If I would not have had an adventurer’s soul, I most likely would have not ever ended up in Bree. One might say it was destiny that brought me here. One way or another, here I am, far away from home. Bree is a strange land with strange folk, but yet at the same time is it s peaceful and quiet. It seems to attract all kinds of folk, both decent and those less decent. I have never quite understood what interest sell-swords have in Bree, but who am I to question that.
I did not always wish to be an adventurer. It started when I was about ten winters old. A traveler came to our town. It was not unusual to have travelers passing through, but this man was different. He had a dark hair and beard, but he was as tall as my kinsmen, perhaps even taller than them. He wore no particular clothes and he spoke several languages. He seemed to be a kind man, but my parents forbid me to speak with him. But I did, nonetheless. As I have mentioned, I was a mischievous and headstrong child. The time he spent in our town, I took a habit to sneak out from my home while my parents were at sleep, and walk to the tavern to hear his tales of foreign lands. He spoke fondly of Breeland and it caught my attention. He and his stories became a reason for me to find Bree and live there. And also his stories woke up the wanderlust in me.
But now, dear Reader, you might wonder why the stories played such a big part in me becoming an adventurer. You see, at that time I could not read or write; I knew nothing of what happened beyond our town. My parents saw that there was no need for me to know more than they told me. My father said once, that more knowledge brings more pain. I did not understand him, for I had a curious nature as a child. I told of this to the traveler and it seemed to amuse him much.
There came a day when the traveler left our town. I walked him to the gate and bid him farewell, even though I did not wish to do so. I wished that he would have taken me with him. I told this to him and he laughed. He told me that soon I will have my own adventures to find, and that he was not meant to take me with him. Then he smiled to me, ruffled my hair and gave me a book, a journal. Then he said this: “Learn to read and write, lass. And don’t ever stop dreaming.” And then he left. I waved my hand to him until I could no longer see him. I did think he was very cruel for not taking me with him, but the idea of having my own adventures started to grow in my heart.
For the next five years I used my time to learn how to read and write. Learning how to read was easy and as soon as I managed to read even a little bit, I started to read books. I read any book I could find, even maps. That is how I learned more about the world that was around me. My parents were quite displeased with me. They did not wish me to know more, for they saw that the knowledge was a dangerous matter and at that they are correct. It is indeed. But they could not stop me, no one could. Day by day my hunger to see the world grew. I saved all coins that I could and hid them in a small box underneath my bed.
Soon became a time when the hunger could not be satisfied with mere reading of the books or pestering the town folk. I needed to find a knowledgeable person. I had heard that an old lady lived outside the town, in the woods. They said that she is a witch. My parents had told me not to go to those woods, for they were quite suspicious of anything strange and unusual. Well, I never did as my parents wished me to, and thus one day I went to find this so called witch.
As I had wandered around in the woods long enough, I came across a small cabin. Outside of the cabin sat an old lady and she seemed to be speaking to something. I mustered my courage and approached this woman. She soon noticed me and curiously turned her grey eyes towards me. I bowed my head deeply and said as loudly as I could: “Please, take me as your apprentice!” The old woman laughed. And she asked if I were serious. I told her I was and then I became her apprentice. And I decided to call her Granny.
Now, dear Reader, I believe you wish to know if Granny was a witch or not. I cannot give you any answer, for I have none. But I know that she was not a normal person. She was able to understand woodland creatures and to speak with them. Her cabin was filled with strange books and items. She spoke of witches and witchcraft when I asked, but she refused to teach me such matters. She said that I lacked certain skills. Back then I did not understand what she meant, but now knowing Skarly, I know what I am missing. And as I mentioned, she had told me about good and bad witches. I believe she herself was a good one. Or at least she was good to me. She told me of matters that no one else my village knew about. She told me how to survive and to believe in my skills.
I bid her farewell before I left my home. She told me that I would not need to worry, for there would be nothing in this world that could harm me. I am not quite certain what she meant with that. But I thanked her for all that she has done for me and I left. After all these years, I wonder if she is still alive. From every now and then I see dreams where I and Granny talk at her cabin. In these dreams I am always as old as I am at the time and she seems to get older as well. We often speak about current matters in my life and she advices me. But with this sorrow that I have faced, she has had no advices or answers for me. Instead, she tells me to be patient, that all my questions will be answered in time. And I do not understand why she says so.
But let us return to my parents. I left my home when I was fifteen winters old. I did not foresee that I would leave home so early, but I had no other choice. My parents wished me to marry, to be a wife. I wished to see the world and travel until my legs would give in. We disagreed over this and one day after a biggest fight we ever have had, I decided it was time for me to leave. I packed my belongings and as I approached to door, my father stopped me. He told me that they would disown me, if I would walk through that door. I simply said “So be it” and I stepped outside. And then I had no home to return to.
As you can imagine, dear Reader, the world was not kind for a fifteen winters old lass. I had not traveled far from my home when I first saw how cruel it can be. As I sat on the side of a road and cried, I wished to return home. But I could not and I swallowed my shame as I continued my journey. But it is not a tale to be told in this journal and it is not something I wish to remember. For several years I wandered around the Mark, staying some time here and there. One day I decided it was time to leave and I searched for Bree, the land I had heard so much about. And as you know, dear Reader, I did find my way to Bree. That was meant to happen.
Osyth shared my need to see the world. He too had left his home and wandered all the way to Bree. And that is where we met. We were from the same part of the Mark, but we never met there. If I had stayed there or he had, we would have never got to know each other. Perhaps I was meant to go through all the hardships, just to meet him. He said that he wished to see the world and that is why he left, but I always had a hunch that it was not the entire truth. I did not pester about it though, for I did not tell him the entire truth either. And I have not told it in this journal.
Wanderlust, what a wonderful reason to leave your home and family! I once talked with a lovely old man, Master Razzie he was called. I had told him about becoming an adventurer and how I lately had not adventuring at all. He asked for a reason and I said I never could leave behind my friends and newly found family in Bree. He kindly pointed out, that I had done it once. And he was right. I had. And now, I have done it for the second time, despite the fact that I returned. But the first and the second time were quite different. First time I had hunger for world and that hunger drove me away from my parents. The second time, I ran away. I could not face the pain and sorrow that I shared with Celnessyn.
Am I a coward after all? I always thought myself as a strong and brave person. After all the difficulties I have faced and survived, the death of my loved one will be my end as well? Why did he have to die so soon and leave me alone, I know not. Skarly said it was meant to be this way, that we all have our time. His time came to an end, but apparently I still have time left and that I still have a purpose. What is this purpose? I do not know. I have spent days trying to understand what it might be.
Perhaps I will travel to see the sea by myself. It was a plan that Osyth and I had, to see the sea. Even if he is no longer here, I still could travel there. As time has healed my wounds and Celnessyn has other company to take care of her and support her, I will leave this land. I wish to see the sea before I die. Thus I shall travel there. If it will be the end of me, so be it. For then I have fulfilled my purpose.
