smart man, after all.

We reached Edgewood as it was getting dark, and after our most recent excitement, we were all tired and only wanted to sleep. Maybe I'll actually be able to sleep tonight. I'm exhausted. We secured some rooms and as we were heading off to bed I thanked Olin for being there. He nodded and said, "It's my job." as if it was all in a days work for him. I appreciate him a little more tonight than I ever have before and it made me realize that I have been very insensitive and shallow with him. I'll change that.

I'm going to try and get some sleep...wish me luck.

Day 10-Duisdai, Augusta 18...Our first investigation

I didn't sleep well, if at all last night. Not sure if I was trying to avoid having another nightmare or was it because my mind was busy with Jakob's disappearance and what his poor family might be going through. Probably a little of both. I think Antonia was struggling to sleep as well. She was pretty restless in the bunk next to mine, tossing and turning all night. It was well before sunrise, and I sat at the edge of my bed and stared blankly into space for what seemed like hours before I asked Antonia if she was awake. She was, so we took advantage of our pseudo privacy and discussed what our plans for the day were going to be. We obviously wanted to go to the place where Jakob had disappeared. We weren't feeling very energetic, in fact, the whole situation had us both feeling a little depressed...okay a LOT depressed. Neither of us had any clue as to what we were going to be looking for when we got there, but we both felt so compelled to go. Maybe something will look odd or different to one of us that nobody else picked up on. Who knows...maybe we'll feel something rather than see something?

The smell of breakfast beginning to cook only livened our spirits a little bit, so we headed down to the dining area to eat. Jakob's parents were there; they were sitting in front of the fire place holding each other, staring blankly at the fire. Jakob's father, Emil, glanced over at us and then turned his attention back to the fire. Olin had followed us down and joined us for breakfast (he looked well rested). No words were spoken at the table, and when we were finished eating we silently followed Jakob's parents outside. Emil said he wanted us to follow them to their home, and then he would show us where Jakob was last seen. We did just that. What an excruciatingly sad, awful trip that was.

We arrived at the house, it was such a nice looking little place with a beautiful flower garden and bustling with all sorts of small farm animals. Something was definitely missing though, as if this picturesque little scene wasn't complete. It was Jakob. Even though I had never met him, I could sense that his presence was sorely missed. We were shown the gate where he was last scene, and like all the other stories we'd heard about, there was no physical clues of any kind. I stood there with my eyes closed for quite some time trying to feel something...anything. Nothing happened. We came up with nothing and it makes me so angry and sad that we couldn't help Jakob's parents in their suffering. I hate that feeling of hopelessness. We spent way more time there than we should have when Olin reminded us that we needed to keep moving. We left on our way and told Emil and his wife that we wouldn't give up, and that as soon as we found something we would send word to them. They graciously thanked us for our efforts and wished us well.

We continued on our way in silence until it got too dark to travel safely. We didn't quite make it to the next village so we had to set up camp. The three of us went to sleep without eating dinner, nor was anything said. What could be said? We failed in our first investigation...well, it sure felt like a failure.

Day 9-Mondai, Augusta 17...The journey begins

I woke up in a panic this morning, my nightmare returned more vividly than ever. Nothing more was revealed but everything was more real, more intense than the ones before. I wish it would just go away and leave me alone! It is driving me crazy!

My mind was distracted all day by the nightmare. I packed the remainder of my things and headed to the north gate to meet Antonia (Olin followed me there *sigh*). On my way I stopped in to see my friend Eron to see if he had any information on Rex Thyne. He said he had no ideas but he tends his herd all throughout the Grunlow Plains. Antonia was waiting for me at the gate and we set out. Together we left the city of Distress behind us. Our journey is going to take us north and east through the Grunlow Plains, across the Pass of Sorrows, down into the Valley of Shadows and finally to the Lake District. It will take us four to five days to complete assuming nothing happens to slow us down. The "Green Giant" is easy to navigate and the trail is well marked. I hope we run across Rex, and if we do I hope he can share with us what he knows and has seen. With Olin tagging along this is going to hinder our investigation. I know why my father insisted he come and I understand it. Doesn't mean I have to like it.

