It's hard to know where to start, there's so much bubbling and brewing in my heart this morning!
I woke to find not one, but two wonderful surprises on the table. First, a note from dearest Master Maurr, to not worry about chores but to rest up. Bless his beautiful, braided beard, he'd brought home cheese, taters, some bread that smells like herbs and is making my mouth water just writing it down, and a few other sundries. He even said he'll make sure to bring in fresh water every day for cooking and washing. There aren't words for how sweetly kind this dwarf is! I need to find some way to thank him proper, to let him know just how much his friendship (are we friends? proper friends? I think I can say that we are!) warms my heart from top to bottom. A scarf isn't enough. I'll need to think on it a bit. Find something that is special to do just for him.
Then, a big bundle wrapped in a sack! There were a pretty red ribbon tied on, and a wooden...what's the word...well, a sort of flat piece of wood were hung from the ribbon. Someone had carved a picture on the wood, of a Yule tree, and a deer looking out from behind it, and it were so beautiful! There were no note or tag or anything, but after looking it over close, I saw what I think are initials carved very small at the bottom: "GM" it says. I had to sit and think on that for a minute before I remembered the only person I know what name begins with the letter "G" and that's Miss Gail!. And then I untied the sack and, oh my soul, it were full of mushrooms! The smell was heavenly! I'm going to sneak out to the kitchen and make a pot of mushroom stew if Masters Maurr and Tumunir don't come in and stop me.
I've already got an idea or two of how I can thank Miss Gail for such a lovely, sweet, undeserved gift!
And now I'm sat by the fire, with my feet up on a stool, a blanket over my legs, Pumpkin curled up on my lap, and some tea. I didn't lose my leg, and moreover, Miss Cesistya and Jade said I might even walk better now than before (though, of course, the old break can't be undone and I'll always need my special shoe). I have friends - real, actual friends - what care about me and are so kind I can't hardly bear it. It makes my heart hurt to think on. Well, hurt in the sweetest way, not in a bad way.
I were so scared and so afraid of everything. And now I think I'm just going to sit and shed a few tears because my heart can't contain all the thankfulness and joy that I feel.
