It’s after dinner now, and the fear and the thrill of the Slaver attack is beginning to wear off. After we had made introductions, the Magus and Mr. K (he goes by the letter, and if it’s short for something or not I have no idea. He’s a very strange man.) rescued the people that had been taken hostage. Apparently, they were from the outlying farms and villages. We offered the cart to those who were badly hurt, and the trunk with the gold was moved up front with Dad to make room. I walked alongside. The damage from the band seemed pretty bad, but I guess it would have been worse if it wasn’t for the Mages who were staying here waiting for us. The band had attacked and plundered the farms, and was moving on to the town when they were discovered by the mages. A few of the buildings in town were burned, but the fires were put out quickly, thanks to the nearby river. The bandit chief was fighting with Magus Celon, and a small group of them tried to cut their losses and make a break for it. They ran into us, and the mages came and took them down when they were done with the ones in town. Unfortunately, there’s not much of a system of justice out here in no man’s land, so most of the ones who weren’t killed in the attack are going to be executed without a trial. If any. The town itself actually has pretty good defenses, with big stone watchtowers on both sides of the river. It’s a big, slow thing, with murky brown water.
The boat, a big, multi-story Gnomish river boat with a device of some kind that paddles it, won’t leave until tomorrow afternoon, but it’s docked already, and Magus Celon thinks that the brigands were trying to intercept a grain shipment that they’re unloading now. He talked a lot during dinner. Both of them ar instructors at the Academy, and Magus Celon took the opportunity to try and give us first lessons in table etiquette. If he’s going to be like that the whole way, it’s going to be a LONG trip, but Dad said I should take advantage of it.
Gloria and I have barely said two words all day. She knows magic, too, real magic, but she didn’t tell me. I wonder if she’s got uncontrollable magic in her too? But if she did, why won’t she say something to me. She just reads her book all the time. Mr. K barely said two words all day. But a couple of times I could feel his eyes on me, like he was trying to decide what it was I am. It made me uncomfortable. Magus Celon seems to be the superior, but he defers to Mr. K on all matters concerning the trip. I wonder why that is? Fully standing, he’s seven feet tall, and he’s got these huge muscles. I thought he would break the chair at dinner. He’s pretty scary.
In any event, I asked Magus Celon a ton of questions, but he gave these really long winded answers without actually giving me any information. It’s all ‘wait and see.’ I’m traveling with two mysterious gentlemen, I guess. How romantic! Our ship leaves tomorrow noon! I can’t wait!
