Adriellyn

The small scout checked the horses and the tiny fire, now barely more than embers, that she was sharing with Cerrynt. All seemed in order, and they'd seen very little to trouble her in wildlife of late, either. Even the birds had seemed more curious than alarmed for the last several days. With such peace, and the time alone, she decided to start writing in her journal again. The discipline will keep me from dwelling too much on the wrong things, I reckon.

"Hullo, ma'am. Are you lost?"

Jessandra looked up to see what had prompted that comment from Orred. She had to squint a little against the glare from the sun, but then waved as the approaching figure finally spoke.

Sitting in the firelight at the barracks in Harwick, her gear piled around her chair, the diminutive scout wrote in a makeshift journal. She'd bought a meal and some mead from the bartender, and thus hadn't yet worn out her welcome in that room, and expected to be on her way before she had to buy more.

I'm writing this in Harwick, which I'm about to leave – probably for the last time. Can't quite write down why yet, but I don't expect I'll ever have reason to return.

Having not much else to do for once, between storms and repair work, Marnewyn sat down with her daughter's writing desk and implements to write back to her, and hoped she'd catch a courier heading south  – which might even be the same one as had brought her letter north. Failing that, she'd have something written for when more people would travel in the spring.

Dear Adri,

Been a while where I weren't goin' so often to the Pony on account there was supper waitin' for me back home, now Lumina lives there with me, but she been away a little while now doin' some business of her own -- not sure what, maybe her healer work. So I'm back to having supper at the Pony most nights, and sometimes lunch too, and so I been seein' other folk, which has been nice.

Opening the letter that had been left for her with Barliman, Marnewyn settled down to give it a good read. The publican hadn't known the person who brought it, and didn't really remember much about him. A "road-worn traveller" was all he really had to say on the matter.

She broke the seal with one hand, opening it up as she sipped from her ale. Her brows rose. "Seems the girl's lettering has improved quite a bit." The surprised utterance was nearly at a full volume, but she quieted then as her eyes scanned the contents.