It’s absolutely amazing how quickly things can come together and just as quickly fall apart.  I have not had the time of late to commit anything to writing and little to commit until now, except for the mundanities of travel on the high seas – and a few tales from those high seas that are best left forgotten or left to bards to tell.

            We arrived at Caergoth less than a week ago and arrived at Crystal’s home within the hour.  Her parents are quite friendly and her brother is a part of the Solamnic order, a Knight of the Sword.  He’s smitten with Ashfire, the Revered Daughter of Paladine, and from her actions, she seems equally smitten.  I suspect that the first impressions Crystal and I made on here were not exactly the best, but it is quite a shock to meet the chief priestess of the chief god of good – and have her look frightening like someone who has wronged you a hundred thousand times – but I believe that problem has been more than rectified.  Likewise, due to his resemblance to someone who once wished us dead, we likely did not make the best of impressions on Morden, the head priest of Caergoth’s temple of Mishakal, although that has been remedied as well.  With our arrival, it seemed as if the matchmaking began within moments of our passing through the gate.  Crystal’s parents, with her permission, arranged dinner with the “neighbor boy” who often helped Crystal’s father with the farm and his brother for the second night we were there.

            Dinner that second night went well.  Coramoor Malefant arrived with his brother, Andrew, and their “uncle” Fizban.  Coramoor and Crystal hit it off rather well, although their idea of flirtation consisted mostly of getting each other into compromising positions while tickling each other and Coramoor tripping over his tongue and blushing more often than not.  Andrew – Drew – and I spent most of the night commenting on his brother’s ineptitude at talking to women and on their immaturity.  They accused us of being prudish in return, which is when Drew kissed me.  I won’t go into detail on that.

            We managed to play one game of chess that night – it was rather interesting, since the board belonged to Justin, and after I mentioned that I’d beaten some Rose Knight – Lord Percival, I believe Justin said his name was – in two out of three games of chess, Justin suddenly didn’t seem very eager to play chess with me anymore.  So, Drew and I played while Fizban watched us.  We often put each other into check, but I ultimately resigned due to the need to serve dinner.  As for the rest of the night...I spent most of it on the roof with Drew while Crystal and Coramoor rough-housed below.  I did, however, learn some interesting things.  Apparently, Fizban has a “ring” that is his familiar, and Drew seems to be on rather...familiar terms with Lunitari.  I begin to wonder how deep his relationship with his patron goddess may go.

            I got a good-night kiss when they left that evening, and an invitation to research with Drew the next day.

            It was on the third day that things fell apart.  Something had exploded in Drew’s lab – we heard of that secondhand from Fizban, who stopped in at Crystal’s parents’ place on his way to the docks.  Crystal and I, instead of waiting, went over to the Malefant place to see that things were all right.  Drew was acting funny – almost as if he’d had too much to drink – and I made him take me out to his lab so I could figure out exactly what had happened.  He snapped out of it before too long and we returned to his parents’ home to begin our research and discussion – mostly regarding the modifications to a spell I was working on, and an idea I had to substitute one form of energy for another in spells, and then on his idea of bonding a homunculus as a familiar.

            The first interruption to our studies came when a young red-robed mage showed up at the door, bearing a message for Drew – one that said that he should report with all due speed to the Tower to consult with Jestarius, Master of the Reds, on something, as Drew was their “best and brightest.”  The other red never saw me, and I found it strange that Drew did not depart immediately for the Tower – but, then, I’m sure he had his reasons.  We returned to our studies.

            The second interruption was a little more urgent.  Sair became very anxious for some reason and I decided it was probably best to return to the Maerkot place just in case there was something really wrong.  Drew accompanied me, and there was.

            It turned out that the mayor had ordered that Crystal’s father be arrested for treason – which was a crime he didn’t commit at all.  Drew put most of the soldiers at the house to sleep save the head one – Derek, the mayor’s son – who we forced to leave after promising that Crystal’s father would come in on his own volition.  Things got messier from there on in.  We sent Sair to find Crystal and Coramoor, who had gone on a picnic that day – I will never know how that ferret got them to follow him, but he did.  That done, he rested in my lap until it became apparent that we were leaving, at which time he returned to the barn to help the cat – Sylvie, I think – take care of her newborn kittens.

            In town, there was quite a confrontation.  On the way to town, Jacob, one of the town elders, joined us in our walk, and going past the Temple of Mishakal, Morden joined us.  We ran into Zeke, another member of the town council, who told us that Derek, the mayor, and a bunch of thugs saw to it that every town elder not on the mayor’s payroll died.  Then, he fell over with a stab wound in his back.  When Morden tried to heal it, it became apparent to us that whatever Zeke had been stabbed with had been cursed.  While Morden tried to see if there was more he could do for Zeke, the rest of us continued on to City Hall, were we confronted the Mayor, Derek, and the hired thugs that helped them.  During our face-off with them, Morden arrived with the city guard, who entered City Hall to take the remaining councilors into custody on the suspicion that they were involved in a conspiracy to murder eight councilors and their wives – failing only to kill Crystal’s parents.  Coramoor and Drew’s mother and father were among the slain.

