Journal Entry 1

First, let me get this straight, I am not doing this because I think I need to. I’m doing this because Aorn’s friend Nostya thinks it would be a good idea. She said that if I write things from my life down it might help me to further sort out what is real and what is not-quite-real, not that I need help doing that, I’ve been doing it since I was about fifteen. And I’m certainly not going to pretend I’m writing this personally, to a book, this is merely a clinical summary of the day’s events.

Anyway, I woke up this morning and saw a dragon outside my window, clearly that’s an example of a not-quite-real event. So I did what I always do- I blinked three times and the dragon transformed into a lizard, just like I knew it would. Then I got out of bed and called Karyl.

Karyl is my handmaiden. Although she’s Humuvene, I do quite enjoy her conversation. This morning we talked about the choosing ceremony.

“I wouldn’t worry about it if I were you,” she said.

‘Oh, and why is that?”

“Because you’re clearly a better choice than your brother.”

“Wilym is very smart, smarter than me even.”

“That may be, but your brother couldn’t lead a flock of lost sheep, surely your father can see that.”

We laughed as Karyl finished my hair. Afterwards I went to breakfast where I met up with my mother and father.

“I’ve received a message from Wilym this morning,” my father said, “He says the Physics Emporium was very enjoyable and that even he learned a few things.”

“Well that’s wonderful news,” said my mother, “did he mention when he might return?”

“Yes, he said he should return this afternoon, or by dinner at the latest.”

“That will be fun,” I said, “to have all of us back together for a family meal.”

My father grunted and we ate the rest of our breakfast in silence. Or, I did as soon as I got rid of the fairies dancing on the edge of the table.

I spent the rest of the morning painting, it’s the only time I let the images come to me however they want. Many people say my work is divinely inspired, and they wouldn’t be surprised if they ever saw any of it hanging in the mighty halls of Earth itself.

I don’t know if I believe that, I just paint what I see. Today I painted a horse with an ox’s horns and eyes of flame--. The painting was good, but it wasn’t my best work.

I’ve been working a lot on painting lately, it’s the talent that I plan to showcase at the ceremony.

{I’ve been playing with different ways to show my talent in under an hour so I don’t go overtime. I think I’ll probably showcase some of my best works and paint something new onto a pre painted background.}

I don’t know what Wilyn will do- he’ll probably showcase some incomprehensible equation or something. He’s always playing with his numbers, I think he enjoys their company more than he does his family’s.

After a lunch of bread and cheese, I did some studying for the examination part of the choosing with Geohor, who knows perhaps everything there is to know about Jolorean history. Geohor is a Umnavene by choice, which is a source of constant frustration to me. He has explained to me before that he flunked the test on purpose so he could stay with his mother and brother. They’re both dead now, and I’ve told him that if he wanted to take the test again, I would be happy to vouch for him, but he refuses.

Of course I offered again today as I was leaving for diner, and he refused.

“No, Jaelyn,” he said, “and I think you’ll understand soon.”

He looked at me with a deep kind of sadness in his eyes as I walked away.

Next Chapter: Roger