The Red Gathering

Bacon and Triskelion

His wide eyes stayed focused on me, waiting for an answer. "Well I have no idea either, but I hope it'll get better? By better I mean a little less...that?"

"YeAAAH I hope so too," Jasper shrugged before shifting his eyes to my noose. "What about you? You're looking a little tight there?"

I had forgotten that I told Jasper of my condition. At this point in the chronicle I doubt I mentioned it to you, my dear reader. You see the more I add stories in my journal the more loose the rope would be around my neck. Last gathering there was no chronicle, as you may have or have not noticed, and I've never breathed right ever since.

"I was busy with things," I told him. "Silly things."

Those silly things I'll keep from this chronicle for the time being, but I did tell Jasper.

"I hope you keep writing, Merry," he said. "Reading, writing, it's a gift! Iiiii mean when I woke up in Solace eEEEHHHveryone was gone so I got lost trying to find this place."

"Lost?"

"I can't read," he admitted. "You know there's a lot of signs and aAAll but I didn't know what aAAAAny of them meant."

"Well I can teach you to read one of these days."

Jasper nodded with a surprised smile. "YeAH that'll be great!"

***

The line dwindled enough that it's end met only the tavern entrance. There I found my place next to a fiery red haired woman in Cestral plaid, holding a wooden bowl. Her pale face and shoulders were painted with streaks of blue while the rest of her was either layered with leather or a fine Cestral kilt. Her name was Boudicca or Bo for short and she was as Cestral as a Cestral can be.

I still managed to make a fool of myself and ask, "Cestral?"

"Whit gae it awa'?" Boudicca raised a brow.

Realizing that the numerous answers I could have said would result in an embarrassment I'd carry the whole day, I decided against any of them. "The bowl."

"Th' bowl?" she chuckled, holding up the little wooden thing. "That's a guid eye."

I sighed in relief at that. It's easy to forget about a little anxiety with all the literal ghouls and demons we Returned have to go through.

"So it's also safe to assume you're a fighter?" I asked.

"Ay coorse," she nodded proudly. "I love a guid foyt. An' ye?"

I told Boudicca of my little scuffle in Murder Alley last night, and she was kind enough to look impressed, but I've seen her fights in Solace. She used a claymore, one of the heaviest but practical looking swords I've ever seen in my life. It was the kind you'd normally see a brawny highlander use, but she carried it with skill. While Gorn treated his cleaver like a butter knife, Boudicca reminded her enemies that she was coming at them with something hard and heavy.

***

I came across Doc Silver halfway across the line. I was sure he was eager to speak to me about the Triskelion game he had organized later that day, an event I myself was excited for.

"Merry," he said. "Will we be seeing you this afternoon for Triskelion?"

"Of course!" I told him. "You know I haven't been home for a while, so this is a breath of fresh air. Thank you for this."

"Don't mention it," he said. "This is for the orphans and all the donations from players and audience will go to the them. Speaking of which, will you play?"