{"id":2786,"date":"2017-09-09T13:07:38","date_gmt":"2017-09-09T13:07:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/wandering-inn\/?p=2786"},"modified":"2025-12-24T00:56:49","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T00:56:49","slug":"3-11-e","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/","title":{"rendered":"3.11 E"},"content":{"rendered":"

Day 31<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I wake up when I hear the crying. It isn\u2019t Durene. She sleeps beside me, or rather, slightly apart from me on the floor of her cottage. Even though we\u2019re close, we sleep a bit apart. Durene sometimes rolls over in her sleep, and I have no desire to be squished like a bug twice. Especially because she\u2019s so hard to wake up when she\u2019s in a deep sleep.<\/p>\n

Cautiously, quietly, I roll out of my side of the bed, trying not to wake Durene. She needs her sleep, and if she knows I\u2019m awake she\u2019ll fuss over me and be too anxious to rest. I shiver as my shoulder touches the cold floor of Durene\u2019s cottage. I briskly get up and grope around for my clothing, locating the undergarments and over garments I placed next to my head when I slept.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s harder than I\u2019d like; I keep finding what I think is a coat and instead pulling up part of the warm blanket Durene and I were sharing. Part of the issue is that I can\u2019t tell where clothing stops and Durene\u2019s bed begins.<\/p>\n

My friend and host Durene doesn\u2019t have a proper bed; just a mattress made of soft blankets and pillows. I can understand why; she\u2019d probably break any raised surface with her weight, and even a king-sized bed wouldn\u2019t exactly be that big for her. Durene\u2019s not a giant, but she is<\/em> half-Troll, and that means she\u2019s easily six foot six, or maybe even taller. I can only guess; I\u2019m just over six foot myself, so I have to use that as a reference when measuring her.<\/p>\n

Fully dressed but sock-less, I shiver as I pad around the room. Still cold, even with multiple layers. I feel at one of the windows and touch a wooden shutter, cold and frozen. Right. Durene has no glass.<\/p>\n

But I don\u2019t need to go outside to feel the cold emanating from the window. And the lovely little fire Durene made last night has gone out, even the embers. Winter is truly and deeply upon us.<\/p>\n

Normally I wouldn\u2019t care. I\u2019d wake up later, and help Durene make breakfast. But today is different. I pause as I hunt for a sock and raise my head.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere it is again.\u201d<\/p>\n

I whisper the words. Someone is crying. Not someone, actually. Something. I can tell it\u2019s no person out there, but something animal. It\u2019s shrieking. I think it\u2019s a bird, but it sounds far different from any bird call I\u2019ve heard back home. Far more anxious and\u2026desperate.<\/p>\n

Yes, a bird. But then, maybe I\u2019m being too hasty here. I think it\u2019s a bird, but given that I\u2019m in a fantasy world, couldn\u2019t it well be a bird person? Do they exist? I\u2019ll have to ask Durene when she wakes up.<\/p>\n

Regardless, this creature\u2019s definitely in some distress to be broadcasting so loudly. I\u2019ll be the first to admit I\u2019m more sensitive to sounds than Durene, but this bird got me up even in the middle of my sleep. And it\u2019s odd, but I have a very strong compulsion to go to it. And I even know where this\u2026bird\u2026is.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery odd.\u201d<\/p>\n

My socks are on, and my comfortable shoes are laced. I pause with my hand on the door, wondering what I\u2019m doing. It\u2019s snowy outside, and even though I have my walking cane in one hand, I know from experience how easy it is to get lost by myself.<\/p>\n

But the creature calls out again, and I push open the door and walk outside before I can stop myself. After all, I can just retrace my steps if I go a short ways. It\u2019s not that far\u2014and I can shout for Durene.<\/p>\n

All excuses, I know. But I have to follow this feeling. And so I silently close the door so as not to wake Durene and walk out into the snow.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s deep. I nearly stumble as I find it\u2019s a foot deep. Jeez, winter here is not<\/em> fun. And Durene\u2019s told me it can snow far more before the season is over. I poke at the snow in front of me, but my cane\u2019s no good in this weather. I make a disgusted noise, but still\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cA rock straight ahead?\u201d<\/p>\n

No. It\u2019s just my imagination. But a few cautious steps forward and my cane pokes into the snow and finds\u2014<\/p>\n

A rock. Yes, a rock.<\/em> Either that or some kind of fossilized vegetable. Nah, it\u2019s a rock. But how did I know it was there?<\/p>\n

Half a dozen explanations pop into my head, but I have no time to stop and consider them. The bird cries out again, and this time I can tell it\u2019s from the ground, a little bit ahead of me and to the left, on the edge of the forest surrounding the cottage.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, yes. I\u2019m coming.\u201d<\/p>\n

No longer walking with my cane, I stride across the snowy ground with more confidence than I\u2019ve felt in a long time. I know I\u2019m walking straight through Durene\u2019s frozen-over garden, and I also know what spots are slippery and even that she\u2019s sown several crops for next year that are hibernating under the ice\u2014and that there\u2019s a cluster of turnips she forgot to pull up. I skirt her fence, walk towards a tree, and stop.<\/p>\n

How did I just do <\/em>that? It wasn\u2019t sight\u2014I\u2019ve never seen in my life, but I know you\u2019d use your eyes for that and I had mine shut the entire time. But I knew where everything was. Yet here I stop, at the edge of where my\u2026perception of the landscape fades away. Yes, it\u2019s as if there\u2019s a large circle around Durene\u2019s cottage I can sense, and then just emptiness past that.<\/p>\n

And at the base of one tree, I can sense anxious movement, faint life. And my ears confirm that as I hear the creature cry out in alarm as I approach.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s this, now?\u201d<\/p>\n

Broken branch. Twigs, bird poo, bones\u2026the remains of a nest. And on the ground\u2014<\/p>\n

I reach out and something pecks<\/em> at my hand. I yelp and draw my hand back, and the fledgling bird cries out again, calling for its parents. But if it had parents, it wouldn\u2019t be alone. So, shivering, I come to a quick decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cNone of that, now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bird cries out in alarm and tries to get away, but it\u2019s much too weak and cold. I briskly scoop it up and ignore its struggling. The bird pecks at me again, but this time he only gets my gloves. I walk back to Durene\u2019s cottage, thinking hard all the while.<\/p>\n

Birds fallen from nest? Doubtless. What happens to birds when that happens? I know the best thing to do is to put it back in the nest, but what if the parent is gone? Maybe it\u2019s just independent?<\/p>\n

No\u2014I feel gently at the bird as it squawks anxiously again and amend my opinion. I don\u2019t feel any feathers, only fuzz. This is no fledgling, a semi-adult bird. It\u2019s a baby chick, or whatever the correct term is. I\u2019m no bird watcher.<\/p>\n

And two more things I note: the bird is quite big for a baby. And it\u2019s also very cold. It\u2019s shivering; how long was it out in the snow? I hurry up and push into the cottage.<\/p>\n

A low growling sound makes the bird in my hands shut up instantly. I smile as I hear Durene snoring; she didn\u2019t even notice me come back in. Well, she might have to wake up soon regardless.<\/p>\n

First things first. I don\u2019t bother hunting for anything; I just turn and grab a bowl out of Durene\u2019s shelves. Once again, I know exactly which one will fit the bird, and in another second I\u2019ve wrapped it gently in a towel, both to warm it and prevent it from escaping. The chick is trembling. No doubt it thinks I\u2019m going to eat it.<\/p>\n

Well, food is<\/em> a good idea, both for me and it. I sense around, and find some bread. I slice some, again, with more confidence than I\u2019d ever have normally, and offer some crumbled bits to the bird. It shies away from my hand, and then I feel a cautious peck<\/em> at my bare skin. The bird finds a crumb, seems to taste it, and then spits the wet stuff back onto my hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s<\/em> odd. Don\u2019t all birds like bread? I frown and try again. But this time the bird just squawks<\/em> a bit as I try to push the crumbs at it, and it doesn\u2019t touch them even when I leave some crumbs in the bowl for it.<\/p>\n

\u201cDrat. What kind of bird do you call yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n

