"sighs as she thinks back over last night"

I was sure this would be over by now. We are running out of time and still we have made no progess. And the guards know who we are.. who took Alterio. They have our names and came to Dome looking for us. Its funny really. No one wants to live like this but yet..yet i cant get them to move to help find the real guards. I cant do it alone. But they complain and yet do nothing. Never again will i do something to help them. I dont want alterio to be like this. What must i do?

A ship docked last night with some really weird people. Aidan, Jane and Casi had just taken the man that the guards had killed to the Funeral Parlor and were on their way back. I left the Dome and went part way to the docks in case the strangers were going to be trouble. "smirks" I should have stayed in dome. Aidan, Jane and Casi made it for dome, leaving me there alone. Did i expect any different? Hell no.. After all Jane stood and watched her friends being attacked just a few days ago. And Aidan ... well his head is stuck up her ass so far he cant see the light of day. Casi.. well she just went along with them.

Maybe I should just turn Alterio loose. Yeah i may get killed for my part in this. And Im the one that didnt want to go along with it but was volunteered. I didnt much care one way or the other that Alterio was Prince. Everyone else complained from the beginning but YET they do nothing to help change this and get him back to normal or to find the guards. Maybe I should release him and just go into hiding and let them deal with it? Gods I dont want to keep him a prisoner. This is not right. But IF i release him.. whats the chances he will return to normal. Maybe never and Mumphra will control him forever. I dont expect much help from Jane. I dont think she wants things back to normal.

Damn it what should I do?

"she glances at Alterio and curses mumbling to herself"...What should i do hun? Should I release you? Help me ..tell me what to do..I cant do this on my own.""

"she closes the journal and leans back against the wall trying to think"

--Journal entry 17 September, Vixen Blade

::He sighs, sitting in the cove watching Alterio, making sure Vixen doesn't do anything stupid....as usual. He opens his journal and writes a short entry::

I can't believe this is all happening...Lyrias and Vixen say they don't want Alterio to be a prisoner, but he's been one since he went in league with Mumphra, we didn't change anything....yet. And as for Vix...she says she was "Volunteered" for this. Bullcrap. SHE cast the sleep spell, SHE clobbered him over the head with her sword...or at least tried. She's just a hyprocitical, lying, manipulative moron. With any luck, some Dwarves will raid us and kill her off.

Let's all pray she doesn't screw things up again.

::He sighs and tosses the journal past the bed after closing it, running his hands through his hair and returning to watching Alterio's shell::

--Journal entry 17 September, Ben Calkane

Dan has finally found me and this long journey home is getting to be very tedious. I never knew a man could be so odious. I am so tired of being at sea but I do believe we should be back shortly in a nother week or so. I will be so glad to finally be at home among my friends and at peace. I wonder what has happened since I have been gone. Spending so much time with Dan had made me wonder at if he is the man for me...for the rest of his life....Do I even truly love him. I hope Nun finds his way back easier than I have.

I miss all my friends and my pretty house and I wonder if Jasmin has been able to handle the animals....or if I even still have home.......looks out over the sea feeling very lonely and wanting all my friends again

--Journal entry 17 September, Magdelennya Smith

:;She sighs softly as she glances about the empty Pleasure Dome, and pulls out her journal. She flips it to a blank page and bites her lip as she thinks, taking up her quill. She begins to write, slowly, putting down each word with extreme thought::

I have not seen Ben since I sent him that letter. Perhaps he has not had the chance, maybe he didn't find it. Also, perhaps he does not care. All completely possible. Though I am tired of caring if he cares or not. If he cares he will respond. That will show me.

Anyway, my reason for bowing out....I have forgotten one of the most important things of being a bard...to sit back and be impartial, to record what is going on if anything significant to history, or even something that would make a good story. Besides, I am no good at these things...I mean I fouled up more times than I can count in the last week.

So, I am more harm than good. I am not drawing myself out because I disagree with what's going on, or that I have a score to settle with anyone. I just fear that something I do will go terribly wrong and someone will get hurt. I am just a mere Bard, I am not a fighter, and only mediocre with magic. So, in the future I will, perhaps, tell stories of this to the children and newcomers to the Island. But nothing more, anylonger. Some may call me selfish, or a coward...but like I care what they say. I know how I feel and what I must do.

::she glances up towards Vixen as she hears her speak, coming into the PleasureDome not too long ago and blows the ink dry before she closes the journal::

--Journal entry 17 September, Lina Metallium

::::She sits at her writing table, a cup of hot tea beside her, journal open to a fresh page::::

Well...I have now met the elusive Lord of Masks…Camden…the man who woos me with his words of love and devotion. It went well, actually…after the initial uneasiness dissipated, on both our parts. Although, he seemed more nervous than I. Hmmm…maybe not nervous. Shy. He spoke softly and kindly...and his voice, the rich timbre of his voice, was most calming...soothing to me. I would love to hear him sing sometime.

He did seem to know some things about me, though I am not sure how, for he ordered me a brandy which, normally, would have been perfect. Unfortunately, when I caught whiff of the stuff, I almost gagged. Guess I've been on a few too many benders of late...that has to stop! In any case, I could tell he was a bit hurt but I hope I didn't offend him too much. ~chuckles~ We never did eat anything! The 'dome started clearing out so I suggested we go for a walk.

Sometimes in somewhat uptight situations, it's better to move and talk at the same time rather than just staring at one another. We both seemed to enjoy the night air and the beauty of the water as we strolled the beach. We talked. A lot. About everything...yet nothing seemingly…easy, relaxed conversation. Nice. And we laughed. Laughter is always good.

