1 April 1612
It's been a strange day.
A man came by today while I was at Dolora's house. We were reading and it was my turn, so I was reading that physics book aloud when Dolora called, "Children!" She never calls us anything but our names (or her names for us, like Sigmun is little love or darling and I'm Dianna dear and Simonn is Simon dear), so I was a little confused. Sigmun called back, "Yes?"
"One of the palace men is here" She walked in very stiffly with a man in a strange uniform who smiled awkwardly and said, "And they are?"
"My children," Dolora said. "Sigmun, Simonn, and Dianna."
"Where's their father?"
"Work."
"And why aren't they working?"
"They're learning. Learning is work enough for now."
The man turned to us and smiled a scary fake smile. "Hello. I'm Mr. Smithe."
"I'm Sigmun," Sigmun said, and he sounded a little afraid.
"Simonn," Simonn said. He just sounded bored.
"I'm Dianna," I said, smiling like I ought to. Men expect women to smile.
The man smiled that false smile again and said, "You're very pretty, Miss Dianna."
"Thank you very much, sir."
"What're you boys reading? Principia? You two must be very clever." He wasn't addressing me anymore, even though I was holding the book. I saw Dolora press her lips together and take a deep breath through her nose. "And very strong, I'd wager."
"Thank you, sir," Simonn said. Sigmun just nodded.
"Are you three triplets?"
"No," Simonn said. "Well, Dianna and Sigmun are twins. I'm a year older."
"I see. How old are you all?"
"Sixteen now. But I'll be seventeen in a week," Simonn lied.
"And what's your birthday?" He addressed Sigmun, not me.
"August first," I blurted anyways. That's my mother's birthday.
"Hm," the man said. Then he turned to Dolora and said, "Ma'am, may I speak with your husband?"
"Their father won't be home tonight. But you may stay for dinner." She sounded deeply reluctant.
"If you would, ma'am."
"Of course. Children, keep Mr. Smithe company."
Once Dolora had left, Mr. Smithe said, "Carry on like you would. Pretend I'm not here."
"I—uh—alright," I stammered. I opened the book to where we left off and started reading. It was intensely awkward, because he looked shocked as soon as I started speaking, probably because I was talking in Latin like normal. He was in Dolora's chair, which was odd because I'm so used to turning there when I need help with a word or a concept and now there was this strange, nosy man there. Eventually I passed the book to Sigmun and we just read like we always do. And every time Simonn or Sigmun said something clever, the man would say how smart they must be. He almost completely ignored me.
At dinner, the man hardly spoke to me at all and he barely talked to Dolora, except to question her. He just told me I was pretty again and then told Sigmun and Simonn how they were clever and strong and they'd do great things someday (like maybe join the palace guard, apparently). It then struck me that he was probably going to stay the night, and that was kind of panic-worthy because he would sleep on the couch and I'd have to stay the night because we had to pretend to be a family. Dolora's house has three rooms downstairs (kitchen, living room/library, and company room) and three upstairs (storage, her room, and Sigmun's room). I couldn't exactly sleep in the storage room, or downstairs if the man was going to be there. And I couldn't sleep in Dolora's room because that would look suspicious. So I had to sleep in Sigmun's room. With Sigmun and Simonn. Who are my best friends, but also boys.
After one very uncomfortable dinner, Dolora had the man go and see if the couch was fit for him to sleep on and she stared at all of us and said, "Can I trust you three? I have to keep this up." I know she meant that if we didn't pretend to be a family, at least Sigmun and Dolora would go to jail, and possibly Simonn and I too. What did it matter if Mother would hit me for staying the night? At least they'd be safe.
"Mm-hmm," I said. Sigmun nodded. Simonn rolled his eyes and said, "Of course."
"I'll lend you something to wear tomorrow, Dianna dear. Sigmun, lend Simonn something."
"I will, Mama."
"Good. Now all of you, it's getting dark. You can read until nine, and then go to bed."
The three of us nodded and went to read a novel.
And then it was about nine and the three of us had to go to bed and the palace man asked, "Where do the three of you sleep?"