I grumble at the bird as I move onto my alternate plan: getting this place warmed up. Durene\u2019s stacked firewood in a corner, but up till this point I\u2019d let her make the fire. I like to think I\u2019m quite capable, but it really is a bad idea to have the blind guy messing around with flames.<\/p>\n

But once again, I can quite definitely tell where things are, and even if I can\u2019t see<\/em> the position of the fireplace, I know where it is. Almost like\u2026a memory? Or a fact. Either way, my hands are steady as I strike the flint and steel repeatedly and eventually manage to get some kindling to light.<\/p>\n

\u201cFire, check.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next? I feed the flames a bit and fan them to make them brighter, or however it is that\u2019s supposed to work. I guess if the bird won\u2019t eat, I\u2019ll get something. There are eggs in a basket Durene brought from the village, but I\u2019d feel guilty eating them right at this moment. How about\u2026hm?<\/p>\n

Sausage?<\/p>\n

Oh yes, there\u2019s half a dried sausage in Durene\u2019s pantry. I know she\u2019s been saving it for a special occasion; meat is a luxury for her. I hesitate as I bring it out. Maybe just a bit? Fried sausage would be a treat,<\/em> but can I\u2026?<\/p>\n

The chick suddenly squawks and kicks up a racket as I bring the sausage past it. I frown, stop, and clumsily tear off a bit of meat.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want this? Really?\u201d<\/p>\n

I know baby birds eat meat. I mean, they eat bugs. But I thought they liked seeds and plants more than\u2014you know what? I\u2019m not going to argue with the facts, especially when one fact is trying to tear the bit of meat out of my fingers.<\/p>\n

The chick greedily devours the first bit of meat I feed it, then the next. Bemused, I find a knife and slice up a good portion of the sausage into bite-sized morsels to feed the chick. It scarfs the pieces down\u2014so quickly and so fast that I\u2019m worried I\u2019ll overfeed it and make it sick! I stop after I\u2019ve given it nearly a quarter of the sausage, but then the chick just cries out for more!<\/p>\n

\u201cShush, you!\u201d<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t listen to me. What a sound it makes! It\u2019s more like a whistle than a cry. It sounds nothing like the twittering sparrows and occasional duck that will wander by my parent\u2019s home. But it does sound familiar\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh? Wuzzis?\u201d<\/p>\n

I lightly nudge the squalling chick with a knuckle.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now you\u2019ve woken Durene. Good job, you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLaken? What\u2019s going on? Why are you awake and\u2014what\u2019s that?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

I turn and smile at Durene. Her confused voice and the way she clumsily makes her way over to me\u2014these are the things that are now familiar to me. Funny, but after a month of living in her company I know her so well.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Durene. Sorry to wake you, but we have a guest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that a bird? And\u2026my sausage?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her voice is dismayed, but after a round of explanations she\u2019s only too willing to help me make breakfast and play detective. The first thing she does is exclaim over the way I\u2019m able to help her prepare today\u2019s meal: a soup made of onions, leeks, peas, and cabbage. Pottage, in fact. It\u2019s seasoned heavily with dried thyme and some garlic and it tastes not bad at all. True, it\u2019s a poor meal to live on each day, but I\u2019m happy enough eating it.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you tell where everything is?\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene is bewildered as I nimbly pour soup into a bowl and bring it to the table, next to the restless chick. I shake my head, smiling fit to burst.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no idea. It must be from my Class!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut how? I thought an [Emperor] ruled. Why can they see things? Without their eyes, I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not exactly the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cautiously, I spoon the hot soup into my mouth and think as I chew.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s gotta be\u2014I think we added too much thyme, Durene\u2014it must be due to the fact that this is part of my domain. That is to say. My demesne.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour\u2014what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDemesne. It\u2019s another word for, well, land owned by someone. I know this is your cottage, Durene, but I claimed it when I became an [Emperor].\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that. And I\u2019m happy to let you, uh, have it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you. But that means I own every part of the land, not just the cottage. The ground, the sky\u2014that must be why I can sense where to go. Because it is mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n

My friend\u2019s voice is a sigh of wonder. A loud sigh, which makes the chick on the table next to me chirp in alarm. I sit up at the odd cry and frown again, tickled by that same thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is one weird bird, though. I can feel it, but I\u2019m afraid that even with my new\u2026abilities\u2026I can\u2019t really tell what it is. Durene, what does it look like?\u201d<\/p>\n

I hear Durene get up anxiously and pace around the chick. She comes nearer to me and apparently bends over, because the chick pecks her nose.<\/p>\n

\u201cOw!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCareful. It\u2019s pretty violent for a baby. It is<\/em> a baby, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt looks like it. It\u2019s one week\u2014no, maybe two weeks old? But it\u2019s really big\u2026I thought it was a fledgling at first, but like you said, it has no feathers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA big bird\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Sesame Street? No, focus, Laken. But now that I think of it, there might actually be land bound birds as tall as Big Bird in this world. Now there\u2019s<\/em> a terrifying thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat else do you see?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUm. Well\u2014it\u2019s got a weird color. Sort of\u2014well, dark grey. Almost greenish.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGreen fuzz?\u201d<\/p>\n

Doesn\u2019t mean much to me, although I don\u2019t know any green birds. But chicks don\u2019t look anything like their adult forms.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I found it on the ground. I think the nest it was in fell off the branch. Maybe the parent\u2019s still around and we can return it.\u201d<\/p>\n

I get up and Durene and I leave the chick behind to go investigate the spot where I found it. I feel\u2026amazingly happy to be able to walk that short distance without my cane. There\u2019s no trepidation, no sense of unease as I walk. I know where everything is, and I don\u2019t have to hesitate.<\/p>\n

Thank you. I don\u2019t know who or what brought me here, but just for a little while longer, can you let me feel like a\u2014a normal person? Is this what it feels like? To walk and know that the ground is there<\/em> and I am here?<\/em><\/p>\n

Then I come up to that blank spot where the world ends, and Durene gasps as she sees the nest.<\/p>\n

\u201cBones! Look at all the tiny bones, Laken! And over there\u2014oh no.\u201d<\/p>\n

She sees something past the spot I can sense and walks over. I wait, trying to piece together my own sensory inputs. I can tell there are bones in the nest, but I didn\u2019t focus on the size until now. There\u2019s still a difference between what Durene sees and what I comprehend.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026found the parent, Laken. It\u2014she? She\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene comes back, holding a dead bird in her hands. I blink as it comes into my zone and I register the size<\/em> of the bird. It\u2019s almost a third as tall as I am!<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s no sparrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Half-troll she might be, but Durene has a heart that weeps for everything. She sounds upset as she tells me how it died.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt must have died of the cold. See here\u2014oh, sorry Laken. It was fighting something, but it got hurt bad. It was bleeding, and it must have lost all its warmth when it got cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI get it.\u201d<\/p>\n

I sigh as Durene and I pause, unexpectedly sad over the death of this bird. I\u2019m about to ask if we should bury it, when I sense Durene plucking feathers off the corpse.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026What are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2014I thought we could eat it later. It\u2019s still cold and nothing\u2019s been chewing on it, so\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh. Ah. Hm. Well, I\u2019ve heard of people eating road kill, and at least the bird was well-preserved. Maybe I\u2019ll let Durene have it, although I could use some meat myself\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, let\u2019s put that aside for now. What about the nest? You say there are bones here, right? Little ones?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right. They\u2019re very small, but\u2026I don\u2019t know how any predator would have eaten the others and left the chick you found alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it wouldn\u2019t do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

My mind jumps to an unfortunate conclusion. I bent down and touch at the bones with one gloveless hand. Yup. They\u2019re picked clean.<\/p>\n

\u201cA predator didn\u2019t kill the other babies. The chick did. It ate its brothers and sisters to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

