Diary ~
Bale is the sort of town that makes a woman like me stop and gasp. It is a beautiful peaceful town, with music piping out of the inns and smoke coming out of the chimneys. No one could tell that this was the capital of a war-ridden city. Indels Castle was in the distance, beautifully built, like the rest of these houses.
Lavitz led us into the castle. The knights there saluted him and let us pass by without a single questioning glance. Lavitz must be well-loved and well-respected in Bale. When I said this to him, he ducked his head modestly and said that yes, he is a great knight here, and he followed in the footsteps of his deceased father, another great knight.
King Albert knows him as a friend, for he came down off his throne and embraced him, congratulating him on his escape from Hellena, and declaring unabashedly that he was glad he was safe.
The king is much younger than I had expected him to be. The rumors had all said that he was young, but I never knew that he could not be more than twenty-five. He has a clear look in his eyes, no deviousness at all. I respect that. This is a king that I will serve loyally because I can sense his soul and it is clean.
The king introduced an old man with a gray beard as Minster Noish, one of his chief advisors. The old man offered to explain any questions about anything we might have; he reads many books.
To my surprise, Dart asked about the Black Monster.
Also to my surprise, the minister knows the full story. He quoted the prophecy: "Every one hundred eight years, the Moon Child will descend upon the earth to give the land a holy blessing." And he continued, "But every one hundred eight years, the Black Monster appears as well, to kill the Moon Child and keep the earth from being blessed with eternal happiness and bliss. The Black Monster cannot stand something being so pure, so he destroys the Moon Child".
I rubbed the back of my neck wearily. Dart, after being my son for years, knew that this is a sign that I am tired and uncomfortable. He stopped the questioning immediately. Such an obedient son, not like Mariya's son, who defies her whenever he can.
"You are welcome to stand on that balcony and observe the city." Lavitz offered later on. "I have some things that I wish to discuss with the king. Please excuse me."
Shana and Dart automatically moved toward the balcony, but I was frozen in place, staring at one of the king's advisors. Not Noish, another one, with his face hidden under a black hood, and his body hidden behind a shapeless black cloak. There was something about that person; his aura was different, almost wrong, but not quite. He stared back at me fathomlessly; I shiver.
"Mom?" Dart took my hand. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." I let myself be led to the balcony, but the man in black stayed in my memory for a while. "There's something strange about that man, Dart."
"Mom, you're tired. Maybe you need a rest."
I had gotten ready to protest, saying not to dismiss me like that, but then I realized he might be right, so I ignored the man in black and stared at the city.
Such a nice city Bale is! Perhaps Dart and I, and Shana, can move here to live! It is so peaceful and gives me a sense of warmth.
Why am I describing this is such detail, diary? You need only know the basics after all. Lavitz appeared later, informed us of the situation of the war. Dart, again to my surprise, volunteered to help. He said that he would join Lavitz in his journey to help fortify Hoax, a small town to the southwest. He was putting aside his quest to find the Black Monster. Shana offered to help too, and of course, so did I. I wasn't about to let my son and Shana embark on a dangerous journey without being there as well!
Lavitz invited us to his home first, to rest up and get supplies. His mother is a plump friendly woman whom I make friends with instantly. She asked if Shana is Lavitz's girlfriend, and all of us were embarrassed by that question. The three females cooked dinner while Lavitz showed Dart around the house and around town.
Lavitz has a good relationship with his mother, much like Dart's relationship with me. Mrs. Slambert offered her son extra jerky, his favorite, for the journey and he declined it, but when Shana and Dart are gone, he said, "Actually, Mom, I really do want to take the jerky with me." His mother and I had a good laugh over that one; a mother knows her son well. It is good to know another mother, and to get along nicely with her. The women at Seles were…not quite good friends.
I overheard Lavitz speaking with Dart about Shana. The knight said that Dart protects Shana with a passion because he is the only one who can do so. Shana needs protecting, Lavitz said, and Dart has to be there for her. This embarrassed my son, and again he stated that Shana is like a little sister.
We leave in a few moments. I am becoming like a little child-girl again, one who does not part with her diary.