"We all share a room," Simonn said casually. "Mother and Father share a room and then we've got the storage closet."
The man nodded, only briefly seeming to wonder if it was odd for three young adult siblings to share one room. On the other hand, he barely noticed me except a brief glance at my chest that made me glad I had my two best friends and Dolora there with me.
I'm very tired and Dolora's going to tell us to be quiet and go to sleep soon. I hope I can sleep decently tonight.
2 April 1612
It's probably worth mentioning that I did yesterday's entry on paper at Dolora's house and copied it in, because writing is the best way for me to fall asleep. Anyways, Mother did slap me today, and she sent me to my room without dinner, and then she told me tomorrow I was using hair thinner whether I liked it or not. I don't know how I'm going to get out of that.
At any rate, here's what happened last night after we all climbed up the stairs to Sigmun's room.
"Uh…sorry about the mess…" Sigmun stammered, stacking books with the titles facing the wall and shoving a few other items under his bed. I asked for some paper and I wrote my entry and then it was too dark to write or read, even with a candle, and we had to go to sleep.
"Probably two people can fit on the bed, so, uh—"
"I'll take the floor," Simonn said. "You can sleep on the bed, Dianna." He gave me this wide, mischievous grin, and I was about ready to slap him, because that just wasn't fair.
"No, it's alright, Simonn. I don't mind the floor."
"Come on, ladies first."
"That's bogus and you know it."
"Look, how about you two," Sigmun gestured to Simonn and me. "Share the bed and I'll sleep on the floor?"
"It's your house," Simonn said. "I'll be fine. I like the floor. Just toss me a blanket and I'll be asleep in two minutes."
"We could both sleep on the floor," I said.
"That'd be ridiculous," Simonn said. "You two share the bed and I'll take the floor."
Suddenly, Dolora shouted from downstairs, "Bedtime, all three of you! I don't want to hear another peep out of you for the rest of the night!"
"Sorry, Mama!" Sigmun called. "Look, if it'll shut you up, Simonn, fine." So he lied down on his bed and glared at the wall and I was blushing crimson, but I lied down too (facing the opposite wall, of course) and tried to close my eyes, but my entire body was tense and I was suddenly sure he could read my mind, because I was sure I was going to have one of those dreams (I did) and I was thinking about kissing him and it's just a very married thing to do, sleep in the same bed, and I was feeling extremely flustered and then there was only one blanket left so we had to share it and I hardly slept at all. I know Simonn's doing this on purpose and I don't understand why. He'd know that Sigmun doesn't love me, so why would he do something like this?
I borrowed something from Dolora today to wear and it didn't fit, and neither did Simonn's borrowed clothes. We studied some Italian and then the man finally left and I could change back into my normal clothes and so could Simonn and overall this has been very stressful and I'm feeling very rattled by the whole affair.
3 April 1612
I hate, hate, hate my mother! I hate everything about her! I don't care how much sadness she carries, I hate her! My whole head hurts and I don't think I'll be able to sleep at all. Mother made me sit down and dumped a whole can of hair thinner on my hair and it burned worse than laundry soap or even salt on a cut! And, once she'd finally rinsed it all out (which took more than an hour of cold water pouring over my head), almost half of my hair had turned this awful shade of green! Green hair! I'm so mad I could scream! I don't even remember what we studied today, that's how upset I am. How can I get rid of green hair? What am I supposed to do about that?
4 April 1612
I decided to ask Dolora for help, because I can't have green hair. I walked over to Sigmun and Dolora's like always and when I got there, Simonn covered his mouth with one hand in some attempt to not laugh.
"Don't you dare laugh."
"Sorry," Simonn said, laughing. "What happened? Bad dye?"
"For your information, my mother shoved me into a chair, dumped hair thinner on my head, and made me sit there for two hours while she rinsed it out. And it didn't do squat except turn my hair green! Where's Dolora?"
"In the village."
"Dammit!"
"What's wrong, Deedee?" Sigmun asked.
"I have green hair! What do you think is wrong?"
