Day 1:
I came upon the outpost with a heavy heart, this is the furthest away from civilization I have travel alone. Although my liege turned out to be a consummate liar, I can not question his skills in combat and with him, I was always safe.
With my armour barely holding together and my sword weathered and chipped, my hope is that the gods will smile upon me and challenge me not with anything overly dire.
***
Day 9
Having lived my life as a squire was a boon, the handling of horses came easily and at the same time, it alleviated the stress building over the last few months, the massive change in my life from squire to becoming an adventurer and learning the limits of what I can do have not been easy.
***
Day 11
The outpost was stocked to the brim with of travel rations, however, as a meal, it is a diet that left much to desire. So I started to search for a way to rectify that.
There was no armoury in the outpost but I did find a bow and a quiver of arrows, I suspect it was left behind by some absent-minded traveller.
Hunting for wild animals occurred to me as something to add to my tasks.
My attempt to use the bow was disgraceful
***
Day 15
I had yet to meet a single soul, however, the humdrum of this posting, the dull solitude and monotony, I can’t say I hate it. Managing the animals and soaking in nature’s uncaring rhythm suited me fine, perhaps the blood of a farmer runs in my veins thicker than I realized.
I had improved my skill with the bow, but in the end, I resorted to some simple traps; there seems to be an abundance of rabbits in the area, I suspect that there is some fast-growing vegetation nearby to allow for such a population.
As a result, there will soon be an abundance of rabbit jerky stocked at the outpost.
***
Day 19
Today, a traveller.
He hailed from the west and his destination was the east. I offered him food, and a place by the fire, as he unwinded, I tended to his horse. When I saw him relaxed, I mimed several questions.
The man was guarded at first, but as soon as it was established that I was mute, the traveller became more and more uninhibited. Perhaps the idea that I can’t speak makes others feel like they have to do my share of talking,
On the shoulder of the man’s tabard was a symbol, two dragons encircling a fortress. When I pointed, he explained that he is a squire from a chivalric order, the Dragoons of Frost Drift. I wonder if Frost Drift is a person or a place, whatever it is, their home was far in the west.
Hearing of knights, real knights, not fake ones like my master, the idea made me feel pangs of shame, the thought me wearing my armour now makes me feel like a child playing at make-believe.
After listening to the man for a while, the traveller became more and more open. This made me frown, I did not think it was in traveller’s best interest, to tell me so much. But my look of distress did not deter his ranting.
The squire complained about his mission, he needed to travel to Spire Reef to find someone, and that there was a great upheaval in the west and northwest of Asteria. Everyone is vying for control for something called, the Tear of the Gods, but the squire did not know what the tear is what it does or even where it is, the only thing he was certain, was that everyone desires it.
Various organizations and powers in that region are now racing to marshal their forces and establishing trade routes in the preparation for war.
War is not here yet, but war is coming.
I took out my chalkboard and asked if the dragoons are involved, the squire just shrugged and snarked, “No one tells him nothing!”
But I felt he was pretty well informed, compared to me that is. As I contemplated to what extent I should interrogate the traveller, He had fallen fast asleep.
***
Day 21
A merchant and accompanying guard came by, I was again told of this mysterious Tear of the gods, it seems everyone in the west are obsessed with it.
I remember there were several woodcutting quests at the guild, so I purchase an axe for a low price. Tending to the merchant’s horses and offering food might have laid the groundwork of haggling. That or the merchant found it impossible to haggle with a mute that only gave one-word answers.
***
Day --
Please - excuse the hastiness of this -
Five men came to the outpost. They all carried bows. Nomads. Maybe.
They are looking for someone- something to do with that Tear again. I think or maybe not
Their bows it’s the same as the one I found in the outpost.
I think - that they are looking for someone who left the bow at the outpost, someone took something from them.
I told them, there's no one here but me, but their only concern was me using light magic to tell them.
They don’t believe me, they suspect me. They are going to find the bow!
They are arguing right now, outside.
I have to run.