An unhappy sound. Durene didn\u2019t want to come to that conclusion, but it\u2019s the only one that makes sense. I straighten and sigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cNature at its best. But I think I have a good idea who this mystery bird is. It\u2019s an eagle, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think so. It could be a hawk\u2014I\u2019m not a [Hunter] so I can\u2019t tell the difference. But it looks like one of the birds that sometimes tries to swoop down and carry off a lamb, baby piglets, and so on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCarry off lambs? Seriously?\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019d heard stories of eagles trying to carry off kids, but I thought that was just a popular myth. But Durene sounds serious.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes. [Herders] and [Farmers] have to be careful. An eagle can swoop down and fly away with a lamb in seconds if they don\u2019t keep an eye out. Normally we try to get people with bows to shoot the eagle first, but it\u2019s hard unless someone\u2019s got a high level.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, this baby eagle\u2014I think they\u2019re called eaglets, actually\u2014isn\u2019t going to be carrying off anything anytime soon. I think now\u2019s the moment when we make a choice, Durene.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout what?\u201d<\/p>\n

She sounds apprehensive. I make a rueful expression, or what I\u2019ve been told is rueful.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout whether we keep it or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you mean\u2014we\u2019d throw it out in the cold?\u201d<\/p>\n

She sounds horrified. I guess I\u2019ve got my answer. We walk back to her cottage. Durene pauses to bury the dead bird in the snow rather than bring it inside and show the chick.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just thinking about the problems. A baby eagle needs attention, food\u2014the attention bit\u2019s not so hard, but I\u2019m pretty sure it only eats meat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh indeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s why this is a problem in this world. In mine, the biggest obstacle would be getting a permit to raise a baby eagle\u2014they\u2019re considered illegal to own in the United States, and I suspect other countries wouldn\u2019t be too hot on them as a pet either. Housing would be another problem I guess, and training\u2014<\/p>\n

But here, meat is the issue. There\u2019s not exactly a supermarket around here, and Durene\u2019s not rich. I am, but Riverfarm isn\u2019t, so I don\u2019t know how far the gold coins I dug up would go down there anyways.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we should take care of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene\u2019s voice interrupts me. I can tell she\u2019s practically wringing her hands, and her voice is anxious.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we need to, I can get meat. I could try setting a trap or hunting. And I\u2014I have pigs!\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s funny how she cares more for a chick I found than the pigs she\u2019s raised for years. Then again, she must have to force herself to look at the pigs as food. I nod as I pick up the upset little bird and it pecks at my hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay then. Hopefully it won\u2019t come to that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you really think we\u2019ll be able to raise him?\u201d<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a glimmer of hope in her tone. As it so often happens, I realize that this is something Durene might have dreamed about but could never realize. A pet. It sounds so simple, but for her, it might just have been a dream.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can try. But I have to warn you, Durene. The chick might die no matter what we do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene already sounds heartbroken as she hovers around the bird in my hands. I find her arm with a hand and pat it gently. But I don\u2019t give her false hope. I\u2019m under no illusions; I don\u2019t know how to raise birds, and this young one was born too late. Or maybe birds in this world can\u2019t tell when winter is about to arrive thanks to those…Winter Sprites, and so they can only hope.<\/p>\n

With those thoughts in mind, I find myself constructing a more permanent nest for the chick. And that\u2019s with the understanding that this nest isn\u2019t going to be reused; the chick has already pooped quite extensively in Durene\u2019s bowl.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt should probably be pretty big. Yes\u2014that\u2019s about right.\u201d<\/p>\n

I smile to myself as Durene fusses over the chick, holding it gently and exclaiming as it pecks at her hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes it\u2026have a name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet. Would you like to name it, Durene?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2014I couldn\u2019t. Why don\u2019t you, Laken? You found it, anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n

I nod and take the chick from Durene, it struggles a bit in my grip, but I have a good hold over its growing wings. I stare down at it and think for a second. And perhaps it\u2019s another bit of whimsy, but I decide that if I\u2019m going to take care of this bird, I might as well do it properly.<\/p>\n

Straightening my back, I place the chick on the new nest, and put my hand solemnly on its head. It doesn\u2019t move about much; I make my voice deeper as I speak to Durene and the world at large.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not often that I find a baby bird lying on the ground. But since you\u2019re here and your mother\u2014or father\u2014is gone, it falls to me to take care of you. You\u2014chick.\u201d<\/p>\n

The little bird pecks at the bottom of my hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cStop that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene giggles. I smile, and think for a moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, I think I\u2019ll name you Frostwing, because that sounds quite appropriate for a bird in a fantasy world. It sounds a bit silly, but maybe you\u2019ll grow into it. And I accept you into my small empire as one of my loyal, if noisy, subjects.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bird goes still for a second, and then I sense it rustling under my hand. Durene makes cooing sounds of delight.<\/p>\n

\u201cAw! It\u2019s grooming itself, Laken!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take that as a \u2018yes\u2019. Okay, let\u2019s finish this nest and figure out where it\u2019s going to sleep. I don\u2019t want it wandering off during the night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay!\u201d<\/p>\n

And there we have it. Another little addition to the cottage. I\u2019m not sure if I regret it; little Frostwing pecks at my fingers and it eats and defecates a bit too much for my comfort. It has a very sharp, curved beak. Plus, it has a rather shrill cry that can get on the nerves\u2014<\/p>\n

And yet, I can\u2019t see any other way this encounter could have gone. Would I have left it there to die? No. There\u2019s no way I would have. And I have to wonder as I go to sleep, Frostwing resting in its new nest in the kitchen. I have to wonder if it was like that for Durene with me. Perhaps I was a little bird she found in the forest. The thought makes me smile as I close my eyes and sleep.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[Emperor Level 5!]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[Beast Tamer Obtained!]<\/p>\n

[Beast Tamer Level 1!]<\/p>\n

[Skill \u2013 Lesser Bond: Frostwing obtained!]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026Oh you have got to be kidding me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Day 32<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Why is leveling up so easy? No, before that, why is gaining a new class so easy?<\/p>\n

This is the thought that circles around in my head, nudging my brain every once in a while. I don\u2019t really have the brain cells to allocate to the issue though; I\u2019m so sleep deprived that I can barely think straight.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a long night, and a longer morning. Durene is asleep, and I\u2019m on bird-feeding duty. Again. As it turns out, Frostwing, the noisy little eaglet, apparently needs to be fed on an hourly basis. Or at least that\u2019s how it felt last night. And since Durene isn\u2019t as nimble as I am, it fell to me to get out of the warm, comfortable bed and feed the squalling creature while avoiding its sharp beak.<\/p>\n

Do I regret all of this? Yes and no. The class helps. It really does. Because now I can wonder\u2014what does \u2018lesser bond\u2019 mean? What\u2019s the benefit of this class? Will it just aid me in raising Frostwing? Or are there applicable benefits?<\/p>\n

Right now the only benefit I can feel is knowing how much to feed Frostwing. It\u2019s like intuition\u2014I can tell if the bird needs another morsel, or if feeding it\u2014her too much would result in her puking up her meal. That\u2019s valuable info, as is her gender.<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t tell with my [Emperor] senses, and I\u2019m not about to go probing with my fingers. But Durene checked, and this bird is indeed a female one. Good for her.<\/p>\n

But back to my class. I get the [Beastmaster] class. It only makes sense that I\u2019d get it. But why did I level up as an [Emperor]? Let\u2019s think about that.<\/p>\n

I poke Frostwing as she tears at a bit of meat. She pecks my finger. I rub at an eye and frown.<\/p>\n

Intent. Intent and purpose. I was fully committed to keeping the eaglet\u2014Frostwing alive. Not only that; I fulfilled some criteria for the [Emperor] class. It makes sense that gaining exp for an [Emperor] would involve growing my kingdom and recruiting new subjects somehow.<\/p>\n

But seriously? One baby eagle is worth a level in [Emperor]? No\u2014no, wait a second. Maybe it\u2019s not just numbers, but something else. Durene was my first vassal, but she came with the class. This is the first time I\u2019ve declared my sovereignty over another being, and after I\u2019d rescued them from death within my sovereign territory, no less.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the only explanation I can come up with. How confusing. If only there were an instruction manual, or a wiki page or something I could use. But assuming this is a game, or something similar, the fun would be in finding how the rules work. And exploiting any secrets you can find.<\/p>\n