"Okay, I guess that's obvious. Mama said she'd be back by three tonight."
"Great."
"I'm sure it'll come out. Mama's good at things like that."
I shrugged. "I sure hope so. Someone else choose."
So we read the physics book again until Dolora came home, a bit later than three, and Simonn left. "Hello, little love!" she called. "Who's over?"
"Dianna."
"Hello, Dianna dear."
"Hi, Dolora. Uh…can I have your help with something?"
"Of course, dear. What with?"
"My mother made me use hair thinner yesterday and…" I walked into the kitchen and held out a lock of my green hair.
"Alright, Dianna dear. Don't worry, I've seen this before. It'll be fixed in no time."
"Thank you so much, Dolora."
"Any time. Now sit down here and I'll set to work fixing this."
I have no idea what she did, but she washed something through my hair a few times, and then wrapped it for a while, and then rinsed it again, and most of the green was gone, at least faded.
"I'll do that again tomorrow and the green should be all gone."
"Really?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Thank you, Dolora."
"You're welcome. Now hurry on home, it's getting dark.
"Bye, Dolora."
"Goodbye, Dianna dear."
At least the green is mostly gone. I hate Mother.
5 April 1612
Dolora did whatever it was to my hair again and it's back to normal, thank heaven. Green hair! What was Mother thinking?
We studied French today. I like French; it's such a lovely language.
6 April 1612
He was definitely looking at me today. He was looking at me, too, not at my chest like most men do. I wonder what that was about.
We studied that physics book today and for once it wasn't so bad.
8 April 1612
Simonn was bugging me today. He's like a mosquito.
"Tell him."
"No."
"Tell him."
"No!"
"Tell him."
"For the absolute last time, no!"
"Tell him."
"Shut up!"
"You're really messing with your own head, doing this."
"I am not."
"You are. You're making yourself miserable. Just tell him, get it off your chest. You've got nothing to lose, believe me."
"How do you know?"
"Just trust me!"
"Is that all boys ever say?"
"What do you mean?"
"That's what Sigmun said about you two keeping secrets!"
"We're not keeping secrets, Dianna!"
"I know! I just…I can't tell him!"
"You can't trust me?"
"No! I can't risk it! I can't let him break my heart!"
Simonn didn't say anything for a very long time. "I can promise you won't get your heart broken. I swear."
"On what?"
"On my life." He sounded sincere for once and I desperately want to believe him. "I could seriously tell him for you, if you want."
"No. I have to do this myself."
"Fine. But you have to tell him by…"
"August."
"May."
"Too early! June."
"Fine. Until the end of June. I'll hold you to it."
"Fine…"
We studied Austrian history today and it was quite interesting, but I was too on edge to appreciate it.
9 April 1612
I had a dream last night about…I don't want to write it, I don't even want to think about it. I had a dream that…that I killed my friends. It was awful…
And on top of that, I had one of those dreams with drowning and Sigmun and it was him screaming about how I ruin everything, everything, absolutely everything. It wouldn't be so bad, but he's right and it's what I most fear.
Oh, and we studied German history today. It wasn't too bad.
11 April 1612
My mother told me I had to change my clothes today before I left the house because I wore shorter sleeves. We had another argument over it and Mother won, so I spent the day feeling overheated in my long-sleeved winter dress. I don't like my winter dress much; my summer dress is much more comfortable. All my skirts and shirts are comfortable, at least.
Oh, and I slept enough last night that I didn't drift off at all. It was raining, so we studied Russian.
12 April 1612
Today Simonn and Sigmun and I went into the market and we met the others and Mariek and Neolla and Hannah and I split off to talk at the park. The boys went to do something I'm sure seemed like a good idea at the time.
Mariek brought up love before long (she's eighteen already and she's done things with men) and she asked me who I loved because of course that's what she'd do to me. So I decided I'd ask them, too.
"I'll tell you if you tell me. All of you."
"Simonn…" Hannah whispered. I think only I heard her. (I'm making a mental note to not, under any circumstances, forget this.)
"Fine," Mariek said. "Sumner."