The Grunlow Plains are beautiful this time of year. The flowers and crops are at their peak and the wildlife is very active. Our first stop for the night is a small village called Bountiful. It is comprised of a small inn, a tavern, a blacksmith and a provisioner. We acquired ourselves a room at the inn, secured our horses in their stables and headed to the tavern. The tavern wasn't very busy. We ordered some drinks and sat at a corner table near the front door. I'm not quite sure Olin was comfortable sitting with us "girls". We sat there quite a while trying to listen in on other people's conversations for stories about the disappearances. Nothing was being said about it. When suddenly a lady and her husband rushed in looking for their son. They were both in such a crazed state of panic. At first their ranting was just a jumbled mess of screams and yells. Finally, the barmaid was able to calm the male down enough to get something understandable out of him. He said their son had just disappeared moments ago, and they couldn't find him anywhere. Antonia and I glanced at each other knowing this may be a huge clue. Antonia approached the mother of the missing child and tried to console her and calm her down. She wasn't having much luck. The barmaid was having an easier time with the father as he was starting to become more coherent. I went to the father and asked him where this had happened. He told me that he and his son were putting the horses in the barn for the night, and while he was locking up, his son had gone to shut the gate and never came back. His son, Jakob, is only eleven years old. I can't imagine the fear that must be going through their minds. I got tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat hearing the story. I did manage to get the location of their farm, but it was getting dark and wouldn't be worth investigating it tonight. It will have to wait until morning, just our luck. On the other hand, we are lucky that the farm is in the direction we are travelling. I think I even saw Olin get a little choked up by tonight's events, and on top of that, I've talked him in to going to the farm to check it out as a service from the capital city of Distress. This is the first time I've heard of a person vanishing, but it has to be related...it just has to be.

Oh yeah, Olin also made contact with our first person so a message could be relayed back to my father. So far so good!

Day 8-Sondai, Augusta 16...Nightmares, prepping and packing

I had another one of my unsettling nightmares last night. It was the same as all the ones I've had before, darkness, cold-damp-thick air, a flicker of light revealing a shadowed figure, a whisper of an inaudible voice from somewhere in the darkness and now a loud thunderous clanging noise like metal striking metal...what does this all mean? The images, or lack there of, are so vivid I would swear it was real. I was so disturbed by this latest dream that I couldn't eat breakfast this morning, and Cassandra even made her bread pudding. I love that stuff! My stomach just wouldn't allow it. Sad start to my day.

I pulled myself together by lunchtime and found enough courage and energy to approach my father and ask him about going with Antonia to the Lake District. I had trouble convincing him initially, but I finally wore him down. He, of course, insisted that Olin accompany us on our journey (I knew this was going to be the case). I was also to leave word with certain people along our way so they could send word back to Distress about our progress. This was going to be a bit of a problem where our investigating was concerned. It is going to eat up a lot of free time trying to track these people down along the way. We'll just have to make do.

I received word from Antonia that her father had granted her permission to make the trip. I was excited and nervous about making our way and finding out all we could about this mystery. I spent the rest of my afternoon packing my bags and tending to my horse, Isabella. She needed a lot of attention...such a mess. My afternoon was shot getting her ready, but it kept my mind busy and calmed my nervous energy.

Day 7-Setzdei, Augusta 15...Reality check

I woke up this morning much later than usual. No bad dream, I must have been too tired to even dream. I stayed in bed for a while just staring at the ceiling. Last night's party must have really worn me out. It was well past mid-morning before I rolled out of bed. I walked out to my balcony to take in some fresh air. I was standing there taking in the view when it dawned on me, everything that I could see would be my responsibility at some point. For the first time I began to understand my role and what it means to the people below in the streets of Distress and all across the countryside. I was going to be their Queen one day. From the Elnar Mountains and Shadow Forest to the south, the Lake District in the east and the Canyon Lands beyond that, as well as, The Grunlow Lowlands (nicknamed the "Green Giant" by the locals) a vast prairie with rolling hills to the north and west, every citizen was going to depend on me for protection and stability. Scary to think about. The thought of it is overwhelming and humbling. I hope I'm ready for it when the time comes.

After my eye opening experience on the balcony finished settling into my soul, I sent a message to Antonia. I asked her to meet me at our favorite bakery in the Merchant District called The Peasants Loaf. The breads and pastries there are to die for! My personal guard, Olin, tagged along - scratch that, he was ordered to accompany me and Antonia on our "errands". Olin isn't a bad guy but I really wish he would loosen up a little. He is always so serious and stoic, and not much fun. At least he wasn't trailing us in his dress armor, father allowed him to go incognito. We didn't need all the attention that would have brought upon us. Antonia and I loaded up our satchels with tasty baked wonders and headed for the Barter District. A lot of outsiders and nomadic types congregate there to trade goods and swap stories. It was a good place to start.