Poke. Peck. Poke. Peck.<\/em><\/p>\n

I keep baiting Frostwing, letting her strike at my finger and pulling it away before she can tag me. It\u2019s, well, pretty fun, although getting pecked isn\u2019t. But it must be fun, because before I know it, Durene\u2019s awake.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaken! Is your finger bleeding?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it is. I guess I must have got lost in playing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor how long?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure. Hours? I fed her twice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwice?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not good with sleep deprivation. Not that I think anyone\u2019s exactly proficient in that area. Once I\u2019m more awake and I\u2019ve had a cup of tea\u2014and what I wouldn\u2019t give for an espresso\u2014Durene and I get about the business of business. We don\u2019t always stay in the cottage, although it\u2019s a tempting option in this cold weather.<\/p>\n

Our goal for today is actually quite simple: in lieu of the practically gone sausage, Durene and I have to find something for Frostwing to eat. She doesn\u2019t want to butcher one of her pigs and I can\u2019t blame her. They\u2019re not fully grown yet, and it would be a terrible waste, even if she and I eat some of it.<\/p>\n

Plus, I don\u2019t quite have the heart for it. What I do have the heart for, and what came to me as I was feeding Frostwing a bit more sausage was that my [Emperor] senses can be used for more than just navigation.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight here.\u201d<\/p>\n

I whisper to Durene as we stand next to a tree trunk. She\u2019s silent for a second.<\/p>\n

\u201cFound it. It\u2019s a small hole.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWant me to\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. I\u2019ve got it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene takes a deep breath, and then I hear her reach into the hole in the tree trunk. There\u2019s alarmed chattering and frantic movement as her hand enter the squirrel\u2019s nest, then\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cGot one.\u201d<\/p>\n

I heard<\/em> the crunch. I feel a bit sick, but I know it\u2019s not over. There are\u2014were\u2014three squirrels nesting in the tree that I sensed. Durene grimly catches the other two and swiftly snaps their necks.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s done, Laken. I\u2019ll pull them out if you can hold them\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGot it.\u201d<\/p>\n

She might not like killing creatures, but she\u2019s efficient when she does. I hold the surprisingly heavy creatures, wincing as I feel their dangling necks.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026Yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was an idea. If I can sense Frostwing, what about other creatures? Turns out I can at least find squirrel dens, if I concentrate. Is this fair? No. But we\u2019re out of meat and Frostwing needs a meal. So this has to be done.<\/p>\n

Once we\u2019re finished, Durene and I walk back to the cottage. She actually took the acorns the squirrels had been hoarding as well; they can be ground up. Durene doesn\u2019t waste any food.\u00a0 Then we\u2019re in the kitchen, Frostwing cheeping with excitement. Three squirrels are ready to be skinned in moments, and I have to help with that grisly business. It wouldn\u2019t be right otherwise.<\/p>\n

\u201cUm\u2014I\u2014I think we\u2019ve got to\u2014with the head\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s grisly, and it involves sawing and hacking, neither of us being proficient in preparing animals. Durene is no hunter, and if she does find animals, she generally has someone in the village help her prepare it for a share of the food. She didn\u2019t even manage to bring herself to eat Frostwing\u2019s mother\u2014after some debate we buried her half-plucked corpse just outside the garden.<\/p>\n

At least I can\u2019t see what I\u2019m doing. Durene assures me that in this case, this is a good thing. Mind you, I don\u2019t like the squishing<\/em> and the\u2014rest. But I\u2019m not the one who has to stumble out of the cottage for a breath of fresh air.<\/p>\n

\u201cDurene? I think I\u2019m done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Quietly, Durene takes the fur and other inedible bits outside. I can tell she\u2019s burying the pieces. She\u2019s a bit snuffly when she comes back in, but determined to put a brave face on it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least Frostwing gets to eat. That\u2019s\u2014it\u2019s for her.\u201d<\/p>\n

I nod. The chick is already demanding a bloody piece of meat, and we can freeze the rest although we\u2019ll have to watch out for scavengers. Hell, we could probably kill them.<\/p>\n

Durene shudders a bit as I put the meat into a bowl. I clean my hands with water after I feed Frostwing and then go over to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid they bite your hand?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA bit. But\u2014it\u2019s fine. My skin\u2019s tough and I did far worse to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

She sounds unhappy. And guilty. Carefully, I hold her hands, making sure they\u2019re unharmed for myself. Thick skin. But such a terribly soft heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a gentle soul.\u201d<\/p>\n

I kiss Durene gently on the cheek. She blushes\u2014I can feel it. And then of course one thing leads to another. At least Frostwing doesn\u2019t interrupt us more than once.<\/p>\n

What? It\u2019s not like it\u2019s hard to figure out what people in this world do in the winter. And Durene and I are new at this. But kissing her I could do forever. I could sit and talk with her long into the night. And I do. Other things happen of course, but sometimes it\u2019s just worth sitting by someone you\u2026<\/p>\n

Love.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[Beast Tamer Level 2!]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Day 34<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It\u2019s funny. I\u2019ve had pets, and it\u2019s always flurry and new experiences those first few days. But after a while, even feeding an eaglet bloody pieces of meat you\u2019ve butchered yourself gets normal.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s how I find myself sitting in the kitchen, playing poke-peck with Frostwing. I think she could use the exercise, and I myself have already gone for a brisk walk with Durene. But at this time of day I usually stay indoors while she works.<\/p>\n

Yes, works. Durene\u2019s job doesn\u2019t end in the winter of course. In fact, there might even be more to do. She planted a number of crops that could be harvested in the winter, and aside from tending to them, she has to clear out snow every day as well. She also normally takes this time to fix up her cottage, repair any tools, and of course, chop firewood.<\/p>\n

With me around I can at least fix her meals and help with some small-time repairs, but my job is mainly looking after the chick. I\u2019m certainly not a [Lumberjack]. Truth be told, neither is Durene, but with her strength it doesn\u2019t really matter. I asked her about it at one point; she has an old axe, but she claims she only uses it to hack up the tree when it\u2019s felled. As to the felling, she says it\u2019s easy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, if it\u2019s a small tree, I can just kick it or push it over.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026So it sounds simple enough for her. At any rate, Durene gets paid a pittance for supplying Riverfarm village with firewood, so when she\u2019s not with me and Frostwing, she\u2019s out in the forest. Rather, I make her go. I\u2019m now fully confident in myself thanks to my new Skill, and we can\u2019t always be cramped together.<\/p>\n

Not that that\u2019s necessarily a bad thing.<\/p>\n

Anyways it\u2019s just me and Frostwing, testing our reflexes. My attention\u2019s completely focused on the game, until I feel a\u2026sensation at the back of my mind and get distracted.<\/p>\n

As I pull my finger back a bit too slowly, Frostwing hits me with a good peck and pierces my skin. I yelp and I hear what almost sounds like a cheep of apology from her. But I\u2019m not paying attention to the bird. My head turns and I frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone\u2019s coming.\u201d<\/p>\n

By the time [Farmer] Prost stops outside the cottage, I\u2019m already waiting for him, a smile on my lips. If he\u2019s confused by my intuition, his voice doesn\u2019t show any sign of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Laken, I\u2019m glad to see you\u2019re well this day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad to meet you as well, Mister Prost. You\u2019ll have to tell me if you\u2019re well.\u201d<\/p>\n

A bit cold, I know. But I still remember how I last met the man. I hear a pause, and then a note of uncertainty in Prost\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m well, Mister Laken. Thank you for asking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd your wife? How is Yesel doing? And the kids?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll well, Mister Laken.\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, that\u2019s enough pleasantries. I nod and smile again, cheerfully. And say nothing else. If he wants anything else he can just say it.<\/p>\n

After another moment of uncertainty, Prost gets to the point.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot to be interrupting you, Mister Laken, but ah, I was wondering if I could have a word with you. About Durene.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother word? Well, I suppose I have no choice but to hear you out. What\u2019s wrong with Durene this time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing, sir. It\u2019s just, well, I\u2019d like to talk, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh? Talk? I see. I let Prost go on.<\/p>\n

\u201cDurene\u2019s a good\u2026girl. But she\u2019s only a [Farmer], and I understand you\u2019re not. She\u2019s said as much when she came into the village a day ago. I\u2019d hate to think she was getting involved with someone with other duties later on, if you understand me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh? Is it now \u2018you\u2019re too good for her\u2019? What is with these people? My smile freezes a bit on my face. But I keep silent. Wait. Wait for him to keep going and then smack him in the face.<\/p>\n