"No way!" Neolla screeched. She and Mariek are like sisters. "Well, I wouldn't mind Sigmun, but you've got him wrapped around your finger. So I'd say…"
"Wait, what?"
"What what?"
"What do you mean I've got him wrapped around my finger?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"Isn't what obvious?"
"Dianna," Mariek interrupted, all simpering and confident. "He is head-over-heels in love with you. He's really obvious about it. It's kinda cute, actually."
"W-What?"
"Dianna. Sigmun. Is. In. Love. With. You."
"N-No he's not!" (I was stammering like there was no tomorrow). "I've heard him talking."
"Psh," Mariek tossed off. "Don't trust a guy when he talks. You've gotta watch how he acts. And let me tell you, he doesn't take his eyes off you when we're all sitting around here. I can't believe you haven't noticed."
"Yeah," Neolla agreed. "He always looks so lovesick around you."
"She's right," Hannah agreed.
"S-stop it!" I sort of shrieked. "Stop it!"
"Why, what's wrong? You don't like him back?" Hannah asked nicely.
"N-no, it's not that."
"So you do like him!"
"Shut up! Just shut up!" That time I shrieked properly. "Stop it!"
"What's wrong, Dianna?" Neolla asked. Mariek scoffed and crossed her legs.
"N-nothing, I'm fine." It's really overwhelming having so many people lie to you at once when it's just the lie you want to hear. "It's very nice of you to say so. But you're wrong."
"How on Earth could we be wrong?" Mariek asked.
"Just…trust me. Okay? He doesn't love me."
"Then who does he talk about?" Mariek asked.
"Uh…I don't know anymore. I thought Neolla, but…"
"Has he ever actually mentioned a name?" Neolla asked. "Cuz I was kidding, you know. I don't really like him. I don't really like anyone the way Mary means. I just meant he wouldn't be too bad to end up with if someone else was taken."
"He's never said a name at all. But he won't tell me. He's told Simonn and I tried to get Simonn to tell me, but he wouldn't tell either."
"Right," Neolla said. "You know, it is entirely possible he loves you and that's why he won't tell you."
"Wait—did you tell Simonn?" Hannah asked.
"Of course."
"Wow," Mariek said. "I…just…wow." She looked at the sun (to check the time) and said, "Well, good luck, darling. Don't go breaking too many hearts while we're gone."
"See you," Neolla said.
"Bye."
What did she mean? Sigmun doesn't stare at me. I'd notice. And why'd she say "good luck"? And "wow"? What did she mean?
13 April 1612
They've stopped the whispered arguments/conversations, but I overheard some of a different conversation today and it was a little bit odd.
"…Just one question: do you love her, or do you want her?" Simonn asked.
"What?"
"I may not know a lot about love, but I know there's a difference between loving someone and wanting them."
"I don't want to talk about this."
"Just hear me out. It's…Okay. I wanted Mariek when we were kids. You wanted Neolla. Do you love her or do you want her?"
"How am I supposed to know that?"
"What do you think about when you think about her?"
"I…I don't want to talk about it!"
"Spit it out. It's not like anyone else is listening." (Oops.)
"I…I…"
"Siggy, for heaven's sake, just tell me the first word that comes to your mind, or sentence, or something."
"…Happy."
"Wow. That's impressively sappy and romantic."
"Shut up! You asked for it!" (Sigmun sounded so flustered, and I'd bet anything he'd turned crimson.) "I just…happy. I want her to be happy…"
"You're a hopeless romantic."
"Stop it!"
"S'true. I bet you dream about her."
"No!"
"Yeah you do. I bet you dream about her loving you and—"
"If you don't shut up, I'll make you shut up."
"Yeah right."
"Anyways, you can't tell me you don't dream about Hannah—"
"You shut up!"
"Only if you do!"
"I am shutting up!"
"Why do you always do this to me? You'd know if she loves me or not."
"I can't tell you. I swore I wouldn't tell anyone who she loves."
"I hate you."
"Well, I could tell her—"
"No!"
"Then don't bug me about it. I keep my promises."
