Kogu 40, SP~4,909

Bobby is an idiot!

Damnit, Bobby volunteered!  I knew he would. He’s an idiot!  It’s a good thing he has an older sister with some sense, though, maybe that sister should not be here on this awful island. She should be home!

No use crying over spilled oogert milk (I guess)!

I was in Horrence’s offices when I found out. He was giving me the details about town politics. If you think big city politics are bad, just try out small town politics. Everybody fights twice as hard for half as much!

Dooweeki, a young dwaheely who works for the Journal, came running in from the street to bring me a blink bat message. Bobby had just replied to mine. That was suspicious right off the bat (Note to Self: I like that even if I do say so myself, which I do).

Bobby never replies so fast. There was a lot of stuff, fluff, in his letter. I just skimmed through that. Then, at the end, he “mentioned” that he’d been in two battles already.

I don’t know why he thinks leaving it to last helps him in any way!

It’s the Grashnakk Goblins, from the Lower Nashem Mountains, and they’re a nasty bunch. They had some shemm amaum with them, and they’re even nastier. Much nastier!

Horrence was getting agitated so I left it at that and got back to business. Bobby didn’t say a lot. Not many details, so I know he left something out. I sent a blink bat reply right back and made it clear I wanted to know exactly what’s going on with the fight and with him!

I start classes. I was hoping they’d give me another day to make up for my late arrival, but that was not to be. Final prep and then to bed!

Kogu 39, SP~4,909

Partameer City, Shawmancer Island

I got to the port at Shannam City on the 37th, and then Chawmer and I spent the next two days on the backs of our horses traveling close to one hundred miles of rough roads. Here’s my question: do the folk of Shawmancer Island know the difference between a “road” and a “forest trail”? I don’t think so.

It was raining this afternoon when we finally arrived at Partameer City, my correct destination. Two days on this horse and I’m damn sore! I didn’t let it Chawmer, or anyone, see just how sore I was. When I dismounted in front of the hotel, I could barely stand. I stood “looking around” for a few minutes to give me time for the feeling to come back into my legs.

As for Partameer, I’m not impressed. I’m trying not to say that it’s a dump, but it’s hard work not to. The houses are slip-shod. They look more like shacks, though there are plenty of folk who live there, and quite a variety of them. I saw dwaheely, ushen, ishiri, and a lot of others. I liked that because it felt a bit like home.

The center of the city wasn’t as bad. There were a number of well-built buildings, and a few of them were two or three stories. I saw a couple places to eat, one across from my hotel, and the usual shops for food and the trades.

When I got to my room, I was surprised. It was small, but it was very clean and neat. So was the rest of the hotel. They get a hand clap for that.

Chawmer and I had dinner with Horrence Pillory, the Chief Editor of the Shawmancer Journal. Seems they write not just for Partameer, but for the whole island. That’s interesting. Horrence told me to come to the office tomorrow so we could figure out my work schedule. I like that we got down to the details right away. That’s a good sign.

The bad news, though, is that there was a message for me at the hotel. They found it just before I went to bed, but it had been delivered by blink bat two days ago. Yup, delivered to where I was supposed to be two days ago.

The news is very bad! Naldrin City is under siege! Bobby sent the blink bat, and there wasn’t another since he sent that. I stood at the front desk and wrote a reply and had them send it tonight. I made it clear that it needed to go out tonight. I could see the fear in her eyes, so I think I got through.

Nothing to do now but get a good night’s sleep, if I can.

Oh, Bobby, please, please don’t volunteer to fight!

Kogu 37, SP~4,909

Finally, we’re here!

We arrived at Shawmancer Island this morning. I was so happy to walk off that ship, and I think Captain Fweyling was just as happy to be rid of me (for now).

Here’s the strange thing, though. I was one of the first to disembark. Chawmer greeted me, and that was fine. He seems competent. More on that later.

Being the first off I saw every person leave the ship, and Donnessling and his nossring companions never left. I even waited around and hid in the piles of unloaded cargo to watch. I watched until the entire crew had all walked off, and even waited a bit after that.

I was just about to leave when Captain Fweyling came down the plank. I moved out from where I was hiding to stand right in his way. He wasn’t going to get by me so easily this time.

Before he could say a word, I threw my question out there; “Where’s Donnessling?” I practically shouted it. I shouldn’t have lost control, but it was just a momentary thing. Won’t happen again.