We went in to the Green Dog, a tavern popular with outsiders. Olin was fairly apprehensive and a little confused about what type of business Antonia and I needed to conduct in such a place. As far as he knew, the two of us were just procuring items for Antonia's father. Just through our abilities to eavesdrop we overheard a lot of talk about this mystery. There was one individual who had a group of people around him and he was regaling them with a story about his missing horse. He said he had set up camp shortly before sundown and had tied his horse up to a nearby tree. Then he made preparations for a small fire and when he turned around to look at his horse, it was gone. No noise...no trace, the only thing that was unusual was a strong gust of wind on what had been a very wind-free evening. We talked to him after the crowd had dispersed but he couldn't recall anymore and he was visibly distraught, so we let him be. He did give us directions to the place where his horse had disappeared. I'd like to go check it out and see if we see something that was missed. Then, I asked around if anyone knew a Rex Thyne and might know where I might start looking for him, but no one could help. I'll just go see Eron later and see if he has any information on Rex's whereabouts or grazing routes. All in all our trip to the Barter District was productive.

We ended our day early so Olin wouldn't get too suspicious about our motives for being in the Barter District. Antonia did purchase a keg of ale for her father's trip back to the Lake District, so it all looked legitimate in the eyes of my guard. I hope.

Tomorrow I ask my father if I can accompany Antonia back to the Lake District for a little relaxation, but we want to take the route around the lake on horseback instead of on the boat. I hate being so deceitful, but I don't want him or my mother to know that I am looking into this mystery. Especially since they won't tell me anything up front. We'll see how it goes. Antonia is asking her father tonight.

Day 6-Freidei, Augusta 14...My twentieth birthday extravaganza

Well, the waiting was finally over. My birthday was here at last. I woke up early this morning to get ready...no nightmares. Throughout history, twentieth birthday celebrations in the Royal Family have been anchored by tradition and are also the source of many tales and legends. One of my favorites involved my Great-Great Grandfather and his amazing display of strength. As the story goes he apparently lifted a two wheeled pony cart with two attractive ladies on board over his head. He did so to prove his love to a peasant girl and prove to his own father (my Great-Great-Great Grandfather) that loving a peasant wouldn't make him weak. It must have worked because he was allowed to marry her. Definitely my favorite story. I wonder if he really lifted that cart? My party was great, nothing noteworthy happened but it was still an incredible time.

The weather was beautiful, I guess it paid to be selfish this time. Yay me! My mother had people come in and fix up my hair, it turned out amazing. My mom commented how much she loved the way my black hair complimented my beautiful dress. She said I was the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen (with a tear in her eye). For my mother that is an amazing compliment she just doesn't show emotion too often. It surprised me a little.

The Grand Hall was decorated with such vibrantly colored banners and way to many candles to count. The flickering from the flames made the walls look they were in constant motion. It was the perfect atmosphere for my big day. People arrived one huge group after another until the Grand Hall was filled to the limit. I was watching the guests arrive from a secluded balcony...I had to wait to be announced. It was all part of the declaration ceremony. Once everybody was situated in the hall the festivities would begin. I was able to locate Antonia and her father they had a table near mine, she looked great! It will be great to celebrate with my friend. I was feeling quite nervous leading up to the ceremony, there were so many people. Crowds aren't necessarily my thing. The waiting killed me! I felt much better once the whole thing was underway. I was introduced, then I entered the Grand Hall in style. The ceremony itself was over before I knew it. It was a whirlwind of activity accompanied by a lot of coming of age jargon. I was officially the next ruler of Distress.

Let the party begin...I found Antonia and we went over our plans for the evening. We danced, ate, drank a little wine (Antonia drank a little more) and had an unbelievable time. We had such a great time and completely lost ourselves as well as track of time. We weren't able to get any of our investigating done, so it will have to wait until tomorrow. I loved everything about today and it left me absolutely exhausted. No legends were made, I don't think, but a very memorable time was had by all.

Day 5-Dunsdai, Augusta 13...Searching for clues

My dream returned last night, although, I hesitate to call it a dream anymore. It is becoming an unsettling nightmare. Each one seems to be revealing just a little bit more than the previous one. This one offered up the blinding darkness, the cold emptiness, the flicker of light revealing a silhouetted figure and this time a voice. I couldn't make out what was said; it came through as only a light whisper, barely audible. I worry why I am having these strange reoccurring nightmares, I never used too. Could it be stress related or something more sinister? I suppose it is yet another mystery for me to solve.