"Fine, fine. Can we talk about something else?"
"Fine. Let's go wait for Di-ann-a." He drew out my name and I don't know why.
"Shut up."
The two of them came downstairs and they saw me and Sigmun ducked behind Simonn and I don't know why.
14 April 1612
Hearing that conversation yesterday has made me question myself. Do I love him? When I think of him, it's like a bubble inside and I just want to see him happy. I want to make him happy. Is that love? I hope so.
But I also can't stop thinking about how nice it would be to hold his hand, to feel his arms holding me, to kiss his lips and feel him kiss me back. I wonder what his hair would feel like between my fingers, what his hands might feel like entwined with mine, how the sun would feel shining on us if we were together…no, I'm not supposed to be thinking like this! Reading all those romance books must've messed with my mind, that I have all these dreams of romance.
16 April 1612
I had another argument of a sort with Simonn today. Mother, too, but she was just screaming at me over dinner.
"This is ridiculous," Simonn said after a while.
"It is not! What am I supposed to do, just walk up to him and kiss him?"
"Yes!"
"I can't do that!"
"Why not?"
"Because…because…because I've never kissed anybody!"
"Well, you'll get a chance."
"I don't know!"
"What do you want? Practice kissing?"
"Just leave it alone!"
"Fine. I'll leave it be. But remember: June."
"June."
"What about June?" Sigmun asked, returning from the garden with mint leaves.
"Just something I have to do," I said.
"What?"
"Nothing important. Never mind."
"Alright. I'll take your word for it." He handed us both some leaves and added, "Here. I picked the best ones."
I'll kill Simonn if he tells.
17 April 1612
Mother and I got in such an argument today. I don't even know what I did wrong this time.
"Diana! Get in here!" (She says my name with one n and I hate it.)
"What is it, Mother?" I don't call her Mama because Mama is a term of affection and I don't want to give Mother my affection.
"Did you do this?"
"Do what?"
"You know what!"
"If I knew what it was, I wouldn't be asking!"
"You rotten, lying, useless girl! This letter is what!
"What letter?"
"It's from that awful poor boy who lives in the woods with no proper father! That educated, illegitimate, abandoned child!" She spat each word like an insult, like the worst insult she could say, and it made me angry. I may love Sigmun more and differently than I care to admit, but he is still my best friend and I will defend him.
"It's not his fault he's illegitimate, or abandoned, or poor! And who says education is bad?"
"I do!"
"I don't care! Give me that! It's for me!"
"It's for whoever gets the mail."
"It's for who it was addressed to!"
"You're not getting this letter, you little brat!" She slapped me and held out a bottle like a weapon. It was empty and I knew she'd been drinking.
"Give it to me!"
"You want it? Go get it!" She threw my letter, a letter from Sigmun of all people, into the fire and whipped back around to glare at me.
"Mother! How could you?"
"How could I? How could I?" she shrieked. "How could I! Did you see that letter?"
"No I didn't, because you destroyed it!"
"It was trash, rubbish, from an educated mind."
"You can't even read!"
"And you can? You whore! I can read enough to know what a whore you are!"
I was thoroughly confused. "What are you talking about?"
"You know already!"
"No I don't!"
"It doesn't matter, because it's gone and you'll never see it again!"
She had this awful, triumphant smile on her face and I hated it.
"I hate you! I hate you!" I screamed, and I had angry tears in my eyes. "I hate you so much! Why did you take me in the first place? I'd be better off dead!"
"Why, you ungrateful little bitch! Get out of my house!"
"With pleasure!"
"And when you come crawling back, I'll be ready!"
"You better be!" I ran upstairs, grabbed a few things (including my journal and pen), and stormed out. The only place I could think to go was Sigmun and Dolora's, so I ran there in the dark and knocked on the door.
"Dianna dear? What are you doing here? Is everything alright?"
"I'm fine. Mother…Mother made me leave."
"Come in, come in," Dolora said. "You can sleep here, of course. I suppose you'll have to sleep on the couch…"
"It's alright," I said. "Thank you so much."
