I mentioned here yesterday that often it is all too easy to overlook the simple pleasures of life. Sometimes we have the chance to achieve some aim that has nothing to do with training or levelling, nothing at all in fact to do with the lands which we walk.
Ellyana has been unwell for some time. I know her past preys on her mind, and I know she detests having to enter N'rolav. Something about the place stirs up old fears and memories. She's been retreating into herself, cutting herself off from all but a few friends. I do what I can for her, but eventually we will have to take a journey to her old home. She needs to see for herself that the place stands no more, and I've promised that if the place does still stand, then I'll burn it to the ground myself. Seeing the place destroyed will, she feels, finally set her free.
The other evening we took a picnic on the beach, We sat near the old lighthouse. Many times in the past Ellyana has dived into the sea there, down into the depths, struggling to reach the bottom of the shelf, but has never been successful. This time, I took her hand, and told her we would make the attempt together.
Down we plunged, our lungs bursting for breath. Almost at the point where we would have had to give up, the bottom of the shelf appeared before our eyes. We stretched out our hands and managed to touch the ground beneath the waters, then we hed to make a break for the surface. It seemed to take forever, striking out toward the dim light we could just make out where the moon shone on the waters. At last we broke the surface, and simply floated for a while catching our breath, passing back and forth a small sea-shell one of us had managed to grab from the floor of the sea.
This achievement had, as I said before, nothing to do with our training, was in no way connected with our life and continual battle in these lands. But it did, I hope, help the princess see that there can be achievements, we can reach a target, that there is always hope.

Yesterday was another good day. The princess and I travelled to the temple with Gypsy, where I welcomed her to the ranks of the rogues of Valorn. She has a bright future ahead of her, I'm sure, and it will be my pleasure to see how my sponsee grows and develops in the guild and in the lands.