Hildy's diary

Hildy · 12-01-07, 11:41 PM

Jan 12th

Got one of those official letters today. Addressed to Private 2nd Class Brynhild Fredrikson, nothing friendly like Hildy, which would have got to me just as easily. I?ve been ordered to Trinsic of all places - we?re overmanned, they?re short of troops, and guess who gets picked on? I?d be willing to bet it was that thing with the dead mouse in the Captain?s ale last week. I didn?t expect him to actually drink it did I? He must have been well drunk already not to notice it in there. But it was way too good a chance to miss after I caught it behind the bar.

She stopped briefly with a small reminiscent grin to remember the Captain?s simultaneous acute nausea and apoplectic rage, then carried on writing.

So now I?ve got to go down south on a temporary transfer with an option for permanency. He?s obviously trying to get rid of me. I?ll miss the guys here but it could be worse. That Duke of theirs doesn?t look so bad, at least he doesn?t look at you like you?re a boil on an ogre?s backside. Oh well, we?ll see what happens. At least I?m not out of a job though I could always go back full time barmaiding even if Mum and Dad never liked it much. Dad reckons as Trinsic?s a smaller place than Britain and they?re at war I should get promotion quickly. Though Mum said I?ll probably spend the time jumping up and down from Private 1st Class to 2nd Class and back like I do here. She?s more likely right, Dad has this ambition triumphing over experience thing. Best I ever did was Lance Corporal once and that was only for 2 days.

She paused for another reminiscent chuckle about the reason it had only been 2 days. Trouble was worth it sometimes.

It?d be a miracle if I ever got further but I don?t want to anyway. You seem to get your sense of humour amputated as soon as you hit anything above Corporal. Wonder if there?s any decent taverns in Trinsic? I?ll miss doing those occasional stints over at the Blue Boar.

She yawned and stretched a bit, put down the pen and closed the diary, then went for a quick visit to the washroom and so to bed. Where she slept the deep and untroubled sleep of a contented person who knows that, whatever life throws at her, she?s going to deal with it one way or another.

Hildy · 17-01-07, 07:09 PM

Jan 17th

Made it to Trinsic yesterday and found myself in trouble already. Seems Captain Kaelyn got told about the transfer several days before I did and expected me last week. I didn?t get told until Friday, so spent the weekend sorting everything out. Then went out with the other troopers for a drink on Monday. Didn?t think it was unreasonable but she wasn?t pleased. Not that I got a chance to explain. Captain Mainwaring got to her already and of course she?ll believe him over me. Very frosty reception and I?ve been sworn in at recruit level. Hope things will improve a bit.

New uniform isn?t so bad, I won?t miss the platemail. It might be smart but it?s hot and heavy. This is ordinary leather, still hot but a lot easier to move in. Looks alright, bit snug fitting on me but I?ll get used to it. The armoury is close by the wall so it?s easy to find. There?s a bath house as part of it so it?ll be easy to get a quick wash after a sweaty shift.

Captain took me out on a patrol not long after she swore me in. They expect us to find our way round outside through the woods. How can you do that? All the trees look the same. It?s not like a proper city beat where you learn the streets and buildings. Looks like I?ll be spending a while lost. Or not patrolling very far from the walls. Though there?s a nice-looking tavern on the route, the Trinsic Rose. Will have to try and find my way back. I?ll learn my way round town pretty quickly I think. Went out this morning to explore a bit and I?ve found a fair number of places already. Maybe that?ll please the Captain.

*a rough sketch map of part of Trinsic is added with some of the principal buildings marked in*

Trinsic is a lot different to Britain, all this bright sandstone is hurting my eyes. But I met someone I know already. Couldn?t believe it when that dozy tailor Kent Shelta wandered up to the gate. He?s promised faithfully to get that new shirt to me but I bet he still forgets. I told him about the mouse and Captain Mainwaring. He laughed and probably so did everyone else who heard. Lot of people around the gates, seems to be a main meeting place. Talked to a few of them but it?ll take a while to get sorted out on who?s who. Friends and enemies and stuff like that. Lot of drow making everyone act and feel edgy. Some fighting but I stayed out of it, not knowing who?s on which side. Kaelyn put me to making stew instead which got handed out free to anyone who wanted. It wasn?t bad, though not up to Dad?s standard of course. I hope Mum and Dad are alright. Must write home as soon as I?ve settled in a bit.

