Braska's translation notes: The hand writing changed abruptly, and the journal continues. I believe this is written by a priest of the Bevelle Temple.
I found this journal hidden away in the wall of a room built to contain a fayth. Master Priest Cultoth says it may have been built a hundred years ago by blasphemers from Zanarkand. It took me many days to figure out the encryption, since my skills in this language are slight, but I am likely the only one here capable of translating this at all. What I read has shaken me badly, and sometimes I wish I had never found this book. I have kept my knowledge secret because I know my superiors would destroy it immediately if they knew it even existed.
I don't know if I believe all that is written, but too much of what it says fits things I've heard and read in the temple archives over the many years I served there. The journal speaks of terrible things done by order of the temple of Bevelle, of how Bevelle controlled the news and has rewritten the histories to change what people believe to be the truth. I know the last as least is true, since I have participated in some of the cover-ups and have spread teachings I knew to be wrong, at my master's orders.
We just got word that the strange fiend that people are beginning to call 'Sin', attacked Bevelle a few weeks ago. Thousands of people were killed and half the city was leveled. The strange fiend has returned time and time again after we've destroyed it; after reading this account, I believe it to be the final summoning of Yu Yevon.
If the priest of Zanarkand spoke truly, the only way to defeat what we now call 'Sin' is to break the bond between the aeon and its rider by performing another summoning. How though, when none of our weapons have sufficed and we have no more Summoners; the church has banned them in order to keep tighter control on what the people believe. The Maesters think that Summoners remind the people of Zanarkand, and they don't want that part of our history looked at too closely.
The records of the war years have been changed so extensively over the last few years that the children of today know nothing of what truly occurred. A strange thing is starting to happen all over Spira; the young people have begun singing a song, one I believe to have originated during the war, as a hymn. None of them know what the words mean, but they insist it pleases the fayth…some swear they hear singing when the chamber of the fayth is empty…
Note: The hand writing has changed slightly, and a different type of ink was used, so perhaps this is written at a time later than the first section?
The ship was two weeks late and only brought half the supplies we'd requested. I don't know how we will survive the storm season now. The ship refused to take anyone off the island, saying they didn't have any orders to evacuate us. Luca was attacked by Sin, with heavy casualties, and the villages of Konika, Sontiki, and Beliko were totally destroyed. The sailor who told me this says it's not safe to rebuild the villages, and the survivors are moving to Luca where they can be protected better. Fiends are overrunning the mainland, killing at will; they say there is nowhere safe to take us. I am old now and I'm not strong enough, or brave enough, to defy the orders of my temple leaders, but I can write my true feelings here in a record I will return to hiding, just in case we don't survive the storms. May Yevon have mercy on us all, because it appears Yu Yevon will not.
The sun was low in the sky, glowing red and blazing orange as if on fire, as Braska headed home. Tomorrow was likely to be just as hot and dry as today had been and unfortunately they could have used some rain to cool everything off a little. Braska sighed as sweat ran down his back, making the simple shirt he was wearing stick to him. He'd changed out of his priestly robes in the dormitory, putting on an old shirt and trousers he'd worn for his workouts with Auron, leaving his robes on the bed when he left, unwilling to wear them when he no longer had the right. His mood was solemn, and the realization that he was no longer a part of the church was still settling in his mind. He had known he would have to leave the priesthood if he was to resurrect the shipping business, but it saddened him to know they hadn't wanted him to stay. It had been a miserable day, and he hoped for a quiet evening and some time with Leyona.
There was no answer to the door chimes at the front of the manor, so Braska turned down the narrow alleyway between his house and the one belonging to the family next door. It was used for deliveries and led to a gate in the stone wall surrounding the back courtyard. He juggled the box holding his belongings from the dormitory and pushed the gate open with his elbow, then climbed the steps leading to the kitchen entrance. As he had hoped, the door was unlocked.
The smell of roasting meat met him as he entered the kitchen, and several large pots simmered on the stove. He set the box on one of the chairs beside the long wooden table taking up one side of the room. So much had happened since morning, and he leaned against the table for a moment with a sigh, not wanting to face Leyona in his current mood.
Sudden shrieks, followed by a loud crash and then silence, brought him out of the kitchen at a run, heading towards the front of the house. He heard more shrieks, and…laughter…as he reached the door to the sitting room his mother had used for painting. A large mass was rising from the midst of a pile of dark fabric, to the giggles and shrieks of several women standing near the doorway. Two of the three had kerchiefs over their dark hair, loose blouses, and trousers stained with dirt, the other woman was slightly older and significantly cleaner, dressed in a light blue dress with a large apron over it.