"Any time, Dianna dear. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Dolora."
What a day.
18 April 1612
It was raining again, so we studied from that physics book Simonn likes so much. Simonn planned to stay for dinner, so Dolora invited me, too, but Mother would be expecting me home now that she was sober and I didn't want to get her upset again. My last bruise still stings. Dolora asked again (I think she's worried about me) and I said I couldn't again, and then she gave up.
"I really can't, Mother will get upset."
"Alright. Make sure to get home before it gets dark out, Dianna dear."
"I will."
"And don't forget to chew mint leaves before bed."
"I won't."
"And eat your vegetables."
"I will."
"And—"
"I'll remember all of it, Dolora. Promise."
"Good. Now, hurry on home, before it gets dark."
"I will. Bye!"
"Goodbye, Dianna dear."
It's nice to know someone cares enough about me to remind me to chew mint leaves (so you don't wake up with bad-tasting breath) and eat vegetables and keep safe.
19 April 1612
Mother hasn't said anything more about my letter. I still don't know why she was so upset about it, or why she called me all those names. I think she's forgotten, too.
Sigmun asked me why I stayed over the other night and I told him Mother got mad because of a letter, and then I told him it was his letter on accident, and he apologized, so I told him not to worry, and was it important, because she burned it before I could read it, and he said no. I wonder what it was about.
We went to the prickly clearing today and made a little headway cleaning it out. It's a project so we can have a nice garden here, with berries and herbs and everything. It's one plan Dolora doesn't worry about when we work on it.
21 April 1612
I still can't stop wondering about the letter. What did it say? What on Earth would he send me in a letter that he couldn't tell me in person? Why did Mother get so mad? How did she manage to read any of it? I don't understand.
It was raining, so we stayed inside and studied algebra. It wasn't bad at all.
23 April 1612
I had one of the nightmares last night. This time, he laughed at me for expecting something good to come of his letter. He told me it was a letter telling me to go away and never come back. Then when I slipped under, the river was full of that awful hair thinner and it burned my whole buddy and I couldn't scream and I woke up terrified. At least my hair's not actually green this time.
We explored some along the creek today. It's such a nice little creek. If I were to chose a place to spend time alone with him, I think it'd be there.
26 April 1612
Today we went to the old house that burned down we found last year. It's still as strange as ever. I wonder what happened here so many years ago. It must've been a long time ago, before Dolora lived here, and it must've been contained. I just wonder.
27 April 1612
Mother didn't recognize me today. She was drinking and when she vomited, she talked about how much she hated me and I should just die and then she went to her room and I brought her a plate and ate dinner alone. Then I cleaned up the mess she made, bottles and drink and vomit and broken glass and droplets of blood and it was awful. I'm so…so tired. I'm tired of cleaning up after my mother. I'm tired of her being angry with me. I'm tired of everything being blamed on me. I'm tired of being unloved.
28 April 1612
We went to the market today and I stayed with Neolla and Mariek and Hannah while Simonn and Sigmun ran off with Sumner and Patrik. I couldn't find them it was getting late, so I guessed they had gone back to Dolora's without telling me and I was kind of annoyed about that, but I just sighed and headed for Dolora's.
"Dolora! Are Sigmun and Simonn home?"
"No, Dianna dear. I thought they were with you."
"Oh."
Dolora sighed audibly. "Would you like to help with dinner, Dianna dear?"
"Sure."
"Alright. Chop up these carrots, alright?"
"Okay." Dolora just seems to understand me without asking, even more so than my best friends. I really like her and I wish she didn't seem to always have echoes of sadness in her. I can tell that things happened in her past that she doesn't talk about and it makes me sad to see her so sad, too.
Anyways, I was done with half the carrots when I heard the door open and I knew Sigmun and Simonn were home. They walked into the kitchen and I honestly had no idea what on Earth had happened. Both of them were covered with berry juice and smelled like fish. Not to mention they had bruises on their arms and I think Sigmun's hair had been cut a little bit, because it was more of a mess than usual. "Um…what happened?" I had to ask.