She stuffed the diary back into her pack and went off to get her uniform and go on duty again. She resolutely told herself there was no point in being homesick and anyway it would probably wear off after a bit.

Hildy · 19-01-07, 09:18 AM

Jan 19th

Of all the people I could meet in Trinsic, why did one of them have to be Devante Stirling? Found my way back down to the Trinsic Rose on Wednesday as I was told they did an armour repair and general blacksmithing thing. And then he walks in. Kent made me a pretty good warfork anyway, in verite. Couldn?t try it out on Devante unfortunately. Why is it only absolute bastards get made Captains? Still reserving judgement on Kaelyn, not as bad as others I?ve known. She?s got the typical bad timing though, she walked into the Rose just while I was having a go at Devante.

Spent most of the rest of the day being lost. Wanted to concentrate on learning Trinsic but got sent to Vesper with a message for Baron Twothumb. Got talked down to and laughed at by some Vesperian army types. Eventually the Baron turned up and gave me an answer. Polite for a Vesperian and a noble. Thanked him and made a quick exit. Got lost again on the way back to the moongate.

Next up was Moonglow, with Yukiko, Locke (Kaldorian) and Bowen (one of Devante?s lot). Kaelyn found a corpse up the road, note on him suggesting from some place in Moonglow. Fortunately Bowen knew where it was. Back to the moongate and another walk of miles through a load of trees which all look the same. Only difference is the woods round Moonglow have about one million mongbats. It was dark and snowing, couldn?t find my way back if you paid me. Found the man we wanted who confirmed the dead man?s identity. Then had to go and break the news to his mother. Hope I don?t have to do that again. Yukiko?s father was murdered not long ago, she was a bit upset.

Patrolled down to the moongate again after we got back. At least that?s one route I know now. Got to try my new warfork out on some brigands. It?s good, disarms other weapons very easily with the two prongs. Might switch to that instead of the kryss sometimes. Got 452 gold off them, no idea who they?d been robbing. Kaelyn said to put it in the box in the armoury and gave me a key. Said I?d done well, so maybe things are looking up.

Thursday night was training, ended up in yet another place I?ve never been to before, Serpents Hold. Join the Trinsic guards and see the world. Island with no public moongate so had to find a fisherman to sail us back. Training was fun, first part like a very violent massive game of bagball. We didn?t do so well on that, no good tactics. But in the straightforward team fight afterwards we won easily. I didn?t get knocked down once in that though I was on the ground quite a lot in the bagball. Kaelyn said I did well again anyway. Stood at the gate for a bit after, no real problems. Seems those cowardly Yewmen had been in attacking the citizens while we were out. They left some flags around but young Keina burned them.

She stretched gingerly, aching from all the physical activity over the last couple of days. No doubt about it, guarding Trinsic was much harder work than guarding in Britain was, and didn?t include just Trinsic either. She made a mental note to try and find a library with some world maps.

Hildy · 20-01-07, 10:56 AM

Jan 20th

Made a real cock-up last night. Not that I knew it was a cock-up at the time. But Kaelyn was furious. Captain Mainwaring used to go red and gobble like a turkey. Kaelyn just goes really cold and glares. I think that’s worse. And I think I’ve made it worse since, though I couldn’t help it. I had to leave a note for Kaelyn explaining it. It’ll probably be back to Britain today for me. The day was going really nicely too.

Got on duty and Kaelyn said we’d patrol down to the Rose. When we got there, it seems it’s ok for us to sit down and have a drink, as long as it’s not ale or liquor of any sort. So I had some blueberry lemonade which is really nice. I wonder if she’d give me the recipe so I could take it home for Dad. I sat at the bar with Keina and a load of other people I didn’t know. Kaelyn sat down at one of the tables and talked to Commander Soulshadow. There was this young Kaldorian sitting with Keina as well, name of Corwin. We got to chatting a bit, didn’t really notice for how long. Then Claire came running in and said there was an attack at the gate. Wrote most of the rest up in my report.