Growls and high pitched roars came from under the pile of draperies, along with giggles, as bits of fabric rose to form claws and reached for the watching women, sending clouds of dust into the air.
"Oh no! It's a giggle fiend!" Braska heard a male voice quaver in mock fear as he entered, and he looked up to find Roggis perched on the top rung of a ladder, one hand braced on the now empty drapery rod, a large grin on his normally solemn face. His hair was standing on end from where he'd run his fingers through it, and he had a large smear of dust across his cheek, but he seemed to be enjoying himself. "Quick, run!" Roggis commanded, "Before it eats us all!" He waved his arm dramatically, and then grabbed the curtain rod as the ladder wobbled.
More shrieks and roars from under the fabric, and giggles from the watching women – and Braska couldn't help himself – he started laughing too.
Roggis looked towards the doorway with his mouth hanging open in surprise. Braska leaned against the door frame and laughed again as Roggis looked sheepishly back at his young Lord, and worked his way carefully down the ladder.
"Braska!" an excited voice squealed from under the pile of drapery, and he walked into the room past the giggling women, reaching to fold back the fabric and extricate the blond haired woman from beneath the pile. She emerged, dusty from head to toe, wearing a kerchief over her simple ponytail, one of his shirts with the tails tied in front, and a pair of his old trousers with a knee torn out. Two more young women crawled out after Leyona, all three laughing as they wiped at the streaks of dust on their dirty faces.
He was laughing nearly too hard to speak, so he just pulled Leyona close for a hug. "I see you've been busy today, sweetheart," he finally managed to gasp.
"I'm glad you're here! We're going to take the drapes to the laundry and then we can clean up for supper!" Leyona giggled as she brushed her dusty hand prints off Braska's shirt, and kissed him lightly.
"Leyona, could you help us fold this up so we can carry it easier?" one of the women called, and Leyona stooped to lift one edge of the heavy fabric, the other's moving to help. They quickly had it folded into a manageable length, then hoisted it onto their shoulders and trouped past him towards the laundry, laughing at how dusty they were, and teasing Leyona about her handsome beau as they went.
Leyona called a request over her shoulder as they left the room. "Could you help Roggis move the ladder to the music room? We're going to take the rest of the draperies down tomorrow, then wash windows."
Braska looked at Roggis and raised one eyebrow questioningly. Roggis smiled and shrugged – he'd been ordered around like this all day, and had decided it was easier to just comply. He seemed happy that the house was full of life, and laughter, once more.
"You heard the boss, let's go?" Braska grinned, then moved to help fold the ladder, and lowered it to the floor. He hesitated once it was down and turned to Roggis. "Roggis, could you do me a favor?" Braska asked quietly as he lifted one end of the ladder.
"Yes, of course Lord Braska," the elderly man answered, lifting the other end.
"Could you not call me Lord Braska when it's just us?" Braska gestured towards the laughter coming from the direction of the kitchen and laundry. "I think Leyona is enjoying having girlfriends, and it might make them uncomfortable around us." They moved into the music room and leaned the ladder against the wall. "I'd like to get to know them, before I have to be Lord Braska."
Roggis looked at him for a long moment then answered. "I don't think they will be fooled for long…"
"No, probably not," Braska looked at his dirty hands and brushed them on his pants. "I don't intend to keep it a secret, but at least for a little while let me just be Braska?" He set one hand on Roggis's shoulder and waited for his answer. "I like the laughter, and I don't want to discourage it."
Roggis looked at his young master for a minute then nodded with a small smile. "I won't give you away." He reached to pat Braska's shoulder, then they walked down the hallway to the kitchen.
"Hey there, you look hungry! Supper will be in just a few minutes – would you like a mug of cider while we wait?" The middle aged cook said, turning from where she stirred a large pot at the stove. She smiled brightly at Braska and Roggis as they walked into the kitchen, and reached up into a cupboard for mugs.
Braska smiled back and accepted one, moving to the cooler to pull out a frosty pitcher. "Who might you be?" he asked, pouring their mugs full and taking a long drink. "I'm Braska."
She turned to smile at him again, "I'm Tunis." She frowned and then asked, "Braska, like the Lord?"
Braska shrugged, "Same as the Lord's, yes." Braska hoped the woman wouldn't press the issue, and smiled slightly as she shrugged, accepting his answer. She obviously thought it coincidence only, since he was hardly dressed like the Lord of the manor. She seemed to have accepted him as the maintenance man Leyona had requested. Roggis turned away so she couldn't see his smile, his shoulders shaking in an effort not to laugh.