Metaphorically, of course.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe, ah, understand\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Now. I jump in, my voice as smooth as I can make it. Friendly. Open. I put honest confusion into my tone.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo excuse me, Mister Prost. I\u2019m afraid I\u2019m a bit off-balance. You see, I thought you were coming here for something else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh? What\u2019s that, Mister Laken?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s just that\u2014and you may call me silly for thinking this\u2014I was under the distinct impression that you were coming here to apologize.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cApologize\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo Durene. For calling her a monster. Inhuman. A freak.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

I wish I could see his face. I can only tell the man is standing in front of me, but then I hear him shift in the snow. Uneasily.<\/p>\n

\u201cI, ah, regret the other day, Mister Laken. I do. But I only spoke the truth. It needed to be said. And even if Durene was\u2014upset, it don\u2019t change the facts. So I don\u2019t think I need to say anything to anyone, if you understand me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Again I interrupt him. This time I don\u2019t even try to keep the undertone of irritation and anger out of my voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, of course not. You\u2019re a grown man and Durene\u2019s only a young woman who looks up to you as an adult. Why should you apologize to her for telling the truth? Why should you feel guilty for hurting the feelings of a half-Troll? My mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prost\u2019s voice is rougher too, but he\u2019s still determined to be polite. I wonder why? It\u2019s not like I\u2019d be able to beat him if he threw a punch. But maybe there\u2019s more in him than just bigotry and prejudice. Maybe he knows I\u2019m right.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou seem to feel I should be talking to Durene, Mister Laken?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI would never tell a grown man what to do. But they\u2019re so hard to find these days. No matter where I <\/em>look, I can\u2019t see any.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another shot, and I know it hits something. But Prost is a stubborn man, a farmer. He doesn\u2019t roll over, he digs in and keeps going. Reasonable tone, conciliatory words. I can tell he wants me to agree with him, to give a bit. Not happening.<\/p>\n

\u201cDurene is\u2014useful. Helpful. She cares, I know that Mister Laken. And we\u2019re lucky to have her around some times. But she\u2019s still a half-Troll. And that means she\u2019s part monster. Not entirely Human. It makes us parents worry some nights. What can you say to that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Half-Troll. It\u2019s as if all Durene is, is just a word. How can they not see? She is more than that. She\u2019s a [Paladin]. What would he say if I mentioned that?<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a person, Mister Prost. A person. Where I come from\u2014well, some people judge others based on what they look like it\u2019s true. But take it from a man who can\u2019t see, there\u2019s more than just sight that goes into people. If sight was all we judged by, why, wouldn\u2019t I be as much of a\u2014a monster as Durene?\u201d<\/p>\n

Pause. Did anything I said go through? I hear Prost move about in the snow again, and then he speaks.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to look at her and not be afraid, Mister Laken. Maybe if I had the courage to close my eyes I\u2019d think differently when I spoke to her. But it\u2019s hard to get past.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHard, but necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s some truth to what you say, sir. I know Durene and she\u2019d never hurt a fly. Maybe\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Maybe. Just maybe you\u2019ve been wrong. I wait for more, but that\u2019s it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019ll give it some thought and let the others know what you\u2019ve said. That\u2019s all I can say, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d appreciate that. And I will say that if one more person hints at Durene being not good enough or I hear that she\u2019s a freak, I\u2019ll start throwing things. And believe me, I have pretty good aim even if I can\u2019t see.\u201d<\/p>\n

I could probably nail him with a snowball, at least around Durene\u2019s cottage. But I won\u2019t. He came here to talk to me about Durene, and I said my bit and he said his. If he changes, all for the better.<\/p>\n

But Prost isn\u2019t quite done. He stands there for a while longer, and I have the distinct feeling he\u2019s looking me up and down. When he speaks next, he has that same odd note of respect in his voice. Why?<\/p>\n

\u201cYou seem\u2026taller, Mister Laken. Better than before, if you don\u2019t mind me saying so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all. I\u2019m glad I seem so healthy to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taller? What does he mean? But it\u2019s clear Prost means more than just height. He\u2019s about to leave when I hear Frostwing kicking up a fuss inside the cottage. Maybe she\u2019s finally caught Prost\u2019s scent, or she\u2019s hungry again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that sound?\u201d<\/p>\n

I shrug as Prost begins to sound nervous again.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, that? That\u2019s a baby eagle I\u2019m raising.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA baby\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

He chokes on the words.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re just full of surprises, aren\u2019t you Mister Laken? Where\u2019d you find a baby eagle?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the snow, just like everyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019re going to raise it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I can keep trapping animals. Eagles only eat meat, which is sort of tough for me and Durene.\u201d<\/p>\n

I have a sudden thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cSay, Mister Prost, would you consider selling me some food? I\u2019d be willing to pay you a good price for anything you can spare out of your larder.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prost sounds vaguely surprised at my offer. I guess he really only came up here to chat.<\/p>\n

\u201cFood, sir? I don\u2019t know. It\u2019s awfully dear at this time of year, and the harvest was good, but not so much that I\u2019d want to let anything go for cheap.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow would a gold coin sound?\u201d<\/p>\n

An intake of breath. I wait patiently, face straight. Yes, I have quite a lot of money, don\u2019t I? I\u2019d nearly forgotten with Frostwing, but hey, if you\u2019ve got it, why not spend it? And it\u2019s not like I can eat gold.<\/p>\n

Prost murmurs to himself in surprise. He seems to take for granted the fact that I have a gold coin\u2014from what Durene says every family might have one gold coin\u2019s worth in savings, but probably not more than that unless they work a more profitable job. It\u2019s more hand-to-mouth around here.<\/p>\n

\u201cA gold coin? I\u2019m not sure we can spare\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the other villagers? I don\u2019t need much, but I\u2019d like more eggs than Durene\u2019s chickens provide, and I\u2019d love to have enough meat to go round.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe villagers might ah, go for that. But a gold coin\u2014at this time of year\u2014well, I\u2019d have to think about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

I nod seriously, as if I\u2019m considering Prost\u2019s words carefully. Then I rub my hand over my mouth as if in serious thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow does this sound, then? One gold coin\u2014for whatever dried meat, eggs, and so on you feel you can trade. If the rest of the village will add a bit from their stock, I\u2019ll make it two gold coins. You can take the money, Mister Prost, and change it however you feel is right. And then you can bring me whatever my money\u2019s worth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Credit to him, the other man\u2019s voice sounds only slightly strangled as he replies.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s\u2014very generous of you, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

I shrug, slightly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a bit of money saved up, and mouths to feed. And I\u2019d like to repay Durene back for all the help she\u2019s been to me. You understand that, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do indeed, sir. Well then, if you\u2019re sure I\u2019d happily accept.\u201d<\/p>\n

I hold out a hand, and Prost takes it and gives me a firm shake. His hand is callused and cold. Somehow rougher than Durene\u2019s, even though she has harder skin.<\/p>\n

\u201cGive me one second to get the coin.\u201d<\/p>\n

I love my Skill. Instead of having to search around desperately for the bag of coins and money, I find it in an instant. Durene hid it behind a sack, as if there were thieves lurking around the cottage. Then again, I suppose it would have been bad if Prost had entered the cottage and seen the bag lying around.<\/p>\n

I take two gold coins out and come back to Prost in less than ten seconds.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re awfully fast for a blind man, if you don\u2019t mind my saying so, Mister Laken.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBlind doesn\u2019t mean slow, Mister Prost.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course not.\u201d<\/p>\n

I give him the heavy coins and he promises to bring some food the next day. I have the distinct feeling he\u2019s going to take as much of a cut as he can before paying the other villagers, but that\u2019s pretty much why I made the offer in the first place. And if it means food\u2014all the better.<\/p>\n

Trade negotiations for the Empire of Laken or perhaps the Blind Empire have been concluded. All that\u2019s left is to wait for Durene and give her the good news. She\u2019s astounded of course, and a bit worried.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t spending that much money\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, Durene. I found this bag by accident and there\u2019s a hundred times what I just spent in here, easily. If it means we can feed this greedy sack of feathers, I\u2019m all for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