::::She stops writing and laughs out loud at what happened next, the laugh reducing to a chuckle and shakes her head slightly. Bemused, she stops to take a sip of tea as she looks out the window thoughtfully for a long moment before continuing::::

What's next? I truly do not know, although we did promise to meet again. Unfortunately, certain events of the past week have had me distracted and I've been unable to turn my mind to this…although, oddly, I have found myself thinking of him daily...and he seems to be my last thought before I fall asleep. Hmmm…

The funny part is...I came home with his ring! He never did ask for it and it seems I totally forgot I even had it! I find that quite humorous...although, maybe it's indicative of how much we actually enjoyed each other's company. And, perhaps, we merely conveniently forgot, securing an excuse to see each other again.

But, this time, I must ask him of the mask. I did not want to pry nor did he offer the information as to his wearing it. It seems to me that he has worn it for some time now and likely forgets he even has it on. I suppose it makes him somewhat of an enigma and, admittedly, makes me more than a bit curious. Well...next time...which I, in fact, find myself quite looking forward to!

::::The corners of her mouth turn upward in an anticipatory smile as she sets down her quill, then hums as she watches the ink dry::::

--Journal entry 17 September, Rowsy

"she sits at the desk and looks out the window at the darkness....dawn soon approaching"

Mumphra knows where Alterio is being kept. I had to tell him. He came in Dome late last night and told me he knows I was involved. At first i wouldnt tell him. But when a veiled threat on my children was made..i told him where Alterio was. I had no choice. But once again i get criticized. Am I to let Mumphra get to my children by keeping my mouth shut? My children are to little to defend themselves against him. Black on the other hand is Not.

Casi seemed to think I should sacrifice my children in order to cover for Black. She was there, she heard everything Mumphra said. Why would she question me on my decision is that case? IF it were her children what decison would she have made?

I told her to save her sarcasm for someone who cared. We should never had taken Alterio prisoner in the first place. It would have been so much simpler to have pulled together and tried to get the real SSAG guards released from Wonderland, then try to get alterio back to normal. What we did was wrong and just complicated things more. Grabbing Alterio was a wrong move and yet the ones involved critized me.. not all have, Lyrias hasnt. I make a right decison in keeping my children safe and Im criticized for that as well. Oh well, What right decisons have any of them made lately? No body should be chained and treated like an animal. I only assisted because i thought it would be for no longer than a day. I thought they would get off their butts and make a move but they didnt. They had Alterio so they were content with that.

Jasmin talked to the barbarians, the ones that arrived on the island a couple nights ago. They need gold and will help if paid. I told her thats no problem. They will be paid what they asked. I tried to get their assistance the other night. Aidan told them there were no jobs except at the bazaar maybe. I spoke up and said he was wrong, their was a job, we needed help in freeing the guards from Wonderland. Once again I was ignored. I guess i just dont speak loud enough.. Maybe I should try standing on the bar and yelling. Would they listen then? Well people listened last night I think, -finally- . Maybe action will be taken now.

ITs about time I would say.

--Journal entry 18 September, Vixen Blade

:::::: He sits down at his writing desk, a small glass of brandy in his hand, and looks down at the blank page before him, seemingly at a loss for words. He glances over to the small table that sits beside his bed and spies hs mask. He looks at it curiously for a moent, as if he expects it to start talking to him, telling him what to write ~chuckles out loud~ He takes a small sip of his brandy, what he thought was Rowsy's favorite, and begins to write. ::::::

Funny. I never seem to wear the mask when I am alone anymore. I can only assume that it has something to do with Rowsy and the fact that we finally met and she didn't run away from me screaming. Though, I would expect nothingless than that if she ever saw me without my mask, my shield, my shame... my prison. Never will I feel the soft touch of a lady's hand as she runs her fingers across my cheek. Bah!

Such thoughts accomplish nothing. I have resigned myself to that fact. And the fact that no one will ever see my face again. They must not. Especially Rowsy. Perhaps she would be willing to see past my scarred visage. Likely not. Not a condemnation of her... simply a statement of fact that no one could overlook my...

:::::: He sighs softly as he stops for a moment. He takes up his glass and sips once more of the warm brandy and smiles, thinking of her and their meeting. ::::::

It went better than I perhaps thought it might. I was somewhat... reserved at first. She asked me many questions about my feelings towards her and how they could be so strong having never met. I answered her as best I could, though I fear I may have rambled a bit at times. I did however enjoy very much our conversation and our walk on the beach after. I hope I will be a little more at ease when next we meet.

I truly do wish to meet her again. I wish to tell her more of my feelings. I wish to tell her of my dreams about her, about us. Perhaps I will seek her out this night. I wonder if she will be at the dome this eve, or perhaps tomorrow. It matters not when or where for I know we will meet again.

:::::: He knits his brow as he thinks of something once more. He doesn't know whether it is a good thing or bad. He continues to write ::::::

My ring. She still has it. I was so nervos and enamoured with her that I forgot to ask for it. I wonder if she even realizes how important it is to me and how leaving it with her was like leaving a part of my soul. No. How could she know what the ring means... what it represents. I do miss it as it is a very important part of who I am... or more to the point, who I was. But I can also think of no one else I would trust with it than her. I will ask for it back... some time.

:::::: He pushes his journal aside and reaches for his glass, downing what is left in one swallow. He looks to his mask once more and wonders if he could ever live without it now. He'll never know as to give it up would be like giving up and appendage. He raises a finger as if to trace the scar on his cheek, but at the last second cannt even bring himself to touch it. How then, could he ever expect anyone else to? He walks over and picks up his mask and places it on his face once again and walks outside. Perhaps a sort stroll to clear his mind. Without even realizing it, he finds himself walkng directly towards... her cottage. ::::::

--Journal entry 18 September, Lord of Masks