"Would you mind washing up and setting the table? Everyone else has gone to clean up, and dinner will be ready in just a few minutes." The cook gestured towards the table, and Braska nodded agreeably, setting down his mug and heading to the powder room to wash up, Roggis following. When they returned Braska reached into the cupboard for plates, while Roggis moved to get the serving platters from the butler's pantry.
"How many should I set for?" Braska asked, starting to lay out plates and silverware on the table. "Who else has been hired anyway?"
"Let's see…you already seem to know Roggis and Leyona, so that's the butler and housekeeper," she smiled when he nodded in agreement, "I'm the cook and my assistant's Missy, she's the little one. The upstairs and downstairs maids are Toyma and Erika, and the laundry girl is Tami…that makes eight counting you." She turned to hand Braska a tub of butter and several hot plates to set on the table. "Can you get the napkins? They're in the linen closet in the butler's pantry."
Braska nodded, amused at the idea of Leyona being the housekeeper, and picked up his cider for another swallow as he moved into the small room adjacent to the kitchen. It took him a little while to find the napkins, and he heard giggles as the other women approached.
"How was your day Braska?" Leyona asked quietly as she entered the kitchen after the other women. She smiled as she put her arms around him for a hug then took his mug for a sip of cider. She had scrubbed the dust off, and changed into a simple loose dress. "I hope everything went alright today…" Her smile faded as he sighed and shook his head.
"I resigned my position, and cleared everything out," he admitted. "They didn't take it very well, and aren't going to accept the agreement. Only good thing is Auron is back at his old job, and my problems aren't going to affect him."
Leyona frowned at him in concern, so he lightened the mood. "Good thing I have this job," he kidded. "Is the Lady of the house hard to work for?" He winked at her, then smiled and raised an eyebrow as Leyona giggled.
"Oh yes, she's a real tyrant! She'll keep you hopping!" He pulled her close again for a kiss, and then let her loose when the other ladies started teasing them.
"Leyona! Not fair for you to keep such a cutie to yourself – introduce us!" one young women called laughingly from the table as she filled mugs with cider.
"Does he have a friend?" the youngest girl, barely out of her teens, cooed as she set baskets of bread rolls on the table.
"I want one too!" another joked as she carried a big bowl of fresh salad greens to the table. The rest of the women laughed as Leyona and Braska blushed in embarrassment.
"I think I got the best one," Leyona admitted, pulling Braska over to a seat at one end of the table. "This is Braska, my husband." She settled on a chair beside him as Roggis took a seat at the other end of the table. Laughter answered that comment as everyone else took a place at the table.
The cook set a large roast down in front of Roggis, ready for him to carve, since he was considered the ranking person in the household hierarchy. Roggis looked at the roast and cleared his throat uneasily, not sure how Braska would take his demotion. "Lor…um…Braska…would you like to say a blessing?" Roggis suggested once the laughter had quieted. Braska nodded and then led the group in saying simple thanks for the food.
Supper was eaten amidst friendly conversation and laughter, as the women took turns recounting the day's events and mishaps, and told each other about their lives and families. Leyona simply saying that she was not on good terms with her family and Braska admitting to being the last of his.
When talk turned to their quarters, Leyona interrupted the chatter. "What do you think needs fixing in your rooms? I know it's been a long time since anyone stayed there, so things have gotten a little shabby. Let me know in the morning and Braska or I'll see about getting repairs done."
"If you notice anything in the rest of the house that needs repaired, let me know? Any window's leaking or doors that don't work correctly?" Braska added as Leyona finished.
Toyma piped up, "I saw where water has leaked under the outside doors in the yellow sitting room. It looks like the threshold doesn't seal correctly." Braska nodded and started to get up, intending to get a note book he'd noticed in the butler's pantry. Roggis appeared at his side and handed him the book and a pen, then settled in a chair on the side of the table opposite Leyona, as the cook had already cleared that place and began putting away the leftovers.
"Thank you, Roggis," Braska smiled at the older man, then began making a note of the damaged window. "Anyone spot any other problems?" Another girl, Braska thought it was Erika, mentioned a closet door upstairs that wouldn't open and said the drainwas leaking under the sink in the main bathroom upstairs. "I'll see to that tonight," he promised. "Let me know if you find anything else?" Everyone nodded, and promised to keep their eyes open for problems.
"So, how about we finish our work in the third floor living quarter's tomorrow morning? I know we'll all be a lot more comfortable once we have clean rooms to sleep in," Leyona said as everyone else arose from the table and began helping with the dinner dishes. "After we get them squared away we can finish getting the rest of the draperies down for cleaning and start on the second floor rooms."