"I…It seemed like a good idea at the time," Sigmun said, sounding rather defeated.
"Both of you, go take baths right now," Dolora ordered. "We'll talk about this once you're clean."
"But—"
"No buts. Go clean up and I'll have dinner ready." Once they'd left, Dolora sighed. "Dianna dear, would you like to stay for dinner?"
"If it's no trouble."
"It's never any trouble," Dolora said, smiling kindly. I want to believe that I'm really no trouble when I stay for dinner, but I know Dolora and Sigmun don't have a lot.
Once they'd come back, Sigmun and Simonn were both drenched and very unhappy-looking. It seemed that most of the berry juice was gone, as was the fish smell. But there were still bruises.
"Alright. What happened?"
"Well…Sumner suggested that it would be fun to try to jump around on the tops of the buildings," Sigmun started
"What on Earth?!" (That was me.)
"And then Sigmun decided to jump from the top of the inn to the roof of the fish seller's stand—" Simonn continued.
"And then the fish seller's was too far away and I missed and crashed into a barrel of fish—"
"And we all landed in this pile of dead fish and got kind of stuck—"
"And we heard the fish seller yelling so we ran away—"
"Right into a crate of berries that someone was dragging because they'd gone bad—"
"And then there were two angry people chasing us—"
"So we hid behind the dry goods store—"
"And then it was late and we ran here."
Dolora sighed heavily and said, "Did any of you think, for a second, that you could've caused a lot of damage? You could've hurt people."
"I know…" Sigmun said. "Sorry."
Dolora sighed again. "Nothing to be sorry for. Just don't try anything like that again! You could've died. I was worried about you."
"Sorry, Dolora," Simonn said.
"It's fine, Simonn. Just…keep yourselves safe. You too, Dianna." I do dumb things like that, too (especially with Mariek around), I just don't get caught. I think Dolora knows.
"Yes, Dolora."
"Right. Now that that's settled, it's just normal stew for dinner tonight. I didn't have time for something nice."
"It's fine," Simonn said. "You make the best stew anyways."
"Thank you, Simonn."
"You're welcome."
I know Simonn tries to pretend that compliments aren't really his thing, but he's really very kind.
I stayed for dinner and then went home. I can't believe my friends did something that crazy! I mean, besides that Mother would yell at me for it, I think it was pretty insane. I hope they're both alright, because that was a pretty silly and dangerous thing to do. I'm sure they are; we're always alright in the end.
30 April 1612
Exciting news! Today we were all talking and Sigmun mentioned that Dolora's taking him to the city in January for five days, which is a long time.
"Oh. So we won't be seeing you for a while then," I said.
"No, no, you misunderstood," Sigmun laughed. "I'm inviting you. Mama said you two can come, too, if you like."
"Really?" Simonn asked. "The city? As in, the city-the city?"
"What other city could I possibly mean?" Sigmun asked. "Yes, the city. We're going to stay with my great-aunt Matilda and Mama's going to visit with all her old friends and she says if you come, we can explore the city together!"
"You're kidding," I said.
"I'm not!" Sigmun retaliated. "We leave January sixteenth and come back on the twenty-second. Two traveling days and five days in the city."
"I'll go," Simonn said. "I don't know what I'll tell my parents, but I'll go."
"I'd love to go," I said. "But my mother…"
"We'll help you come up with something," Simonn said.
"Yeah," Sigmun agreed. "You can't miss your chance to see the city! Anyways, it'd be lonely with just us two."
"Thanks," I said, and I meant it, because it does mean a lot to me that they'd help me lie to my mother so I can come with them to see the city. Also, it's nice to know they appreciate my company.
"So, we'll be seeing the city in…eight months!" Simonn said, grinning from ear to ear. "Jeez. I've always wanted to see the city. Museums, libraries…"
"I bet they have theaters," Sigmun added.
"And a huge marketplace!" I said. "It'll be amazing."
We talked about everything we'll see in the city for a long time, until Simonn and I had to go home. The city! I'm sure I'll find something to tell Mother. We're going to the city!