I poke at Frostwing again, noting that she still does not, in fact, have feathers. Durene makes a noise which could be in agreement.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you think I did in bargaining with Prost, though? Did I pay him too much?\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene thinks about this for a second.<\/p>\n

\u201cA gold coin? That\u2019s\u2026fair? A big, big basket full of meat and food would probably be a gold coin. Two is expensive, but it is<\/em> winter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it\u2019s enough to provide for another mouth and us comfortably throughout the winter. The villagers are happy, and so are we.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene nods, or at least, I feel her do something as I sit next to her, sharing the blanket.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just\u2014that\u2019s a lot of money, Laken. I\u2019ve never even seen more than three gold coins at once, and that\u2019s how much the [Merchant] that visited had.\u201d<\/p>\n

Three gold coins? That makes me smile, but sadly. I have a bag full of wealth beyond Durene\u2019s imagination. And I? I have no sense of what it means to her. In a very real way, I don\u2019t deserve it. But I will try to treat it seriously. After all, if I wasted the gift I was given, that would be even worse than not getting it at all.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think two gold coins is fine, Durene. We could use the food, and this way we\u2019ll be able to eat more than just pottage every night. Moreover, it pays to be a bit generous, but not too much. Especially if they start asking how much money I have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not that I think they\u2019d risk Durene\u2019s wrath. But the image of the angry mob haunts the back of my mind, and I think, Durene\u2019s. Conversation sort of trails off after that, but I can\u2019t help but feel it was a decent day\u2019s work. Maybe Prost won\u2019t change, but at the very least, I can pay him to feed us. That\u2019s got to be worth something.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[Emperor Level 6!]<\/p>\n

[Skill \u2013 Intimidating Glare obtained!]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou have got<\/em> to be kidding me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm\u2026? Laken?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing. Go back to sleep, Durene. And you too, Frostwing.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Day 38<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He did apologize to Durene, I think. I didn\u2019t hear it myself, and reading between the lines of what Durene said, it was a briefer apology than I would have liked.<\/p>\n

But it was something.<\/p>\n

And we got the food! I think the basket containing the dried ham, eggs, cheeses, and other delicious goods was enough for Durene. I could practically hear her stomach growling as I took it from Prost. And by all accounts, the villagers were happy to give up some food for good coin. So we also earned a bit of goodwill. Score one for generosity.<\/p>\n

Frostwing certainly appreciated the meat. She eats more day by day, and she\u2019s bigger than she was before\u2014substantially. I can feel her getting restless and moving about more, and I wonder how big she\u2019ll get before she\u2019s able to fly.<\/p>\n

Moreover, why was her nest so low to the ground, and in a tree no less? I thought eagles made their roosts high up. There\u2019s something about her\u2014not to mention the fact that even after we\u2019ve washed her, Durene says Frostwing\u2019s fuzz is definitely <\/em>green.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know. I\u2019ll have to wait and see. I\u2019ve managed to train Frostwing a bit\u2014she now knows not to poop in the nest and instead do it in another bowl nearby. Plus, she\u2019s stopped waking me up in my sleep! By this point, I\u2019m a Level 4 [Beast Tamer], the product of much work and pecked fingers. No new Skills, but I consider my new friend a gift enough.<\/p>\n

Durene\u2019s out helping clear snow in the village, and I\u2019m sitting outside, Frostwing huddled in a scarf on my lap. I\u2019m not sure if that\u2019s smart, but my bond with her will tell me when she\u2019s too cold, and I don\u2019t want her to just breathe stale air.<\/p>\n

The air is crisp, but I\u2019m warm and my stomach is full. It\u2019s a nice day. And then I feel it. Something enters the area around the cottage, swooping in from high above. Not something\u2014somethings.<\/em> I pause, warily, and Frostwing screeches in alarm. Then I hear the voice.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLook! Look, sisters! I\u2019ve found him! The one who rules over this small place!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What the\u2014? Did I just hear a voice? I turn my head as I hear laughter and feel something flying around me! A bug? A\u2026bird? No. It has a voice! But there\u2019s no person standing around the cottage. I would feel it. Yet there is something<\/em> in the air.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s there?\u201d<\/p>\n

Laughter. A voice that sounds like falling snow and pure ice rings out, up and to the left, as if the speaker is flying. She calls to me.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCan you not hear us, oh Emperor? We are here, Frost Faeries of the Winter Court to meet you! Are you not honored?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cFrost Faeries?\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s going on? Are there really faeries <\/em>flying around my head? My first instinct is to disbelieve, but my sensible brain overrides that.<\/p>\n

Okay, faeries. Durene tells me there\u2019s magic, so why not faeries? Wait, didn\u2019t she mention that name to me\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re Winter Sprites?\u201d<\/p>\n

More laughter from above me. Frostwing is squirming in my lap, making sounds of distress. I think she\u2019s afraid of these Frost Faeries, and that makes me<\/em> wary. Already I can remember legends of the sidhe<\/em>, and how they can be very, very dangerous. I try to remember what to do.<\/p>\n

Be polite, be courteous. Offer them hospitality? Don\u2019t tell them my name or make promises.<\/p>\n

I decide to roll with it. It\u2019s probably the best thing to do, but I throw in some healthy skepticism just to be on the safe side.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreetings, faeries. If that\u2019s who you really are.\u201d<\/p>\n

Above me, I hear a mix of voices speak at once, a few outraged, some intrigued and playful. My god, it does sound like they\u2019re flying around me!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou question us?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe does! Look! He cannot see us, only hear us!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe sees naught!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAye, but he rules over this place nonetheless. Emperor of the Unseen!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It\u2019s both terrifying and amazing. But when they mention that title I freeze in my seat.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know I called myself that?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was just a joke, said to Durene in the privacy of my cottage weeks ago. The faeries laugh and I feel something colder than freezing in front of my face. Is it right in front of me? I make no move.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe heard your words. How could we not? Ye claimed this land to the world and all living in it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Heard my words? How?<\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2026I suppose I\u2019m flattered that you\u2019re taking such notice of me. But what do faeries have to do with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

A tinkling laugh, like icicles breaking.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have come here to bear witness to you, of course!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBear witness? Why?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cArt thou not an [Emperor]?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The faerie makes it sound as if it\u2019s the most obvious thing in the world. And I start to get it. Faeries, kings\u2014they\u2019re tied together, like how the faeries blessed Briar Rose in the original tale. And they\u2019ve come to visit me?<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m honored, of course. But have you come to simply see and acknowledge me, or do you have some other reason? And shouldn\u2019t you be bowing? I am<\/em> an [Emperor].\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019m playing a dangerous and probably stupid game. But the faerie in front of me laughs again, apparently taken with my boldness.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHah! We bow to no mortal sovereign. You may claim the land, but we are far more than mere dirt and plant. Your authority has no sway over we.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd yet you acknowledge it exists.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOf course! What churls do you think we are?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe came to bear witness!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo see an Emperor of this small place!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd because we had nothing better to do!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Well then, it sounds to me like these faeries came here because they were bored. Which means they\u2019re capricious. Better to get on their good side. But how? I don\u2019t know if offering them food is any good\u2014I\u2019d have to make some, and all of Durene\u2019s cooking utensils are made of iron.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, in the name of the Unseen Empire, I bid you welcome. You are all honored guests, although I regret that my master chef and seneschal is out chopping wood. Please, make yourselves at home.\u201d<\/p>\n

The faeries seem delighted at this.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOho!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe is polite, this one! He knows how to treat us: with respect!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot like those other fools!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I wonder who they\u2019re talking about. I sense the faeries flying lower, and inquire politely.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have any business here besides meeting me? I wouldn\u2019t want to keep you from your duties.\u201d<\/p>\n

