Written By Ripley
June 25, 2021, 11:14 p.m.(9/21/1015 AR)
<Some entries are delayed and out of order, like they made their way to the Archives from afar and transcribed in>
I made it of amber after all. She was a candlemaker, her family kept bee's. I don't know why the Queen wanted a skull made for her. She was a thrall at one point. Maybe that's why? There was a merchant in the city who had a piece of amber just big enough and a jeweler offered to let me into his shop to work when he heard that I was a Thornburn.
I guess my sisters are famous.
Not really surprised.
That or Toad slobbered all over his kids enough. Probably my hands really. We have the same kinda hands.
It took me four days and he showed me how he would carve the piece. It's so brittle, I never really appreciated that. He gets a shine on it that surpassed anything that I could ever do. Turns out that they served in the same house once. The dead woman and him. She married another who had been a thrall. But he had a love for her that never burned out.
We laid honeycombs in it, rose gold ones because he said that was her favourite. There's a bee in the hollow of the cheek. Onyx and enamel. I realize it wasn't scratching on the inside of my skull, it was the beating of wings from a bee there.
I think the Duke Laurent would have loved to see this. Lady Mabelle too. I'll have to sketch it and bring it back for them. I let him give it to them. Let him be the bearer of the gift from the Queen.
I think I'll stick around for a few days. I like this place. I don't know why. I feel at peace here. Like the hands that hold my heart at lifting it just a little more.
I made it of amber after all. She was a candlemaker, her family kept bee's. I don't know why the Queen wanted a skull made for her. She was a thrall at one point. Maybe that's why? There was a merchant in the city who had a piece of amber just big enough and a jeweler offered to let me into his shop to work when he heard that I was a Thornburn.
I guess my sisters are famous.
Not really surprised.
That or Toad slobbered all over his kids enough. Probably my hands really. We have the same kinda hands.
It took me four days and he showed me how he would carve the piece. It's so brittle, I never really appreciated that. He gets a shine on it that surpassed anything that I could ever do. Turns out that they served in the same house once. The dead woman and him. She married another who had been a thrall. But he had a love for her that never burned out.
We laid honeycombs in it, rose gold ones because he said that was her favourite. There's a bee in the hollow of the cheek. Onyx and enamel. I realize it wasn't scratching on the inside of my skull, it was the beating of wings from a bee there.
I think the Duke Laurent would have loved to see this. Lady Mabelle too. I'll have to sketch it and bring it back for them. I let him give it to them. Let him be the bearer of the gift from the Queen.
I think I'll stick around for a few days. I like this place. I don't know why. I feel at peace here. Like the hands that hold my heart at lifting it just a little more.
Written By Ripley
June 25, 2021, 10:51 p.m.(9/21/1015 AR)
<Some entries are delayed and out of order, like they made their way to the Archives from afar and transcribed in>
Breckendale.
She lead me to Breckendale.
It's here somewhere. I can taste it on my tongue, sweetness. Like Amber. I think it'll be made of Amber. If I can find some big enough. If not, then I'll do like that other skull. It's been almost two years? Maybe? Since I left like this. Just up and leaving in the middle of the day. But when my feet stopped in the middle of Breckendale there was calm.
Maybe I'll stay here.
Breckendale.
She lead me to Breckendale.
It's here somewhere. I can taste it on my tongue, sweetness. Like Amber. I think it'll be made of Amber. If I can find some big enough. If not, then I'll do like that other skull. It's been almost two years? Maybe? Since I left like this. Just up and leaving in the middle of the day. But when my feet stopped in the middle of Breckendale there was calm.
Maybe I'll stay here.
Written By Ripley
June 25, 2021, 10:46 p.m.(9/21/1015 AR)
<Some entries are delayed and out of order, like they made their way to the Archives from afar and transcribed in>
I fell out of the tree. I think I hurt my shoulder. I didn't tie myself up into it good enough. Probably a good thing that I'm done doing what She wanted me to do. Two days away from the city. Away from Caprice. Soon I'll get to see her.