"Um, Miss Leyona?" Missy, the petite teenager Leyona had hired as the cooks helper, asked hesitantly. "When are we going to meet the Lord and Lady?" Roggis choked on his swallow of cider and Braska reached to thump his back as the butler sputtered. "Will they like us, do you think?" The rest of the staff turned to look at Leyona, waiting for the answer curiously. They had all wondered when they'd meet their employers.
Leyona smiled at Braska, and then laughed when he raised his eyebrows and shrugged innocently. "I think you'll meet them eventually, they're a little busy right now getting settled in." She grinned, and poked her husband in the ribs, making him yelp. "I think you'll get along fine with them."
"Good morning, Miss Leyona!" Tunis looked up from the large frying pan she was working over and waved a spatula at the blond, and then pointed at the caff pot on the cupboard. "Help yourself – you're the first down this morning. Everyone else will be down in a minute. I think they were all up late last night working on their rooms, so they're running a little behind this morning.
"Braska will be here in a minute, he ran out to deliver some messages to the port office." Leyona said as she poured a cup of caff and leaned against the counter near the stove. "That smells good, what is it?"
"It's Mrs. Tunis's fry cakes! She makes them with cinnamon," Missy piped up from further down the counter where she was slicing melon. "There's sausage done already if you'd like a piece?"
"Thank you, but I think I'll wait for Braska to get back." Leyona picked up her caff and moved to look out the kitchen door at the overgrown bushes in the back courtyard. "Did the maintenance man ever come by yesterday? Roggis said he left word at the employment office, but we were so busy yesterday I never even thought about it."
"No dear, the only man that came by was your husband…" Tunis frowned slightly as she thought about it. "I thought your husband was the maintenance man?" They both turned as they heard the front door chimes, and Roggis's footsteps heading to answer it. "Wonder who that is at the door this early?"
Roggis came back down the hall and entered the kitchen, followed by Braska, who was wearing a plain but well tailored tunic and slacks, of a much higher quality than yesterday's work clothes. Leyona picked out another cup and poured caff for her husband, handing it to him as he took a seat beside Roggis at the table. Braska sipped his caff and watched the cook flip the fry cakes with a smooth motion.
"Were you able to find the Harbor Master?" Leyona asked quietly, sitting down beside Braska as Tunis handed them plates of fry cakes. Braska traded the butter to Roggis as the butler passed the syrup to him, then both dug their forks in and closed their eyes in appreciation as they tasted Tunis's breakfast specialty.
"No, but his assistant said he would notify me when the Utica makes port." Tunis looked up as Braska spoke, and kept glancing at him with a puzzled expression. "Captain Harric said he's leaving with the morning tide, and he'll deliver the rest of the letters to the manager in Luca. Everyone should have them by the end of the month."
Leyona nodded, and smiled her thanks to Missy as the girl set a bowl of melon cubes on the table and offered them a plate of sausage links. "Would you like some sausage? Mrs. Tunis has them special made at the butchers in Market Square."
Roggis took another bite of his breakfast and stabbed a sausage off the plate, lifting it to sniff hesitantly. "Fennel…has to be from Myric's shop," he commented, biting into the thick link with evident satisfaction. "He's the only one who adds fennel to his sausage."
Braska speared a couple sausages, and cut them neatly into sections. "The Merchant Council is meeting in two days, they should be sending the notice today…could you let me know as soon as it comes?" Roggis nodded without speaking, his mouth full of sausage.
"Missy? If you're done with your breakfast, could you please go into the larder and get me an inventory? I need to know what supplies I should order today." Tunis handed her young assistant a notepad and pushed her gently towards the larder then walked over to the table. "Ok, does someone want to tell me what is going on?"
Braska and Leyona exchanged puzzled glances, while Roggis calmly sipped his caff. All three shrugged, and Leyona finally answered. "Breakfast?"
Tunis snorted, and glared at them, crossing her arms. "I know when I'm being taken for a fool…which one of you wants to explain? I know something isn't right here."
Braska looked at Roggis, but he just shook his head and shrugged again, reaching for another sausage, determined to stay out of the whole thing.
"Well? I'm waiting…" Tunis prompted again, "I'm not staying in a place where people aren't straight and upright with me."
"You might as well tell her, Lord Braska…" Roggis said finally, sipping his caff calmly. "Good cooks are hard to find, and I'd hate to loose her." He reached for another fry cakes and poured more syrup over them, flooding the plate.
Tunis's eyes widened as she looked from Braska to Leyona and back, her mind working rapidly toad final conclusion. "Lord Braska…and that would make you Lady Leyona?" She said finally, pointing at Leyona accusingly.
Leyona grinned and took a sip of caff before she answered. "I prefer Leyona, actually. The Lady bit is still new, and I keep looking around for someone else whenever I'm called that." She gestured to the chair next to her, "Please sit?"