He looked around. He wasn’t expecting this … good! And, he didn’t know what to say. After a few seconds he told me that Donnessling and his folk had already gotten off the ship and I must have missed them. All I had to do was look him in the eyes, and he started stammering again. I had him confused and all tangled up in trying to find a credible lie — that’s what makes me a good reporter.

Next thing he started making excuses, like he doesn’t keep track of the comings and goings of each folk on his ship. Just when I was going to call him out, a few other zweyjen interrupted. They’d come up from behind me. I didn’t notice. They said they were from the “front office”, if there is such a thing, and said something about the ship inspection. That was Fweyling’s cue to make his escape. As they dragged him off, I made it clear that he hadn’t seen the last of me.

I was still steaming when Chawmer insisted we get going. It was getting late and we had a ways to go. Apparently there really were some ice flows that set us off course. We were supposed to sail to the docks at the city of Partameer, but instead we’re here in Shannam City a hundred miles west of where we were supposed to be.

Chawmer had a couple of horses ready, and he could see I was not happy. I’d been looking forward to a soft bed and a floor under my feet that didn’t list from side to side. A horse ride was not what I had in mind.

Kogu 36, SP~4,909

Northern Parts of Ferren’s Sea

Enough already! Captain Fweyling says we got caught in some pretty tough ice flows and we lost a few days. “It happens,” he said to me, “That’s why they call it the Ice Islands Sea.” Then he walked away before I could ask him about Donnessling and his nossring.

Note to self: Be faster next time!

And, why hasn’t Bobby been in touch. Another day of worrying about him.  If he doesn’t tell me soon that he’s safe and sound, he won’t be very safe OR sound!

[LATER THAT NIGHT]

It’s the middle of the night, and one of Fweyling’s crew knocked on my door to wake me. They finally got a blink bat from Bobby and the Captain thought I’d want to see it right away. Okay, so that goes in Fweyling’s plus column. I wouldn’t say I’m getting to like the guy — I still think he’s hiding something about Donnessling and his fellow nossring — but this was a good call.

Bobby is good. He said forgot about keeping me up to date. I’m relieved, and I’m going to kill him when I’m back!

I’ll sleep well tonight.  At least what’s left of it.

[ONE HOUR LATER]

I can’t get back to sleep.  Bobby never tells me when something bad is happening, and the more I think about his message the more I think he’s holding back on something.  He doesn’t want to worry me. Idiot! I’ve told him over and over that I don’t worry. I don’t think he believes me. Smart kid.

Kogu 35, SP~4,909

Who’s side is Fweyling on?

Captain Fweyling says we should arrive tomorrow or the next day, depending on the weather. He’s a good ship’s captain. He is a zweyjen, after all, so I would expect nothing less. The zweyjen are definitely the best mariners. Pretty good business folk, too.

Even so, are we lost?  We’ve been stuck in this fog and snow for days now, and I don’t know that we’re going anywhere.  And, the sounds all day, and all night, are just creepy.  Fweyling says not to worry, but I’m no longer paying any attention to him.

No nossring, either. I’ve been looking, too. They might be hiding, but I don’t think even nossring can hide that well on a ship this size.  My gut tells me that Fewyling knows more than he’s saying.  Twice now he’s made excuses about where they were, but both times he was definitely lying.

No blink bats from Bobby for two weeks! Time to get worried … done.

Kogu 34, SP~4,909

Take a wild guess!

More fog, more icebergs, and more snow!

I’m going crazy with nothing to do. Still no sign of Donnessling and his folk. I went over every bit of the ship I was allowed to see, and a few I was not. I’m starting to worry, and I’m not a worrier, though Bobby would not agree. Why haven’t I heard from him?  Just one more thing to make things complicated.

Got a blink bat today. I thought it was from Bobby, but it was from my editor. Slight change of plans. When I get to Shawmancer (if I ever do get there!) I’ll be met by a reporter from one of the local papers. His name is Chawmer. He’ll provide me with the introductions I need to get things rolling. The paper he works for is called the Partameer Provider. Odd name for a newspaper, but it is Shawmancer Island. I guess they do things their own way.

I saw the Captain today. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quick enough because he saw me first and managed to avoid me. I’m sure he’d deny it, but he definitely was. I was going to ask him about Donnessling. I get the feeling he knows more than he lets on about the nossring. I’m not sure why a zweyjen would be involved with nossring. Just one more mystery to add to my list.

If there’s one more day of fog and sleet and icebergs, I’m going to … oh, what am I going to do. Oh, yes, complain to myself. Glad I brought my diary!