I was doing fine sleeping under the stars. Toad makes a good pillow. But then I remembered the rumors in Breckendale. People missing. My Mum'd have my hide if I didn't come back. So I went back to sleeping in tree's just to be safe. Toad is heavy. Too heavy for the tree. I didn't think it through enough and I fell and I think I wrenched my shoulder. I did something to my shoulder.
It's twice the size it should be. Sitting funny. Need to stop at the next town and see if something can be done. For now I think the smith's wife put a skin of something in the bottom of my bag and it'll make me not care. Sleeping on the ground. If someone takes me, they're gonna have to get through Toad first.
Two days away from Caprice.
Two days.
I fell out of the tree. I think I hurt my shoulder. I didn't tie myself up into it good enough. Probably a good thing that I'm done doing what She wanted me to do. Two days away from the city. Away from Caprice. Soon I'll get to see her.
I was doing fine sleeping under the stars. Toad makes a good pillow. But then I remembered the rumors in Breckendale. People missing. My Mum'd have my hide if I didn't come back. So I went back to sleeping in tree's just to be safe. Toad is heavy. Too heavy for the tree. I didn't think it through enough and I fell and I think I wrenched my shoulder. I did something to my shoulder.
It's twice the size it should be. Sitting funny. Need to stop at the next town and see if something can be done. For now I think the smith's wife put a skin of something in the bottom of my bag and it'll make me not care. Sleeping on the ground. If someone takes me, they're gonna have to get through Toad first.
Two days away from Caprice.
Two days.
Written By Ripley
June 25, 2021, 10:30 p.m.(9/21/1015 AR)
<Some entries are delayed and out of order, like they made their way to the Archives from afar and transcribed in>
There was a waterfall, and I was a little smelly from the road.
It looked real refreshing and the water around it was nice and deep. Toad and I went for a swim. His ears floated on the water. How can he have a problem with boats and but he loves swimming around. There was a trout in the water, musta been as long as my arm. I saw it I think after Toad saw it and he tried to get it. I thought that there was nothing Toad loved more than a fresh from the oven biscuit or the block of iron by his bed.
Nope. He loved that fish. He looked half the fool as he was trying to catch it. Tail and ears going everywhere. I thought for sure it was gonna get away.
He caught our dinner for that night. Surfaced with a grin and the tail of that fish pierced by a tooth, paddling for all he was worth.
These trips used to be lonely. Well, no not lonely. Just pretty quiet and okay yeah, lonely at times. Toad makes it better.
Caprice'd make it better. But some things need doing without the sun.
Toad's a pretty good consolation. He sleeps good in a tree too.
There was a waterfall, and I was a little smelly from the road.
It looked real refreshing and the water around it was nice and deep. Toad and I went for a swim. His ears floated on the water. How can he have a problem with boats and but he loves swimming around. There was a trout in the water, musta been as long as my arm. I saw it I think after Toad saw it and he tried to get it. I thought that there was nothing Toad loved more than a fresh from the oven biscuit or the block of iron by his bed.
Nope. He loved that fish. He looked half the fool as he was trying to catch it. Tail and ears going everywhere. I thought for sure it was gonna get away.
He caught our dinner for that night. Surfaced with a grin and the tail of that fish pierced by a tooth, paddling for all he was worth.
These trips used to be lonely. Well, no not lonely. Just pretty quiet and okay yeah, lonely at times. Toad makes it better.
Caprice'd make it better. But some things need doing without the sun.
Toad's a pretty good consolation. He sleeps good in a tree too.
Written By Ripley
June 25, 2021, 9:47 p.m.(9/21/1015 AR)
<Some entries are delayed and out of order, like they made their way to the Archives from afar and transcribed in>
Toad doesn't like boats.
Never saw him eat so fast and then bring his food up so fast.
I'll have to remember that in the future. No toads on boats. Toads don't really live in water a lot so I guess that makes sense?
My feet hit the ground anyways and I brought him with me. There's a scratching in my skull again and it's not in Arx and pulled me away. So I'm getting off the boat and we'll walk the rest of the way. Somewhere north? North east? Somewhere in that direction.
