I don't like this one bit.
There seems to be a lot going on, for such a quiet time of the midsummer. It seems that my leave isn't going to be much of a vacation after all. I may come to rue going off on my Grassland journey with Sigurd, for one reason or another, but I still intend to do it. Even if I have to make it a shorter journey - to Chisha and back, no lingering in Alma Kinan or taking side-trips through Karaya. I have a set of goals, so as long as we acheive them, I'll be satisfied. I want to show him the Great Hollow and see Shiba and Dupa, I want to pass through Alma Kinan for a night's respite and perhaps see Chieftain Yuiri, and I need to go to Chisha to see Sana...and to trek up into the mountains to his resting place. Anything else will have to depend on our time...and our safety.
I am very disturbed by what happened to Watari. I know he's had this price on his head for years, so I shouldn't be surprised that he had another go-round with more of his clan's assassins, but the timing is terrible. I wanted to believe it was merely coincidence that somone hired Kage agents to abduct me, but he doesn't think so. It's bad enough knowing in the back of my mind that Harmonia could come after me at any time and I can never really let down my guard, now someone else is potentially hunting me down. I need to get Detective Oboro on that case, if he'll take it. I need to know who could be after me. And poor Sigurd...god, what this did to Sigurd. It's a comfort to me that he's still completely behind me - well, beside me - in this regard, he's not scared off. But he seems bothered. I want to know what's on his mind...I want him to be able to tell me. It isn't that he doesn't trust me...we're both still getting used to the idea of being completely open with the person we love. After all, I'm a little nervous about bringing him to the Flame Champion's resting place. That means letting him into my life completely, into all my past secrets, all the mistakes I made, the grudge I harbored, everything about the Fire Bringer and myself. I don't know if I'm ready, but I know I have to do it.
And now this letter from the Zexen Council. Sounds like they're up to their old tricks again, inventing some reason to come in here and snoop around. Budehuc has never barred anyone from entering its gates, I mean hell...we have people popping in here from the past all the time. I don't know why they didn't just walk in on a visit if that was all they wanted, to see what's going on here. No, they apparently have to be all self-righteous and sneaky about it, and that doesn't sit well with me at all. Wyatt and I worked very hard to make sure that Budehuc would remain free of allegiance to any nation or clan, and even though Zexen got its greedy paws on the place for a little while, that's all been straightened out. I'll be damned if they're going to take it again, while I'm living here. Budehuc is the only home I have, and I'm not letting the Zexen Council own it or control it or tax it for their own gains. I know how they work. The only ones who will benefit will be the Guild members themselves, not the people, not the knights, no one else. That has never sat well with me...they're no better than Harmonia in some regards. At least Thomas knows I fully back him, and will do whatever I can. I just hope nothing serious happens here while I'm away. I'd hate to let my guard down and fail Budehuc that way...
Then again, I suppose I should hope nothing serious happens to me and Sigurd while we're away, either. I don't want him to get hurt, and thinking of using True Lightning in front of him to save us gives me a creeping feeling in the pit of my stomach. I know I can rely on the Rune, and in an emergency there is really nothing else I can do, but...I don't need to remind him of what I did when he attacked Cray, or of the fact that I even hold the Rune...the thing that may divide us one day, in death if nothing else. At least we're keeping to well-traveled paths and won't be out of range of any clan's wide patrols or hunters. The Lizards are all over the plains this time of year, they'll probably know I'm coming before I even get a half-day's walk from the Hollow. And the Alma Kinan have given me permission to visit the village, so they'll be on watch for me as well. All I can do is make contingency plans, stock up on supplies, and get a good rest to recharge my runes each night. Damn...I really would like to upgrade my lightning rune to a thunder, or find a third because I know I can bear one on my forehead now, but the only rune master at Budehuc is Maxine. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Looks like things just can't stay simple forever. Ah, well. Such is my life.
I am very disturbed by what happened to Watari. I know he's had this price on his head for years, so I shouldn't be surprised that he had another go-round with more of his clan's assassins, but the timing is terrible. I wanted to believe it was merely coincidence that somone hired Kage agents to abduct me, but he doesn't think so. It's bad enough knowing in the back of my mind that Harmonia could come after me at any time and I can never really let down my guard, now someone else is potentially hunting me down. I need to get Detective Oboro on that case, if he'll take it. I need to know who could be after me. And poor Sigurd...god, what this did to Sigurd. It's a comfort to me that he's still completely behind me - well, beside me - in this regard, he's not scared off. But he seems bothered. I want to know what's on his mind...I want him to be able to tell me. It isn't that he doesn't trust me...we're both still getting used to the idea of being completely open with the person we love. After all, I'm a little nervous about bringing him to the Flame Champion's resting place. That means letting him into my life completely, into all my past secrets, all the mistakes I made, the grudge I harbored, everything about the Fire Bringer and myself. I don't know if I'm ready, but I know I have to do it.
And now this letter from the Zexen Council. Sounds like they're up to their old tricks again, inventing some reason to come in here and snoop around. Budehuc has never barred anyone from entering its gates, I mean hell...we have people popping in here from the past all the time. I don't know why they didn't just walk in on a visit if that was all they wanted, to see what's going on here. No, they apparently have to be all self-righteous and sneaky about it, and that doesn't sit well with me at all. Wyatt and I worked very hard to make sure that Budehuc would remain free of allegiance to any nation or clan, and even though Zexen got its greedy paws on the place for a little while, that's all been straightened out. I'll be damned if they're going to take it again, while I'm living here. Budehuc is the only home I have, and I'm not letting the Zexen Council own it or control it or tax it for their own gains. I know how they work. The only ones who will benefit will be the Guild members themselves, not the people, not the knights, no one else. That has never sat well with me...they're no better than Harmonia in some regards. At least Thomas knows I fully back him, and will do whatever I can. I just hope nothing serious happens here while I'm away. I'd hate to let my guard down and fail Budehuc that way...
Then again, I suppose I should hope nothing serious happens to me and Sigurd while we're away, either. I don't want him to get hurt, and thinking of using True Lightning in front of him to save us gives me a creeping feeling in the pit of my stomach. I know I can rely on the Rune, and in an emergency there is really nothing else I can do, but...I don't need to remind him of what I did when he attacked Cray, or of the fact that I even hold the Rune...the thing that may divide us one day, in death if nothing else. At least we're keeping to well-traveled paths and won't be out of range of any clan's wide patrols or hunters. The Lizards are all over the plains this time of year, they'll probably know I'm coming before I even get a half-day's walk from the Hollow. And the Alma Kinan have given me permission to visit the village, so they'll be on watch for me as well. All I can do is make contingency plans, stock up on supplies, and get a good rest to recharge my runes each night. Damn...I really would like to upgrade my lightning rune to a thunder, or find a third because I know I can bear one on my forehead now, but the only rune master at Budehuc is Maxine. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Looks like things just can't stay simple forever. Ah, well. Such is my life.