She attached a copy of the report.

After we lost the Vesperian, Corwin suggested going for a drink in the Rose. As it was after my shift end I said yes. Kaelyn found us there and was furious that we hadn’t done anything about not seeing Rak come back after chasing the drow. Ordered me back on duty even though it was hours past shift end by then. Found Rak at the gates, badly hurt. Hugo said the drow had taken Keina. Captain Talon of the Kaldorians started organising a search to get her back so I went with Rak to the healers. Two other people were helping, at least I thought so, some woman called Cherry and her husband. Cherry did this sort of magic thing on Rak and he woke up but it all went to pieces after that. He was determined to go and get Keina back and kill the drow. Did my best to stop him as he wasn’t fit, but Cherry and her husband insisted on helping him. I couldn’t stop them so I just left. Couldn’t find Kaelyn so I left the aforementioned note.

At least I had a bit of fun with Corwin. He’s nice company, very easy to talk to. Spent quite a lot of the evening chatting with him on and off between interruptions. He likes sailing and said he’d hire a boat one day and show me a few places. Just remembered I left my map in the Rose, must go back and pick it up later. That’s assuming I don’t get sent back to Britain first thing.

She glumly got into her uniform and went off to face whatever Kaelyn was going to throw at her.

Hildy · 24-01-07, 01:18 PM

The Barracks
Trinsic
Jan 24th

To: Mr & Mrs Fredrikson
Castle British
Britain

Dear Mum and Dad,

I hope you?re well and everything in Britain is fine. I?m settling down in Trinsic but I miss the castle and city. Trinsic is all built of gold sandstone, looks really weird though I suppose it?s sort of cleaner and newer than Britain. I?m still learning my way round though I know most of the city now. It?s smaller than Britain, only about half the size, but it still manages to be confusing. Really the work is pretty similar, just fewer nobles and more ordinary people like us. Except that we have to patrol outside the city as well, I keep getting a bit lost in the woods.

She stopped briefly and grinned to herself about Corwin and his daydreaming about getting lost in the woods.

Most people are friendly and the other guards are a nice lot. I?m not sure about Captain Kaelyn yet but they all think she?s alright. I was in trouble before I got here as Captain Mainwaring must have written to her I think. But she?s not actually picking on me more than anyone else so she seems fair at least. You?ll be pleased to know that so far I haven?t done anything outrageous! Although the story about the mouse in the Captain?s ale has spread far and wide already. I think people keep expecting me to do things like that all the time. But I?m not doing any bar work either, at least not yet.

I?ve met lots of people and forgotten half of them already. The Duke was alright, he didn?t say much except ?Welcome to Trinsic? and then went off to another meeting. Got to admit he actually seems to work hard, unlike those layabout High Councillors. You?ll never guess who else is here though ? that Captain who killed that hawk I was training because he ?thought it was a chicken? and then laughed it off. I lost my temper with him a bit but he didn?t report me so I suppose I should be grateful. He?s just being mean back at me. That crafter who was always wandering around in a dream, Kent Shelta, is here too. So if you hear anyone asking for him, he?s in Trinsic. He looked very guilty when I saw him, and not just because he never delivered that silk shirt I ordered. He thought I?d been sent to take him back so I guess he might have left a lot of other unfilled orders behind.

She chewed the end of the quill for a moment, wondering whether to mention Corwin?s attentions, and decided not to. Even though she was a grown woman, Dad could still be a bit strange sometimes about any hint of a boyfriend. When she next went back home for a visit she could tell Mum privately instead.

I?m going to send some clothes home; even with the snow it?s much warmer here and I won?t need all the really thick woollen stuff. I don?t know whether you found my old warfork which I couldn?t find when I was packing up. It doesn?t matter either way as I got a new one made here. The blacksmith will probably be happy to take it for scrap if you do find it.