At least it's the summer and she wants me to go, not the winter. We stick to the shade, we'll be fine.
Toad doesn't like boats.
Never saw him eat so fast and then bring his food up so fast.
I'll have to remember that in the future. No toads on boats. Toads don't really live in water a lot so I guess that makes sense?
My feet hit the ground anyways and I brought him with me. There's a scratching in my skull again and it's not in Arx and pulled me away. So I'm getting off the boat and we'll walk the rest of the way. Somewhere north? North east? Somewhere in that direction.
At least it's the summer and she wants me to go, not the winter. We stick to the shade, we'll be fine.
Written By Ripley
May 23, 2021, 11 p.m.(7/11/1015 AR)
I had a honey of a time.
Okay, that wasn't the best joke that I could come up with. Not Harlequin worthy. I'll think of something better.
Okay, that wasn't the best joke that I could come up with. Not Harlequin worthy. I'll think of something better.
Written By Ripley
April 27, 2021, 10:52 a.m.(5/15/1015 AR)
NO ONE GETS TO TELL ME HOW TO DO MY ART.
Written By Ripley
April 25, 2021, 12:19 a.m.(5/10/1015 AR)
That was not smart.
That was not smart at all. The marquise hits like a horse. I think... I can't think. I should go back and lay down.
That was not smart at all. The marquise hits like a horse. I think... I can't think. I should go back and lay down.
Written By Ripley
April 20, 2021, 10:54 p.m.(5/2/1015 AR)
Though it's interesting to note. The ants - stupid ants - all seem to head straight for the Laurent honey...
Written By Ripley
April 20, 2021, 7:55 p.m.(5/1/1015 AR)
I have an ant problem...I didn't think this through well.
Written By Ripley
March 31, 2021, 1 a.m.(3/16/1015 AR)
The abyss is sitting in my head and making my nose run and my eyes water and dancing on my skull. I am misery incarnate. The soup was.. I've never had soup like that before. I want the winter tea from Jade Moon. Zyanya is traveling, I was told. That tea made things better. I could drink a great deal of tea right now. Toad too I think.
I feel like there's a stoat or a few raccoons living in my nose and my head. If I could just grab them by the tails and yank them out.
I feel like there's a stoat or a few raccoons living in my nose and my head. If I could just grab them by the tails and yank them out.
Written By Ripley
March 23, 2021, 12:35 a.m.(2/28/1015 AR)
Blessed silence. The moment the writing stopped, I knew he'd finished our design.
Written By Ripley
March 14, 2021, 1:14 a.m.(2/10/1015 AR)
She'll never know. Ever. Probably for the best. I don't know. The scratching is just so loud. I need to drown it out with serenading Caprice while while she works.
Written By Ripley
March 5, 2021, 12:45 p.m.(1/21/1015 AR)
It's stuck inside my head. Taking over everything again. I just want to take my fingers and pry apart my head and pull it out. I've tried everything I can think of to excise it from my head short of literally excising it from my head. There's no direction I'm led, nothing. I've been melting coins and half finishing this and that.
Come out, come out, wherever you are. Whoever you are. Tell me your name, show me something before I pull more hair before I lose it.
Come out, come out, wherever you are. Whoever you are. Tell me your name, show me something before I pull more hair before I lose it.
Written By Ripley
Feb. 7, 2021, 10:33 p.m.(11/23/1014 AR)
So many gold coins melted. It's made some people mildly uneasy. I don't know what I'll do with this when I'm done with it.
Written By Ripley
Jan. 3, 2021, 8:38 p.m.(9/9/1014 AR)
There is still time, until there is no more time. But how do you know when the time has run out? When there is no more time.
Now I'm stuck thinking about when my time will run out.
I don't want my time to run out.
Now I'm stuck thinking about when my time will run out.
I don't want my time to run out.
Written By Ripley
Dec. 29, 2020, 9:04 a.m.(8/26/1014 AR)
Do I smell? Someone left me soap. A few bars, at the door to my forge. I gave myself a sniff and I think... I'm fine. I think. I need to ask others. It's nice soap though.