I ate breakfast alone (hotcakes with fresh wild berries and juice) and pondered my plan of action for the day. The weather was much better so that shouldn't cause me any grief. I quickly got myself ready for my day out in the streets of Distress. I had to be sneaky so I could get out of the palace unseen and not trailed by my personal guard. Father would hate that I am out alone but I can't risk anyone knowing what it is I'm up to.

I managed to slip out undetected and headed for the docks. I wanted to talk to my friend Eron who works in one of the drinking halls. He is always up on the latest gossip so I thought it would be a productive first stop. I was right. Eron told me of some locals talking about missing livestock just a few leagues away from town. He also said there was no sign of tracks or clues left by thieves. They just seemed to vanish without a trace. He gave me the name of a nomadic rancher, Rex Thyne, who said he saw something very unusual a few nights back, but Eron was unsure if it was related or not. His instincts are pretty good so I will attempt to track this Mr. Thyne down, after my birthday. I thanked Eron for his time and left for the Harbor Store, a supply and surplus dealer.

I posed a few questions to some ship captains and deck hands but came up empty. I think they were just too busy to answer a few questions from some snoopy little girl. If only they knew I was the princess, but I wasn't about to reveal myself by playing that card.

I had a busy morning and made it back to the palace before anyone noticed me missing. Just as I finished changing into more suitable house attire my mother knocked on my door. She told me that Antonia and her father were due to arrive anytime now and wondered if I wanted to head down to the docks to greet them (if only she knew). Of course I wanted to, so I headed down to the pier with my mother.

Antonia and her father arrived and I greeted my friend with a huge hug. It was so good to see her. I didn't reveal anything I had learned earlier about the mystery; I'll save that for tomorrow. At the moment all I wanted to do was catch up and enjoy dinner with my friend.

Tomorrow we'll celebrate my birthday and declaration ceremony then we can get down to comparing notes about this mystery.

Day 4-Mittelweek, Augusta 12...A dreary day

No dreams last night (or at least none I can recall) and I woke up to pouring down rain. The clouds blocked out the sun rising in the east. It was grey and gloomy, just a plain depressing sort of day from the beginning. I really hope this weather clears up by Freidei! I sound selfish but I don't want rain on my birthday...is that too much to hope for? I am really looking forward to the ceremony my mother and father have planned for me. You see, not only is it my birthday on Freidei, but I also recieve a declaration to become the sole heir to the throne upon my father's death (God forbid). It is just a part of turning twenty I guess. I so look forward to the celebration, the song, music, food and dance but I must say I'm a little nervous about the responsibility that my future carries. What if I'm an awful ruler...Queen...leader...whatever?

After my near nervous breakdown, I had breakfast with my mother (a rare treat). She had details to go over with me about the declaration ceremony. Mostly she just droned on and on about the guestlist and who was going to be there. On the upside, Cassandra made a wonderful egg casserole and fresh sweet rolls. YUM! Our conversation was going pretty well until I mentioned the strange disappearances being reported, and then she just shut down and changed the subject as if I hadn't said a thing about it. Now I am sure these reports are true and that something is definitely going on, and I am going to find out what it is. I feel so left out...so untrusted...UGH!

I was frustrated so I took out my frustrations during my sword training with Tren. I think he could tell I was angry and needed to let off some pent up anger. He noted that I was behaving very aggressively yet I was still able to exhibit great focus and composure. It was just the type of thing I needed after the morning I had. I was beat and physically drained. I felt good but still angry and upset over the whole thing.

By mid-afternoon it was still pouring down rain. So, I locked myself up in my room and came up with a plan of action to uncover this disappearance mystery. I came up with a couple of ideas and I'll start my investigation tomorrow.

Day 3-Tuisdai, Augusta 11...Dresses and Mystery

I woke up in a cold sweat from the dream I was having. It was like the one from the night before but I remember seeing a light flicker in the darkness. The light briefly showed a shadowed figure and then it was gone...so strange. I wonder what could be bringing on these dreams they are like nothing I have ever experienced before, so real. I crawled back in bed and got some more sleep...sort of. What seemed like only minutes after getting back in bed my mom was knocking at my door to get me up for our trip to the seamstress. I quickly got out of bed and the two of us headed to the south end of Distress to the merchant quarter.

