30th Blossom, 801

It's rather hard to see the page, as it's very dark. I am trying to write without waking my lady, who is quite worn out by the festivities and... all. [section deleted] We are packed and ready for the journey [to Freeport], and Lia has managed to book passage with a "good" pirate. She told me his name but I can't remember.

Tonight, at the Beltaine festivities, I asked Lia what she hoped might happen for us. She brought joy into my heart when she told me she loved me. But she chilled it when she told me of a prophecy of Andarta's. She said that if Lia left the island with us, she would find love and passion, but at a great price. She also said that she saw the Winged Foxes walking into a great, soul destroying darkness, and that not all of us would walk out. I told my lady that prophecies can be wrong, but I fear that the darkness that I've felt all of these years may have been my own premonition, that any happiness I have is doomed to a short life. I don't want to believe this. The Ardanian church has a dark and vengeful God, but He is the only one I know. Would that I could come to know the Great Mystery that Raven worships, or the kind and fatherly God of the Angelican's. Maybe then, things wouldn't look so black. Sister Fara, for all her strength, seems to fear Stephen's title, Taoiseach, and Jotork is more gloomy than I'e ever seen him. A pall seems to have fallen over the party, and I have no skill to fight it. Part of me wishes the Blackcloaks would just make a move so I could feel my sword slice through their flesh. But I know that's not likely to happen unless they are sure of winning, and it seems as though they believe us to be dead. Good. They will be all the more surprised when we defeat them. Lia just turned over and cried out. My poor darling has taken wounds of her own at the hands of the pirates. I look forward to making them pay. It will have to wait, but I will come back and free these good people from their reign of terror.

I must stop now and try to get a bit of rest before our journey. I pray it will be a safe one.

(Jaden blows out the candle and climbs into bed with Lia. Anyone who has seen him fight would be surprised at how gently he holds her, like one would hold a wounded bird. He pulls the covers over them both, and tries to sleep.)