Written By Ripley
Dec. 6, 2020, 2:02 p.m.(7/8/1014 AR)
Toad. Oh Toad. Beloved lovely toad. Of the wrinkled face that you can put your hands to either side and smoosh around. All that skin that just squishes around and ears that flop way down low. I love you. Your fat belly turned up to the sky and your paws in the air when you sleep and the ears flopped to either side of you as you snore away louder than the bellows when I have to push air over the coals.
With that white toe, white tail tip and the three destroyed shoes already. Ohhh Toad.
Toad.
Beloved Toad.
I don't love you more than I love her though.
With that white toe, white tail tip and the three destroyed shoes already. Ohhh Toad.
Toad.
Beloved Toad.
I don't love you more than I love her though.
Written By Ripley
Nov. 28, 2020, 12:31 a.m.(6/19/1014 AR)
I have a toad!
Not a toad toad. It's a dog. Named toad.
he was like a fat little tadpole when Apollo first brought me by and I saw in the pen. All belly, tiny legs and a long tail. Eyes too big for his head. He was a toad. Siri was waiting at the forge when I came back and told me that I needed to get to the Acorn. I was needed. I thought something had happened to Apollo. At least he had the decency to wait till I was not so deep in the depths of my personal darkness.
But he was in the stable telling something to sit. That didn't really do that much sitting. Toad! He had toad! who has already chewed on one of my hammers, and marked the corner of my couch, and claims the bull as his and sleeps on the couch with it. I have slept on the couch with him. He just lays on my chest. He is so warm and the sound of his snoring.
My niece is going to love him.
I can't wait to thank the Keatons. For letting me have Toad. He came from Apollo is a Keaton hound.
Oh gods the ears. His ears cover my face.
Not a toad toad. It's a dog. Named toad.
he was like a fat little tadpole when Apollo first brought me by and I saw in the pen. All belly, tiny legs and a long tail. Eyes too big for his head. He was a toad. Siri was waiting at the forge when I came back and told me that I needed to get to the Acorn. I was needed. I thought something had happened to Apollo. At least he had the decency to wait till I was not so deep in the depths of my personal darkness.
But he was in the stable telling something to sit. That didn't really do that much sitting. Toad! He had toad! who has already chewed on one of my hammers, and marked the corner of my couch, and claims the bull as his and sleeps on the couch with it. I have slept on the couch with him. He just lays on my chest. He is so warm and the sound of his snoring.
My niece is going to love him.
I can't wait to thank the Keatons. For letting me have Toad. He came from Apollo is a Keaton hound.
Oh gods the ears. His ears cover my face.
Written By Ripley
Nov. 26, 2020, 9:26 p.m.(6/17/1014 AR)
Relationship Note on Eleyna
I had to excise it before it consumed me. I hadn't made it yet when it was cancelled. But just because it's not been made real doesn't mean that it isn't real. I would close my eyes and it was there. The stories I was told. Of things that have happened after she died, and when she was alive. It has crawled out of my mind, out of my skull and out of my fingertips and I worked with it until it was sitting there on the bench. I think I stared at it for an hour. I don't know if this what he would have wanted. If she was alive that she would enjoy. I can't let it sit on my shelves. It's not right to leave it there.
So I brought it to the wall. It now rests there with the others. I didn't know the woman, but others did and from them, I think that I made something... right. I don't know why the person who is doing these things that they say are her, does them. But I would imagine that she was a woman loved enough to inspire people to do good deeds in her name, long after she has passed.
I hope they keep doing them in her name.
She brought me out of the deep pit. Covered by dirt and dark, making this was like being washed.
I probably do need a bath. Haircut too. Probably.
So I brought it to the wall. It now rests there with the others. I didn't know the woman, but others did and from them, I think that I made something... right. I don't know why the person who is doing these things that they say are her, does them. But I would imagine that she was a woman loved enough to inspire people to do good deeds in her name, long after she has passed.
I hope they keep doing them in her name.
She brought me out of the deep pit. Covered by dirt and dark, making this was like being washed.
I probably do need a bath. Haircut too. Probably.
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