The seamstress is a lovely, joyful (if not a little over the top) lady whose name is Cassandra. She was so full of energy even though it was still just after sunrise. She must have something good cooked up for herself by the local herbalist. Perhaps a little tweakweed? She retook my measurements (she took them a few weeks ago), disappeared behind a curtain and returned with the three choices she had to offer. I was absolutely floored, all three were amazingly beautiful. One was a light blue that shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight coming in through the window. Another was a rich burgundy red with lace and sequin touches throughout. The last was an emerald green gown with beautifully embroidered sleeves. It was a tough choice but in the end I chose the red one. I thought it was just right for me, I truly love it.

After the morning's excitement I had a couple of what usually are very dull meetings to attend. Well, the first one was boring, but during the second meeting we had a mysterious visitor from the farthest reaching province of my father's kingdom. He brought word of more livestock gone missing. My father adjourned the meeting early and disappeared into his study accompanied by the visitor. I wish I knew what was going on...it is not fair. I hate feeling out of the loop.

The rest of the day I spent pondering yet another mystery and my strange dream. It is beginning to consume my free time. Oh well, at least it gives me something productive to do.

Wonder what tomorrow might bring?

Day 2-Mondai, Augusta 10...An unusual dream and a letter

I woke up early this morning struggling to remember the strange dream I had. I could see my self surrounded by darkness. I felt cold and damp and the silence was deafening. That is all I could remember...it was weird. I dragged myself out of bed and went to my balcony. The clouds were thick and settled on the surface of the lake blocking my view of the sunrise. I threw some clothes on and went to breakfast.

Cook had prepared ham and potato hash...so good! Fresh biscuits with fresh butter, I ate til I was sick! I love Selene, she is an awesome cook! No meetings after breakfast today so I ran down to the gate to see if I had any letters from far off places. One came from my friend Antonia of Lakeside Village. Here is what she had to say (it was a little odd)...

Hey Damzee,

I am so excited that I get to come for your birthday. It has been so long since I've seen you. What like, three years or so? My dad and I are going to make the trip on his boat, should be fun. We will probably be on our way by the time you get this. You know it takes like three and a half days to get there by boat, but my dad is going to stock up on supplies while we're there, too. I can't wait! It is going to be such a great time. You know how much I like to dance and drink a little wine. Not a word about the wine to my father though; he'd kill me.

On another note, I am not sure if you have heard the rumors on your side of the lake about the strange disappearances. We have heard of a number of cattle and sheep missing or vanishing. I have heard about a couple of horses and even a dog that were missing. My dad thinks it is just a band of thieves, but I am not so convinced. There are no reported signs of tracks or clues found by anyone. Thieves aren't that clever, are they? It is definitely a strange mystery.

Well, that is all for now. I will see you in a few days.

Love Antonia

After I read Antonia's letter, I took it to my father to see if he knew anything about these disappearance rumors from the lake provinces. He looked the last half of the letter over (I couldn't show him the first half, he might say something about the wine Antonia likes to drink to her father) and just grumbled something and headed toward his study. I don't know?

The rest of the day the rainy weather settled in over Distress, so I held up in my room and tried to recall more of my dream and thought about the things that Antonia wrote about in her letter. I am excited to see her on Freidai.

Going to bed early because tomorrow morning I am going to the seamstress with my mother to get fitted for my birthday dress. A touch of excitement tomorrow. *smile*

Day 1 - Sondai Augusta 9, ...I am so bored

I am starting a diary today to give myself something to do. Being 19 years old and the princess here in Distress can be somewhat mundane. I woke up this morning and went to my balcony to watch the sunrise crest the horizon. Gee my day starts early! It was beautiful and I love to watch the colors change in the sky. I also get to glimpse the city that lies below, so peaceful and quiet. It won't be that way in a couple of hours, however. The noise that emanates from the street below my room is enough to drive anyone mad! I could smell my breakfast coming from the dining hall, so I dressed and headed off to eat.


Breakfast was great as usual. Cook is so wonderful and I can't get enough of her bread pudding. It's like eating french toast flavored goodness smothered in sweet cream. After breakfast is when my day gets really dull and boring. I had a couple of Royal meetings to attend. *yawn* Nothing ever happens here.


Today I worked on my swordsmanship skills. My dad really hates that I want to wield a sword and learn to defend myself. He always says, "That is what your personal guards are for!" He is such a traditionalist, but I love him for it :). My teacher, Tren, is a great warrior and is one of dad's top soldiers. He has taught me so much. I really love the freedom it gives me to be swinging that sword around with control and graceful movements. I don't care what my dad says I am not giving this up!


Nothing of any intrest, whatsoever, happened the rest of the day. I ate dinner and crawled into bed. Typical...so typical.