If I can get a day off I might bring the clothes back instead of sending them, just to come and say hallo. Best go now as I?m on duty shortly. Take care of yourselves.
Lots of love,
Hildy

Hildy · 24-01-07, 01:19 PM

24th Jan

Will have to be a short entry as spent most of the time writing home. About time too, Dad will be imagining all sorts of dreadful things that have happened to me. Dear old Dad, he does worry. Suppose the worst that happened was Sunday with Thaur and his friends in the tavern beating up me and Corwin and Locke. Though my arm is nearly healed now.

She stopped briefly to scratch at the bandages again.. why did healing cuts have to itch so much?

Thaur came in yesterday, me and Yukiko put him in the stocks. When Kaelyn came back he got 10 lashes as well and a large fine. Did the lashing myself, poetic justice. Must have been feeling soft as didn?t make him bare his back and wasn?t really hitting him that hard. Didn?t even draw blood, just gave him a few bruises. Threw some snowballs at him when he was in the stocks though, bet some of those hurt. He screamed like a baby in the healers later. He?ll probably try to get revenge. Nearly caught one of the others too but he ran off. Name of Rayden, according to Kaelyn I think.

That?s jumping ahead a bit though. Kaelyn said I could go with her to listen to Lady Alraune talking about fortune telling and stuff in Umbra on Sunday (this was after getting beaten up). Corwin came with us too. He?s really nice, seems to like me a lot considering we only met last Friday. Lady Alraune was interesting. Don?t know how cards can know what your past or present or future can be. Might go and ask her for a reading, just to see what happens. After the talk the Umbra people summoned a thing called an oracle, might have been a dead spirit. Didn?t like it much. Corwin was unsettled too, held my hand. Which was good except he still had platemail gloves on. Went to look at Kaelyn?s pictures afterwards, she?s very clever.

Monday was on night duty, everything very quiet. Weekends are supposed to be worse, all drunks in the taverns. Hard to stay awake, even in the cold. Had to keep doing patrols. Got some good fresh bread from the baker at 6am though.

She glanced at the time then hastily threw the book onto her bed and scrambled into her uniform. She was very nearly late for duty already.

Hildy · 26-01-07, 07:54 PM

26th Jan

Thursday’s duty went pretty well. We caught Lance Sanders from Vesper, the one who hit Keina and Claire and then ran away. He got put in the stocks and Luid gave him some lashes. But it had to be done quickly as another Vesperian mysteriously turned up just when we put him in the stocks. A bit later, as predicted, he came back with a group and tried to bust Lance out. But we saw them off with not much trouble. It was lucky the Kaldorians came back just at the right moment from escorting their caravan. Luid got their Captain down (Hanse) and put him in the stocks too. Claire ran off and got Cove to come and help but they turned up after it was all over. Good initiative though.

Vesper came back later, wanting to talk to Cal Soulshadow. From what Corwin told me yesterday, the Kaldorians have now been ordered not to fight Vesper. That’s not going to be easy. But Corwin said he wouldn’t let them hurt me and wasn’t sure he could obey the order. He’s really sweet sometimes.

She stopped for a moment and smiled to herself.

But as of yesterday I’m in trouble again. I told the truth and it didn’t get me anywhere. Kaelyn just didn’t believe me. Me and Corwin went for a walk. He wanted to show me the maze near Skara. But he got lost and I was no help, had no idea where we were. Anyway we found it eventually but it was too late to get back for training. Although if I’m completely honest we didn’t even think about that. But then when I got back and told Kaelyn about being lost she said I was lying. The rest of the day was being sent running here there and everywhere. I think Kaelyn is testing whether I know my way around. I know the city now, it’s the woods I have trouble with. She doesn’t believe that all the trees look the same. But when I talked to Gwen she said she has problems in the woods too. And she’s been here a lot longer than me.

It was funny, Corwin getting lost. I’m never going to let him forget it. But we saw lots of interesting houses and some really ancient ruins. And we got all the way to the sea at one point. When we finally found it, the maze was lovely. Lots of flowers everywhere and there didn’t seem to be any snow on it. The waterfall we went to afterwards was amazing. It’s definitely a very special place.