Tunis sat slowly, puzzled by the strange actions of her employers. She'd worked for other noble families, and knew how Lords and Ladies were supposed to act, and this wasn't proper.
"First, Tunis…I have to apologize to you. We didn't intend to make a fool of you, or anyone else," Leyona explained. "I guess we aren't like the normal nobility here in Bevelle - I'm about as common as you'll find, and Braska hasn't played their games for years."
Braska snorted, amused by her comment. "I worked on the docks when I was younger, and then joined the Crusaders…I lost any pretensions of superiority I might have had years ago."
Leyona smiled at her husband and continued. "I've never had servants and I was raised in a culture where everyone pulls their own weight. Everyone works for the common goals and the good of the group. I've never been afraid to get dirty, and I don't intend to stand by now and have other's do for me."
"But…" Tunis started, but Leyona held up her hand to stop her.
"I would appreciate if you could just treat me like you did yesterday. I've enjoyed my role as housekeeper, and I'd like to continue as I started with you all – no M'Lady's, no Madam's, just Leyona?"
"But…it wouldn't be right! What would everyone think?" Tunis protested weakly. She remembered the naughty thoughts that had drifted through her mind last night as she watched Braska working under the upstairs sink, and put her hands to her suddenly hot cheeks.
"Well…I guess, if we ever have noble guests, you can call me Lady, but otherwise…just Leyona, please?" Leyona smiled at the cook, and gradually Tunis smiled back and started to chuckle softly.
"And I would like to be just Braska," her husband requested. "Please don't mention who we are to the others? At least until they figure it out themselves?"
Tunis shook her head and started to laugh. "You have got to be the strangest people I've ever worked for…but Ok, I'll keep my mouth shut." She stood and moved back to the stove, starting another batch of fry cakes as the clattering sounds of feet drifted down the back stairway. "Can't say things aren't interesting around here at least," she added, winking at Roggis, and slipping him another fry cake, to his delight.
Another long day, fighting dust, cobwebs, and years of neglect; but by the end of the day, progress had been made, and everyone sat down to supper with a sense of accomplishment. Leyona sat with Braska, Roggis, and Tunis at the table after their evening meal, sipping tea. Everyone else had gone upstairs to work on their rooms.
"Roggis, do you know if there's any useable furniture stored upstairs? The girls could use a small table and a couple comfortable chairs in their rooms, and more lamps -probably another lamp each?" Leyona asked as she read off a list in front of her.
"We can go take a look tomorrow," Braska answered, looking up from his own list. "I think there should be – I remember when my mother redecorated all the downstairs rooms and sent a lot of things up to the attic. I don't know how they were stored though, the chairs might need recovered." Roggis nodded agreement, writing a reminder on his own list.
Leyona sipped her tea thoughtfully, and made another note on the list in front of her. "Could you check and see if there any fabric's or linens up there while you're at it? I would like to change some of the draperies for lighter curtains, instead of putting the old ones back up. Some are pretty moth eaten and faded, and I don't think they will be worth repairing, especially the ones from the red sitting room. I think we can get the water stain out of the ones from the yellow room though."
"The girls would like to paint their rooms, if that's alright with you?" Tunis commented, reaching to refill everyone's cups then sitting down to enjoy her own. "They could work on it in the evenings after their work's done."
"We can all work on it as soon as we've got the master bedroom finished. I'll need some extra help getting the bed moved though Roggis," Braska commented as he read the notes he'd taken earlier in the day. "Its awfully heavy, and I'm not sure we'll be able to take it apart – I'm not sure it even comes apart, for that matter, for all I know, they built the house around it." He looked up as everyone burst out laughing. "I was serious, you know…" He finally grinned when Leyona laughed so hard she started gasping for air.
"It's nice to see you smile, Braska. Auron said you had a sense of humor, but I thought he was kidding!" Leyona said, attempting to keep a straight face. Braska looked up at her in surprise, and they both started laughing again, until he leaned over and kissed her…Braska and Leyona were still oblivious…several minutes later.
"Ahhhh…Braska? Leyona? Hello?" Tunis finally asked with a grin, then picked up her tea and motioned to Roggis. "Care to join me outside? I don't think we're going to get any more done tonight, or at least they won't."
Roggis looked at the young couple for a moment then shrugged. "Indeed, a walk around the courtyard sounds nice. After you, madam," he bowed slightly to the woman, and held out his arm gallantly, smiling as she reached out to take it.
"Where'd Roggis and Tunis go?" Leyona asked eventually, as she became aware of the silence around them.
Braska shrugged, and pulled her back for another kiss.