A chorus of denials greets me.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNae, we have time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUntil the spring comes, we are free!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFree to do as we please, and not follow one stupid mortal!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAye! So we came here to meet you! \u2018Twas worth it to be greeted with respect.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Another voice chimes in, high and excited.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPlus, we wanted to see ye before it was too late.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShh! Don\u2019t tell him that!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWait, what?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIdiot!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I hear a light smack and I have to guess one of the faeries hit the other. I hold Frostwing in my hands, although she\u2019s barely moving, heart suddenly beating out of my chest. Faeries. Beings that can see and predict fate.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s something bad about to happen? Please, tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShh! Be quiet!<\/em>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Forget what you heard, mortal!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The faeries flutter around me. They start arguing, and I hear a few of them saying they should tell me. But most of them are in favor of not. A few fly up, and I raise my voice desperately.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait, hold on! I entreat you, please, stay and let us talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

A pause, and then I sense them flying close to me.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cVery well. For your words of hospitality, we will listen. Speak, oh Emperor, Protector of Durene\u2019s Cottage.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

No time to laugh, and no time to question. I clear my throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems to me that you\u2026wise and noble faeries are aware of some impending danger to me and my empire that I am not aware of.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed, and I would never<\/em> ask you to reveal a secret. But perhaps I could persuade you to help me avert the tragedy that is yet to come? Or at the very least, reveal the danger to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The faeries murmur at this. I hold my breath\u2014I\u2019m trying to sound formal, but I have no idea how to actually talk to the fae. A bargain with them sounds like a bad idea, but this disaster\u2014<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIntriguing. What do you propose, mortal?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Yatzhee! I keep my face composed as I nod in what I hope is a dignified manner.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I cannot offer you land or a marriage to my house\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014Hah!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShh!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014But what would you say to mortal riches? I have gold and jewels to compliment your radiance. Would you accept that?\u201d<\/p>\n

The faeries confer, whispering loudly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMm\u2026maybe.<\/em>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHah! He seeks to flatter us. He calls us \u2018radiant\u2019, he who cannot see!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh, but we are<\/em> radiant, are we not sisters? Any mortal can tell that, even without sight.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTrue! But gold is so heavy.<\/em> And it is <\/em>a secret.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the end, they fly back down to me, probably shaking their tiny heads. I can only imagine.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNo, oh Emperor. It is not enough. Mortal wealth has little luster for us. Have you nothing else to offer?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nothing. Damn it, nothing. Only a bit of food, and I can\u2019t feed all of them! If only I had an actual empire. But my [Emperor] title is just for show. I can only\u2014<\/p>\n

Wait. Emperor. Empire. What about\u2014<\/p>\n

I clear my throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if I gave you a noble title?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you serious, mortal?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Am I? Yes.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly naturally. I would offer entrance into my noble court to any friend of my kingdom. You, for instance\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

I point in the direction of the voice of the faerie that just spoke.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor your aid, would you accept a title? That of, say, Comtesse?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOoh! I like that!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about us?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI want to be a Comtesse!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNay, I!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe cannot all be Comtesses! What of the rest of us, mortal?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jeez, do I have to bribe all of them? I think quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could make you\u2026noblesse uterine<\/em> if you wanted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not exactly a flattering name. The tiny voices confer, and then dissent.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cNay! Another title!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMarchioness, then? Or\u2014how about Herzogin<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOoh! I like that!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI want to be that!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, me!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

They\u2019re like children, squabbling over titles I just made up. And yet\u2014maybe there\u2019s more to it than that. It might sound funny, but I am an Emperor, and I do have the power to make the nobility.<\/p>\n

\u2026Still, I can\u2019t help but feel glad that no one\u2019s watching me as I come outside and address one of the faeries who kneels in the air in front of me.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well. I dub thee Comtesse of the Soup Spoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

So saying, I hand her a wooden spoon. The other faeries ooh<\/em> and applaud, and the faerie seizes the spoon from my hand and crows in triumph. That position was heavily sought after, but the other titles are equally as important. I turn to the next faerie.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you would be a Reichsgr\u00e4fin<\/em> in my empire\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAye, I would!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThen I grant you that position for as long as my empire exists. To the end of time, an Emperor\u2019s word on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHah! I will hold you to your word, mortal!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That\u2019s what worries me. But I have no time to reflect on my actions. I go down the line of faeries. A Comtesse, several Ladies, a Duchess and a Viscount\u2014I dub a score of them Blumenritter,<\/em> and make one a Baron. I asked her if she wanted to be a Baroness, but she preferred Baron.<\/p>\n

And then it\u2019s over. I breathe out and feel the assembled peerage of my empire flying before me. I bow to them regally, and hear them laugh in delight. The sound warms my heart even in this chill, but I am still afraid.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo now will you tell me what fate waits for my empire?\u201d<\/p>\n

The faeries pause.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe cannot say.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Really? After all this? I only cross my arms and frown. The faeries hurry on.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe cannot! It is a secret and not our place to tell. But since ye have given us an Emperor\u2019s gift, we shall return your kindness. I swear to you, oh mortal ruler, this fate shall not befall your land or your people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? No\u2014it\u2019s good. And I know better than to question it. Instead, I nod my head regally.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy thanks to you. You and your kind are welcome in my land. Know this.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAye, and we shall treasure your gifts to us, mortal!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou shall be safe, we promise!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou aren\u2019t bad\u2014for an Emperor!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The faeries cry out as they laugh and fly away from me. I listen to them go, worried and relieved and happy in turns. Faeries. My god.<\/p>\n

Durene finds me sitting in the snow, about an hour later. I hear her exclaim and then come running over.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaken!<\/em> What\u2019s wrong? Why are you out here? You\u2019re so cold!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

I just laugh at her, which makes her even more confused and upset. I let her carry me inside and fuss over me. I barely know where to begin. How can I even explain what happened? I do my best, but she can hardly believe me herself. But there is one thing I now know, with dreadful certainty.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething bad is about to happen, Durene.\u201d<\/p>\n

It might avoid us, according to the faeries. But I cannot help but wonder and worry. It may be mortal folly, but I am mortal. And I worry. But that is only half of me. The other half wonders and dreams of magic.<\/p>\n

I saw faeries.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[Emperor Level 7!]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Day 41<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Three days later it happened. I was just waking up, in that blissful moment between waking and sleeping. I was about to feed Frostwing some cold meat when I heard a roar <\/em>like thunder. But unlike thunder, the sound did not diminish. Rather, it grew louder.<\/p>\n

\u201cDurene!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Maybe I was expecting it. But the reality of the ground shaking<\/em> around me and Durene\u2019s pottery clattering and breaking on the shelves is far more horrific than anything I could have dreamed. I hear Frostwing screeching, and Durene shouting for me.<\/p>\n

We meet in the center of the cottage as the rumbling oblivion of noise crescendos around us. It feels like the world is ending, and all I can do is hold Durene to me. I feel her squeezing me hard, and close my eyes.<\/p>\n

And then, as quick as the terror has begun, it\u2019s over. I open my eyes slowly, for the first time in ages. Of course I see nothing, but I do it all the same. It feels like I should<\/em> see something, for the world has changed.<\/p>\n

I know it, even if the cottage and the area around it that I can sense is the same. Durene is quivering in my arms. As she holds me and I hold her, I can hear Frostwing shrieking<\/em> in alarm. At last I manage to let go of Durene and stagger up to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrostwing. Are you\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

She\u2019s alright. Just scared out of her wits. I check her with my hands just to be sure. They\u2019re shaking. Then I hear Durene gasp.<\/p>\n

\u201cDurene. What is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe\u2014the\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

She can\u2019t even speak. I rush to her side, and feel her at the open door. But I can\u2019t sense anything.<\/p>\n

\u201cDurene?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe snow\u2026<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Her eyes see it. But it takes me a long time, an eternity, to coax her mouth into making sense for me. And then she speaks and I realize what\u2019s happened.<\/p>\n

The snow. The snow came down off of a distant mountain. The snow, triggered by snowfall of a sound or the faeries, turned into an avalanche that poured down, smashing everything in its way. It travelled miles, a vast distance, before expending the last of its energy here.<\/p>\n