She smiled again to herself, dropped the diary back on her locker, and went off to polish up every bit of her uniform like Kaelyn had ordered. Being in trouble didn’t matter, not when she had such happy memories and daydreams to occupy her thoughts.

Hildy · 31-01-07, 05:39 PM

31st Jan

Can?t believe how unfair life is sometimes. Just when I think I?m doing well, it comes and kicks me in the teeth again. On Saturday Kaelyn told me the Skara Brae farmers were having trouble with rabbits. She wanted me to take a party there to help get rid of some and then come back and cook rabbit stew for everyone. But she decided to test me out on finding my way in the woods. So she gave me a map showing the area between here and Skara Brae and told me I had to go across country, not via the roads. I wasn?t too happy about it, but I didn?t have much choice.

In the end it was me, Hugo, Gwen, Keina, and one of the Marksmen called Joshua who went. We did actually get there, though I had to stop and check the map a few times. We got rid of quite a few rabbits, weird ones which glowed blue. Never seen anything run so fast before either, it was a good job we had archers with us really. Anyway, I skinned them on the spot and carried the meat back and made stew as ordered. (Used ginger to spice it up a bit, Dad would have liked it.) But whether it was the meat or something else, all of us who ate it went a bit strange.

She stopped briefly and sighed again.

Luckily Adammair ate some raw carrot which fixed him. After that people got us all to eat some eventually. I and Keina were taken to the healers and several other people needed help. Kaelyn was furious, even though it was her orders to cook the stew. So I?m still Recruit and I?m not allowed to do anything on my own.

Corwin was alright about it, fortunately, though I was horrible to him when the stew was making me behave weirdly. He?s such a nice person. He really likes me, in fact he asked me later on if I thought people could fall in love at first sight. I don?t know. I do like him a lot, and he?s fun to be with. But I don?t know if I can start thinking that far, though he obviously is. I asked him not to get too serious about anything, just have some fun together and see how it goes. But we got Alraune to do a card reading for us after all the stew business was over. She and Adammair both seem to see us as a long term couple. So does everyone else, not that we?ve made any secret about seeing each other. This needs a lot of thinking about. Not least how I tell Mum and whether to tell Dad about a Kaldorian boyfriend. Although I haven?t seen him in the last few days. Kaelyn put me on the roster for night duty ever since. Keeping me away from messing up normal daily life I suppose.

She yawned, stretched and sighed. Night duty really took it out of you. Probably Kaelyn was keeping her away from everything until she decided that Hildy was trustworthy. Which might be this year, next year, sometime or never.

Hildy · 15-02-07, 09:07 PM

15th Feb

First entry for ages. Was sick as a dog for a week, Tuesday was the first day I felt like getting back on duty since the Wednesday before. Didn’t dare go anywhere that wasn’t in easy reach of the latrines anyway. Quite apart from feeling like death only just warmed up.

Went to the stables first to see how Joe was and he was really pleased to see me. Or maybe the banana I gave him, that being his favourite food apart from fish. Then I went on duty and Kaelyn ordered me straight off on some expedition. Turned out it was to find the black box mad Muldran said he sent flying out of Trinsic. It was all pretty eventful but we didn’t get the box anyway because Taggart ran off with it and hasn’t been heard of since. And now Muldran’s been busted out so who knows what’s going on.

Straight after we got back Vesper attacked. It’s that Hanse, the nasty one we put in the stocks. Claims he wants Tammy and the others again, after I went all the way to Vesper to ask their Baron who said he didn’t. So no idea what he thinks he’s doing. Just making trouble for the sake of it I reckon. Apparently the Duke’s got his cousin onto it, Lord Ikus. Seems Ikus and Twothumb go way back and the Duke reckons Ikus should be able to sort it out. I hope he does something soon.

