Penned in precise and evenly lined sentences, a blank page near the middle of a slightly scuffed, top-grain leather journal is newly inscribed. If one were to flip past the filled pages to the very beginning, one would find the first page titled with: Bernie Tweed, Bree-land followed by a series of odd symbols.
16 Thrimidge
Chetwood, Bree-land
√ Day bag has a change of clothes, a few days' rations, a small tackle kit and blanket packed away.
• Leave note to self on desk regarding Sanders. Leave note on door with notes on beekeeping for Miss Kitowyn.
º The walkabout with Miss Indoril begins.
≡ And we’re off this day! That pretty elfin lady came round my house bright and early this morn, hardly stopping to knock on the door. Grabbed a bacon sandwich on my way out, hid my key on the porch, and followed her out of Newharrow.
She handed me a list of things she were to find round Bree-land and wanted me to take her to those places. Now here for my journal alone I’ll admit that her list were awfully odd indeed, and she had things listed like “Gathering of Bears” and “Best View of Bree” - why an elegant elfy gal from woods way yonder would care to find those things I’ve not figured out just yet. But who cares when you’re enjoying such company!
And we started off with something she had written down as “Man in the Marsh” which that large bog aside my hamlet were obviously housing. Lucky for me I were wearing my new fishing waders. Offered Miss Indoril a piggyback ride to keep her footsies clean, but she declined for some silly reason or another. Anyway, after some wandering and her tangling with the natives, she eventually found her man, which turned out to be a statue rather. She did some odd elfy ritual and that were that.
The next stop were a “Yellow Tree” which again I admit for my journal only, were not something I thought we would find in a forest full of trees. I asked her if she’d ever seen such a thing before and she said her home were filled with yellow trees. So I asked if this were the one that got away. Miss Indoril said yes, they walked on legs.
Now Old Bernie might be wrong about this but she may have been pulling his leg in saying that. However my ma used to tell me stories when I were a wee babe about trees that up and walked to sunnier spots whenever they pleased, so her confirming those tales made me right excited.
Find we did, right there in the middle of the road too! Biggest yellow tree I ever lain eyes on, only one too. So I stopped before it and greeted it, and gave it the water in my canteen while Miss Indoril did her elfy ritual bit again. Offered the tree a nice spot in my yard at home, for I surely have plenty of sun and water and bee-friends to keep it company should it like. When the elfin lady were done with her doings, she told me his name were Oakley and seemed happy I talked to him.
We ate our rations and now we lay for sleep next to Oakley. Offered to share my blanket with Miss Indoril, hope she doesn’t snore.