            Crystal’s mother killed the Mayor while Crystal and Coramoor each had a piece in killing Derek – Coramoor decapitated the bastard.  Crystal, her father, and Coramoor, however, were all hit with a cursed blade, something that would have cost them their lives if not for the helpful mage behind the counter of the mage ware shop, who happened to have six scrolls of Remove Curse on hand.  We managed to save them there, but all three were carried to the Temple of Mishakal to recover.  Crystal’s mother, Drew, and I stayed with them.

            Some time later, Justin and Ashfire arrived, having turned back from the road to Palanthas once word reached them on the road of what had happened in Caergoth.  They stayed long enough to set things into motion in the regard of dealing with the remaining perpetrators of the crimes before heading out again – it was strange to see the Revered Daughter of Paladine needing comfort from someone, but Ashfire did and Crystal gave it to her.

            We returned home to the Maerkot place not too long after Coramoor and Drew testified before Lord Gunthar regarding the councilors who lived.  Both men still seem to be in a state of shock and deep mourning.  I find myself wondering what I can do, aside from tiptoeing around and taking care of most things around the house.

            I wish I knew what to do.  By Solinari, I wish I knew what to do.

            I have not written much of late, and this is due to all the happenings of late.  Sair decided to get into a fight with a fox that has been lurking about and nearly got himself killed.  He killed the fox, though, and he said that he did it to protect the barn cat and her kittens.  Damned noble ferret.

            During the memorial for his parents, Drew had a vision of something I cannot describe here, only say that it was disconcerting.  Later, we headed out for New Ports, then from there to Solace and Haven.  We spent a night at the Inn of the Last Home and there ran into Kash and Reece – they’re setting up shop there, in Solace.  Kash is building Reece a tree house, and they seem to be well.  When I go home to Haven to stay, perhaps I’ll look them up from time to time.  After all, Solace isn’t all that far from Haven, especially if I can get there by horse or cart.

            We arrived at Haven around midday the next day and surprised my parents – and got my father into a little bit of trouble by mentioning Crystal’s mother, Judith.  Also, to my amusement and chagrin, I almost got my brother killed because I hadn’t mentioned to Coramoor or to Drew that he’d been following us the entire time through town and meant us no harm.  I had to “rescue” him, then “rescue” Drew, then “rescue” him again.  It was all quite amusing.

            We went to visit Ranth that day, and in doing so, something happened to Drew.  I knew I had to tell him everything, then.  It was unavoidable, especially if Ranth planned to make good on his promise that the house in the woods would be mine when he decided to leave it.  Drew also told us about the dreams he had of Lunitari...fascinating.

            Ranth leaves soon to go to Palanthas, to speak with Dalamar, who is currently the Master of the Tower at Palanthas.  I pray the Gods keep him safe.

            That night, back at my parents’ home, I told Drew everything.  He took it...better than I expected him to.  He told me later that it made a lot of things clearer for him, and for that, I am thankful.  It didn’t harm our relationship, as I had feared it would...it helped it.

            Unfortunately, as I was telling Drew everything, I failed to realize that my brother was home, in the next room...and heard every word I said.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen Govan more terrified than when I walked into his room to see if he was all right.  He promised me then and there that he would never hurt me and I made him a promise of the same thing.  He left that night for somewhere – Palanthas, I think – to warn the Knighthood of the dangers posed by the existence of the Knights of Takhisis.  Before I fail to note it again, my brother is a Knight of Solamnia, a Knight of the Sword, although he does have the ability to rise higher than that.  While I am mentioning things that need mentioning, I will set down here that Crystal’s father is now mayor of Caergoth, the twins are on the Council there, and Crystal is Captain of the Guard.

            After I told my story, I locked away my last journal.  My sword is similarly locked away, at the very bottom of my hope chest, wrapped in the cloak that I inherited so many yesterdays ago.  Later that night, Drew asked me to marry him.  I accepted.

            For a while, I feared for my life – I thought for certain that Crystal would kill me for uttering a word about what happened to us during those dark years of our lives.  I’m alive to write this, though, so it is apparent that she did not kill me.

            We went to the Tower several days later.  For me, it was not an unpleasant experience.  For Drew, however...Jestarius was less than understanding.  Drew has been sentenced to spend five years as errand boy to Dalamar at the Tower of Palanthas.  I have promised him that I will do everything I can to get him out of such duty – partially because I do not want to see him subjected to the Shoiken Grove several times a day and partially because I have no desire to live for five years in Palanthas.

            From Wayreth, we found ourselves north of Lemish, where we are now, in an inn within the city’s perimeter.  I have written to my mother and to Ranth regarding what has transpired in the hopes that they might be able to do something.  One must always have hope.

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