Apart from being beaten up by Vesper, Tuesday was a pretty good day. I got promoted at last. I wanted to tell Corwin but he vanished while I was in with Kaelyn and I didn’t see him again until yesterday. And then I forgot to tell him at first, only he noticed I had a new uniform. He’s going to take me out for dinner on Friday, Kaelyn said I could have the day off. He gave me some more jewellery and clothes for Valentines. I kind of wish he wouldn’t give me all this stuff, it’s sweet but I feel like it’s too much. People keep asking when the wedding is and that’s going way too far and a lot too fast. I gave him a present too though. He’s nice and he makes me laugh and I do enjoy spending time with him. And I really like him but I just want it to be relaxed and have fun and take things slowly and see where it goes. And then last night I was talking to Josh for a while and *a few words are crossed out and nothing else has been written on the page*

Hildy · 22-02-07, 06:21 PM

22nd Feb

Kaelyn let me take last Friday off and I spent it with Corwin. He cooked me a meal – not the most imaginative, but not bad. Later he showed me a beautiful place deep in a forest somewhere, a circle of white marble pillars. He didn’t know where it was, he only had a runestone to get there. Didn’t walk home as we’d be sure to get lost, having no idea where we were to start with.

Sunday night we went to Umbra University again. The lecture was about gargoyles. That mad Muldran was there, giving part of the lecture. But he ran off through a moongate before we could arrest him at the end. The lecture was interesting. It seems there’s a lot more to gargoyles than the red ones who try to fry you outside Britain sometimes. Corwin said he’d take me to see their city some time. We were a bit slow getting back, kept stopping to talk. Corwin was tired and went home. I went back to Trinsic and it turned out Vesper had attacked but had left again. I helped at the healers a bit then went back to the gate. Keina tried to get Josh to go off with her but he managed to get out of it. But he won’t have to worry any more. Later on she came back and shouted at him that she knew he had someone else and didn’t want to see him ever again. He looked as blank as I and everyone else did, but it was quite funny. Not for Keina I guess, but she’ll grow out of it.

Had night duty Monday, nothing much happened. Tuesday we got attacked by Vesper again but with Kaldorians and Marksmen and Elves we managed to get rid of them. Corwin wasn’t around. Kaelyn said I did well and called me Hildy at last, definitely a milestone. Later some brigands came in chasing Tammy (probably asked for it). I and Taryn and Keina chased after them and got one down. Turned out it was someone called Dexius Brutus who has a charge sheet as long as your arm. We put him in the stocks and had to brand him on the hand. I held his hand still and Rak did the actual branding. Not done anything like that before. Didn’t like it much and had to go and get some fresh air afterwards. Josh got worried about me and followed me out to make sure I was ok. Rak gave Dexius the lashes required too. He was really vicious and enjoyed it a lot too much. Wasn’t too happy about that either.

Night duty again last night. Dead tired as been sleeping badly with nightmares after that branding and flogging. Didn’t get much sleep today either. Might try and get off duty early if I can.

Hildy · 28-02-07, 09:05 PM

28th Feb

Sunday night went to Umbra University again. There’s supposed to be some sort of expedition into Felucca soon but very little information given out. The lecturer managed to piss off Decardo (not difficult). Thought Decardo was going to hit the lecturer, I got up just in case, but it all passed off. Got into an argument with him myself later. Was going to try asking Muldran to come back to Trinsic. Never known anyone with so little humility. Decardo I mean, not Muldran.

Spent quite a lot of time over the weekend training Joe up. He’s amazing, really fast, fantastically fierce and totally fearless. Silly thing ran off and bit an ogre the other day, I only just managed to get it down in time to stop him being flattened. But he can take out a lizardman now, with just a bit of veterinary attention. I’ve had to learn that stuff pretty quickly myself, but Sidney the rancher is quite impressed. Says I’m already nearly journeyman and I must have a natural aptitude. Pity I didn’t find out until after I became a guard. But I don’t think I have really, I’m not that bothered about other animals, just Joe. Dragons following me around would just freak me out. Whereas Joe is cute and friendly.

