Combe

We slept the night at the inn. I had my own room – I am sure my dad would be happy to know that! Admittedly, it was very weird, sleeping alone in a strange place. I sneaked across the hall and listened to the boys’ snoring through the door to their room, it made me feel a bit safer. I did sleep, but not for long. I was up early, before them, and went out to look at the town and practice a bit.

I was in Combe! I couldn’t believe it! I was finally out on adventure, with my two friends by my side. It felt intoxicating and scary all at the same time. Combe is a rather beautiful town, I must say. It seems miles larger than Archet, but perhaps it is not. I hope I get some time to explore it on my own.

I left early in the morning to return to my folks and pack. I spoke with them at length, to convince them that it was the right plan for me to go to Combe and look for work so that I could help them rebuild the house and the business. I think my mum felt safer knowing that I was not going on my own, but that Toby and Blake would come with me. My dad however wasn’t quite convinced that a girl like me should travel out of town in the company of two boy my own age.

Mum and dad have returned, I have spoken to them. They were devastated, but so happy that I was safe and unharmed (I didn’t mention the spider bite, I think it is much better now, Blake’s salve really helped!). They looked at the house, dad says it will require some amount of wood and a lot of scrubbing to get it back into a good condition. However, the most devastating news were the wooden shed that had burnt down. All our supplies are destroyed. We have nothing to work with and nothing to sell.

Large, looped letters can be seen scrawled over poor quality pages, sewn into a portion of thin scrap leather. It is obvious that little thought was put into it's construction: it is more a craft of necessity than a work of artful binding. The fourth entry reads:

IV.

Dear Journal,

<<< Previous Entry

III.

Finn was sitting opposite to Ford and staring at him in disbelief.

"You. Are. An. Idiot." He said, expression utterly livid with anger, hands thrown up in apparent dismay, "Really? You didn' ever stop to think, for one bloody second, about what Pa would think? Ma? You realize they've been worryin' about you and missin' you for a year? Really, Ford?"

It was beliveed... believed... that the knigdo-- no, kingdom of Ar... Arnor... even... eventually broke.... up... into there... three sep rate kingdoms, which weer-- were, were... named Cardolan, Rhudaur,andArtha... Arthedain.

"Ford."

The young boy's eyes continued to trail over the parchment with strenuous effort.

Ford was smiling to himself.

<<< Previous Entry                                                                               &