Even the last of its force is enough to destroy everything in its path. Trees were uprooted, a good swathe of the forest buried. But by some miracle\u2014some magical help\u2014the force of the avalanche split around the hut. Ours is the only unburied point as far as Durene can see.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene hugs me again, shaking. I hug her back, even though I know that\u2019s not entirely true. Not a miracle. A gift. Payment in kind.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know if I should thank the faeries or blame them. I settle for thanking them, and feel relief coursing through my veins. It\u2019s over. We\u2019re safe. If the faeries hadn\u2019t diverted the avalanche, the cottage would have been buried or smashed to bits. I\u2019m just glad we weren\u2019t outside of the cottage or\u2014<\/p>\n

My heart stops in my chest. I realize with horror what must have happened. My sightless gaze turns to the road connecting Durene\u2019s cottage with the rest of the world, now covered in snow.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no. The village.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene gasps in horror. She lets go of me.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would\u2019ve been right in the way of the avalanche! Laken, what should we do? We have to\u2014do you think it missed them?\u201d<\/p>\n

No, no I don\u2019t. I can just imagine what happened. The avalanche hit the village. I might\u2019ve\u2014the buildings are sturdy and this was the tail end of it. But what good is that against thousands of tons of snow?<\/p>\n

Durene is panicking, and I\u2019m rooted to one spot. We have to help. But how? It\u2019s just me and Durene. Should I grab a shovel? No\u2014food? What\u2019s the best option? Where will the villagers go? Is it still dangerous there?<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know what the right choice is here. I don\u2019t know how to save the lives that might be at risk\u2014or already gone.<\/p>\n

Think, Laken. What can I do?<\/em> What can we do?<\/p>\n

What would an [Emperor] do?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Day 31 \u00a0 I wake up when I hear the crying. It isn\u2019t Durene. She sleeps beside me, or rather, slightly apart from me on the floor of her cottage. Even though we\u2019re close, we sleep a bit apart. Durene sometimes rolls over in her sleep, and I have no desire to be squished like […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52856846,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"patreon-level":0,"patreon_level":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11693083,349],"tags":[7224,250708,4330244,4472517,11693079],"twi_volume":[11693132],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-2786","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-3","category-writing","tag-fantasy","tag-inn","tag-web-novel","tag-web-serial","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n3.11 E - The Wandering Inn<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"3.11 E\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Day 31 \u00a0 I wake up when I hear the crying. It isn\u2019t Durene. She sleeps beside me, or rather, slightly apart from me on the floor of her cottage. Even though we\u2019re close, we sleep a bit apart. Durene sometimes rolls over in her sleep, and I have no desire to be squished like […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Wandering Inn\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thewanderinginn\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-09-09T13:07:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-24T00:56:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/LogoOnly_NoShadow.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"881\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"pirateaba\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@WanderingInn\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@WanderingInn\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"pirateaba\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"58 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"pirateaba\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/bc89b3c76fb60f3fe9e390c2aeee3aa4\"},\"headline\":\"3.11 E\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-09-09T13:07:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-24T00:56:49+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/\"},\"wordCount\":11698,\"commentCount\":83,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"fantasy\",\"inn\",\"web novel\",\"web serial\",\"Writing\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Volume 3\",\"Writing\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/\",\"name\":\"3.11 E - The Wandering Inn\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2017-09-09T13:07:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-24T00:56:49+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"3.11 E\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/\",\"name\":\"The Wandering Inn\",\"description\":\"The Wandering Inn is an ongoing Fantasy-LitRPG web serial by pirateaba with millions of readers worldwide.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"TWI\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"The Wandering Inn\",\"alternateName\":\"Wandering Inn\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/LogoOnly_NoShadow.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/LogoOnly_NoShadow.png\",\"width\":1600,\"height\":881,\"caption\":\"The Wandering Inn\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thewanderinginn\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/WanderingInn\",\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@thewanderinginnverse\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@TheWanderingInn\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thewanderinginnverse\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/the-wandering-inn\"],\"description\":\"The Wandering Inn is a popular, ongoing Fantasy-LitRPG web serial authored by pirateaba, captivating millions of readers worldwide. Known for its unique blend of epic fantasy, immersive worldbuilding, and character-driven storytelling, The Wandering Inn follows the journey of a young woman navigating a world shaped by magic and levels. With a dedicated fanbase and consistent updates, The Wandering Inn offers readers an engaging experience through its website, Kindle, and audiobook formats, and provides exclusive content through Patreon for fans eager to delve deeper into its world\",\"email\":\"media@wanderinginn.com\",\"legalName\":\"pirateaba llc\",\"taxID\":\"88-1575608\",\"duns\":\"078154126\",\"numberOfEmployees\":{\"@type\":\"QuantitativeValue\",\"minValue\":\"1\",\"maxValue\":\"10\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/bc89b3c76fb60f3fe9e390c2aeee3aa4\",\"name\":\"pirateaba\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/afdb1894e6e158ee450190b7741aae04fd90b89346326012cb6d645642337d89?s=96&d=identicon&r=pg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/afdb1894e6e158ee450190b7741aae04fd90b89346326012cb6d645642337d89?s=96&d=identicon&r=pg\",\"caption\":\"pirateaba\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/author\/pirateaba\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"3.11 E - The Wandering Inn","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"3.11 E","og_description":"Day 31 \u00a0 I wake up when I hear the crying. It isn\u2019t Durene. She sleeps beside me, or rather, slightly apart from me on the floor of her cottage. Even though we\u2019re close, we sleep a bit apart. Durene sometimes rolls over in her sleep, and I have no desire to be squished like […]","og_url":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/","og_site_name":"The Wandering Inn","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thewanderinginn","article_published_time":"2017-09-09T13:07:38+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-12-24T00:56:49+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":881,"url":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/LogoOnly_NoShadow.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"pirateaba","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@WanderingInn","twitter_site":"@WanderingInn","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"pirateaba","Est. reading time":"58 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/"},"author":{"name":"pirateaba","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/bc89b3c76fb60f3fe9e390c2aeee3aa4"},"headline":"3.11 E","datePublished":"2017-09-09T13:07:38+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-24T00:56:49+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/"},"wordCount":11698,"commentCount":83,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#organization"},"keywords":["fantasy","inn","web novel","web serial","Writing"],"articleSection":["Volume 3","Writing"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/","url":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/","name":"3.11 E - The Wandering Inn","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2017-09-09T13:07:38+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-24T00:56:49+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2017\/09\/09\/3-11-e\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"3.11 E"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/","name":"The Wandering Inn","description":"The Wandering Inn is an ongoing Fantasy-LitRPG web serial by pirateaba with millions of readers worldwide.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#organization"},"alternateName":"TWI","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#organization","name":"The Wandering Inn","alternateName":"Wandering Inn","url":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/LogoOnly_NoShadow.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/LogoOnly_NoShadow.png","width":1600,"height":881,"caption":"The Wandering Inn"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thewanderinginn","https:\/\/x.com\/WanderingInn","https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@thewanderinginnverse","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@TheWanderingInn","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thewanderinginnverse\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/the-wandering-inn"],"description":"The Wandering Inn is a popular, ongoing Fantasy-LitRPG web serial authored by pirateaba, captivating millions of readers worldwide. Known for its unique blend of epic fantasy, immersive worldbuilding, and character-driven storytelling, The Wandering Inn follows the journey of a young woman navigating a world shaped by magic and levels. With a dedicated fanbase and consistent updates, The Wandering Inn offers readers an engaging experience through its website, Kindle, and audiobook formats, and provides exclusive content through Patreon for fans eager to delve deeper into its world","email":"media@wanderinginn.com","legalName":"pirateaba llc","taxID":"88-1575608","duns":"078154126","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"1","maxValue":"10"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/bc89b3c76fb60f3fe9e390c2aeee3aa4","name":"pirateaba","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/afdb1894e6e158ee450190b7741aae04fd90b89346326012cb6d645642337d89?s=96&d=identicon&r=pg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/afdb1894e6e158ee450190b7741aae04fd90b89346326012cb6d645642337d89?s=96&d=identicon&r=pg","caption":"pirateaba"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/"],"url":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/author\/pirateaba\/"}]}},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pfPPse-IW","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2786","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/52856846"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2786"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2786\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2786"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2786"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2786"},{"taxonomy":"twi_volume","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/twi_volume?post=2786"},{"taxonomy":"twi_collection","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/twi_collection?post=2786"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}