Not seen much of Corwin at all, guess our shifts have been too different. The only time we might have been able to get together got interrupted by Klion the Yewish bandit. Literally in this case. Couple of waywatchers in Trinsic lured us down to the bridge to the south where he and a few others were lying in wait. Pathetic really, they obviously couldn’t cope with a proper attack. We got a couple down, though we all ended up in the healers ourselves. The Yewish just left. They didn’t see Joe, fortunately, I found him afterwards sitting nice and snug under the wall. So he does have some sense. Glad he didn’t try biting Klion, would probably have poisoned him.

Been on the midnight shifts ever since. At least it’s quiet, and Joe has a bit of fun chasing down rat holes. I heard that Kimi and Keina have been found, badly hurt. Hope they’ll be ok. Healers say best not to go visiting at the moment.

Hildy · 20-03-07, 08:34 AM

19th March

Been a long while since I wrote anything here. I suppose because now I’ve settled down and got to know how things are. It’s not all new and exciting any more. Everything tends to be much the same most of the time. Sometimes it’s chaos, but it’s like predictable chaos, if that makes sense. Well, I know what I mean. Like knowing that there’ll be people coming through the gate but not how many or who. Or whether it’ll be a steady trickle of work through the day or nothing at all for several hours then ten orders at once. Or knowing that Vesper are going to attack, just not exactly where or when.

Some things are changing, maybe. Kaldorians are getting less predictable. Sometimes they help, sometimes they don’t. They don’t seem to care about us, just their own stuff. Like when they wouldn’t help against Vesper the other day because of some meeting.

Corwin is still the same though. I’m really seriously falling for him. I think about him all the time. The way he smiles at me, the warm safe feeling when he hugs me. He makes me happy. But last night I had to tell him to go away and leave me alone. Not because of anything he did or didn’t do, he wasn’t even there for most of the trouble. Just that I was so angry and I didn’t want to risk saying something that would upset him. He’s proud of being Kaldorian and he loves the army. But yesterday they let that Vesperian gnome stay. “He’s a friend.” “He’s not dangerous.” “He’s a nice Vesperian.” Does any of that matter? He’s Vesperian and they always send a spy round before attacking. So me and Josh tried to send him away, following orders. And then Kaelyn came by and backed up the Kaldorians, not me and Josh, and said it was alright, he could stay. So somehow we’re in trouble for following an order which she seems to have changed without telling us. How unfair is that? And then still in front of the Kaldorians she shouted at me to get my uniform sorted out and look like a proper guard. There wasn’t anything wrong with my uniform either. So I was angry, especially after already being in trouble earlier for something else unfair. And I really wanted to spend some time with Corwin, it’s not like we get much chance.

Josh snuck off and took a break after that. I was going to patrol, to calm down a bit except Kaelyn shouted at me again and ordered me back to the gate. But then she went off to Moonglow so I went and did a quick patrol and then went off duty. It was past shift end anyway. I guess Kaelyn is like all officers. I thought she was different, fairer. She was at the beginning, but she’s changed. Maybe she’s ill. She looks tired all the time and pale. But you can’t ask her about it, she just snaps your head off, so I’ll carry on keeping quiet.

Not that that helps either. She just finds fault with everything I do. Although I suppose it’s not just me, she shouts at everything and everyone these days. We’ll probably all be back down to Recruit again by next week if this carries on. If it wasn’t for Corwin, I’d seriously be thinking about going back to Britain.

Hildy · 16-06-08, 08:59 PM

June 15th

Found my diary when I was doing some clearing out of my locker – long overdue! Been more than a year since I wrote anything here. A lot of stuff has happened but I was too busy to write about it I suppose, and just got out of the habit.

Important things that happened that I remember:
1. Me and Corwin got engaged. Was always kind of obvious I guess. Been trying to sort out the wedding ever since. It got complicated by...

2. the Kaldorians declaring war on us, but it fizzled out and then they got recalled to Gorimdor. A few stayed, including Corwin thankfully (he’s taken up ale trading – typical Kaldorian, can’t stay away from ale). I'd have gone with him, but don’t know how I’d have liked Gorimdor, even if they let me in which it seems wouldn’t be certain. Mordred joined the Duchy Guard for a bit but then did his disappearing act. Feel sorry for Gwen because they’d got pretty close and I don’t think he told her he was leaving.

