It is now about a week since I at last shed the remnants of my 'old self'. I have scarcely left the library in this whole time, and my spirit feels refreshed. I have not felt so alive in far too long.
Puddleby is an amazing place. It citizens are quite erudite and civilized, not at all the barbarians and criminals we were encouraged as children to imagine when our elders wished best behavior from us. I have been quite surprised to learn that the crimes of most of my fellow exiles (for I truly consider these my people now) were merely political, the 'offenses' less outrageous than many statements made around the bonfire in my village of Mer d'Syl.
I have determined that it is sometime in the summer of the year 531. By my reckoning, I have been here around three seasons, more or less. I believe it was late spring or early summer when I began frequenting the library. It certainly is difficult to find someone who knows the time; most people seem to have their hands full just staying alive.
A rather remarkable coincidence befell me today. Sitting in my customary carrel in the library, I happened to wonder whatever happened to Healery, the medic who had been so kind to me when I first arrived. Suddenly I stood up, there she was not ten steps from me! She wore a worried expression that faded to relief when she saw me. I think we were both a bit flustered by the episode, but she invited me on a Myrm hunt, and we have a date for dinner afterward.
Healery is a most fascinating person. Unlike most of the other exiles, she was born in Puddleby. It is impressive to watch her in the middle of a hunt. She has little fighting ability, but an amazing knack for being where the Myrms are not. Without her quick footwork, several of us might have been carried out of the Hive.
The vermines must hibernate in winter, because Puddleby has been remarkably quiet these past few weeks. I've been dividing my time between rat hunts, researching in the library, and learning from the wise elders around town. Early on, I mostly trained with the Body Master to improve my ability to defend myself on the hunts, but lately I've been drawn increasingly to the Mind and Spirit Masters.
I have also spent much time with Healery, recovering my memories. For someone so eager to help me find my past, she is remarkably reticent about her own. I enjoy conversing with her, as we agree on most points and are always respectful of the other's carefully articulated views when we disagree.
Healery seems to have an uncanny ability to know what I am about to say sometimes, and I am beginning to suspect the phenomenon may be reciprocal. We must investigate this further.
I am considering becoming a healer myself.
I visited the Healer guild hall today. Master Hespus recommended that if I am sincere in my desire to become a healer, I should seek the counsel of three elders. Each will give me a bell, a book, or a candle as a token of his assessment that I meet his respective criterion.
I did it! I located Masters Bucharus and Belarus, who shared their wisdom with me. When I proved to them that I earnestly wish to follow their teachings, they gave me the book of scholarship and the bell of charity. It took me quite some time to locate the third master.
I paused in my search to take some refreshment in the inn of Kandrus, and had been telling him (somewhat heatedly, I confess) about my library studies, and the Masters, and my success in acquiring the first two tokens of an aspiring healer, when I realized he wasn't listening to me. He just stood there, smiling, as if he knew all along everything I was telling him.
Kandrus then handed me a candle, saying, "Receive now the Candle of Enlightenment; Tamarin, you surely have earned it." I was thunderstruck, yet elated. How could I have guessed, that my journey would end exactly where it began nearly a year ago. Clearly Kandrus had seen some potential in me, of which I myself had no inkling.
With my bell, book and candle in hand, I proudly presented myself to Master Hespus and was sworn in as the 178th healer of the Guild. And now I begin my journey anew.
Next: Tamarin's Quest