3. Big trouble in Magincia, the moongate got corrupted and an invasion of massive demons came through it. The town is pretty much destroyed though we did our best to hold it. Weird goings on in Moonglow too. Town mostly alright except by the Beer Garden. Talk of Shadowlords there now. Demons didn’t get to Trinsic yet, though there are smaller invasions now in Cove, Serpent’s Hold and Nujel’m. All Mum’s relatives evacuated to Jhelom and are fine. Uncle Majid always was clever and he’d turned most of his property into gems and gold a while back in case of trouble.

4. Duke sorted out some sort of agreement with Cove and they’re all friendly now. Been having joint markets with them for the last few months. They’re not bad, some of them. A few unreconstructed apes but I suppose you get them anywhere.

5. Kaelyn isn’t Captain any more. Got ill and resigned so Dawn took over. She’s alright so far I guess. It’s different from Kaelyn, not exactly worse or better, just different.

6. All the water in Trinsic went manky and full of slimy stuff with a load of poisonous mushrooms growing all over the place. No-one really seems to know what happened but it seems to be fixed now. Some talking tree called the Forest Oracle might’ve been talking about it, then again it might not as no-one can understand it. There’s some strange buildings like temples north near the big guard post which might be connected too. Or not.

7. Van Cocidius got elected as Baron of Vesper then resigned again. In between he married Maddy the herbalist here. Bit of a mixed marriage if you ask me but they seem happy, more or less. Van got pissed off a couple of days ago after Dawn and I had a go at him for calling Iljian a spastic. Came back later with a couple of friends disguised as undead to beat us up. Kidnapped Dawn and Kaelyn too but the new Baron (Heath?) sent them back. Still a warrant out for him.

June 16th

Picking up where I left off yesterday morning. Everything else continues all much the same so not much to write about. Except – which I didn’t really notice until Iljian said it yesterday – a lot of what we used to have to deal with doesn’t happen much any more. Like the drows strutting round as though they owned the place. They still come from time to time, but only 1 or 2 and never stay very long. And there are still brigands occasionally, have to clear camps out from the Elven Quarter and up the Britain road now and again, but the ones who used to come into town and give us general hassle don’t seem to do it very often. Question is, have they learned a lesson from us or did it just happen?

On which subject, it was kind of weird yesterday, got into an argument, well, not really an argument, just discovered a sort of gulf between us and Adam and Alraune. They don’t want Van to get punished for deliberately beating up me and Iljian and Dawn. (Forgot to mention kidnapping Dawn and Kaelyn to them – don’t know whether that would make a difference.) They seem to think it’s not like him, and he’s wonderful with his babies, and he says he was provoked (like hell he was – he was doing the provoking, or maybe they think it’s fine for him to call Iljian spastic because of his lisp) and therefore it should all be ignored. They went off after that, not angry I think. Stewan says they don’t believe in punishment. He also said punishment didn’t work, which is when Iljian pointed out that things have changed.

Took the new recruit Taybard off to do a rescue mission for that idiot trainee paladin Kai. He’d gone to Despise taking just his sword, no armour, and of course he got into problems. Found him down with the Titans and got him out. Taybard did well, he seems to be allergic or something to nightsight potion, anyway it didn’t work, but he didn’t panic, just stayed put when I ordered him and we picked him up on the way out.

Hope I can get some time off this week to spend with Corwin. I’ve hardly seen him for ages and I really miss him.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
- Diary of a Barmaid -	Rebecca	Fireside Table	35	17-10-08 01:15 PM
Gwen's Diary	Gwen Irima	The Elven Quarter	7	12-09-07 12:44 PM
Chloe's Diary	Chloe x	Duchy of Trinsic Public	5	08-09-07 01:44 PM
Hildy's reports left on the Captain's desk	Hildy	Records Office	5	08-09-07 12:26 PM
herenui's diary	Kinu	Duchy of Trinsic Public	1	21-08-07 03:48 PM