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Dear Diary,

When I got home, that bald, not-so-secret paladin type was waiting for me in the lobby. The trip back from the mountains had been so much fun, I was still happy when I saw him. I'd started calling Robert-Etienne "Wolfie." I think it is cute and what is he going to do about it? Well, if he really doesn't like it I'll find something else to call him. But the weekend had been great and then we ran or rode almost all the way home from the mountain, instead of using the marks. It was a rush. But then I had to look at "not-so-secret" and he had someone with him.

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"Ms. Indigo?" "Yes?" "Please. I'd like to start over. Let me introduce myself. I'm Mr. Teal Johnson and I'd like to introduce you to Major Mondragon." "Thanks. I need to go." "Could you give me just a minute? Please, and maybe if you just called me Teal we could chat a moment?" "Ok, but I'm going to be late for church." I figured anything to get it over with talking with this guy. I ended up being late to church anyway, so there. Turns out he was there to really apologize. He really was sorry. He knows Tindalasse and a lot of other people and is kind of the agent in charge of the (I've got to quit calling them "not so secret"), well, you know what I mean, for this part of the country. Handles state visits by the kings. He was just an immediate temp on the lawacore when her father announced for president -- just on until they got someone assigned. Now she has some earnest young man who looks like a Mormon missionary tagging along to keep her out of trouble. Speaking of which, I finally met some Mormon Missionaries and they are kind of nice. Busy on those bicycles. Wonder if the "not so secret" guys ride bicycles all the time too? The world is so full of neat stuff. Getting back on track, I guess I ought to tell you about Teal. That's what I call him and the major I've taken to calling "Dragon." Turns out she is a lawyer in the Marines who got cross-assigned to White House duty ("White House" I asked her? "You mean there is only one house painted that color?" Anyway, that isn't what she meant, but it is. You need to finish a whole class -- the one I'm taking -- for it to make sense. I used to think the world was strange, but that was before I heard about Washington, D.C. Now I know the world is strange. She is great. Someone asked me how I could like her if she was a female lawyer. Sheesh, I even like a lot of the female law students I've met, just not the lawacores -- especially the one trying to steal my Duckie away. Since the Bitter King told them I was his daughter, I've been assigned Dragon as a minder, just like Tindalasse has a minder. Tinda introduced me to his, who is kind of small compared to the bodyguard the Bitter King has travel with Tindalasse. But the Grey Man can't get you drinks in a bar (is Tindalasse under age? I don't know. No one does. If he wants a drink, though, the not-so-secret guy buys it and no one needs to figure out if Tinda is underage or not). The Major pretends she isn't a bodyguard, I guess she thinks I'd be offended. I think Major Dragon also doesn't realize that I figured out that the moment the Bitter King also mentioned I was an assassin (and darn, someone from the "not-so-secret" was there at Court when those elvish guys asked him to keep me from killing them -- didn't they get the point when I said I understood it was a misunderstanding.) this collection of bodyguards would be around. But she is useful. Fun to talk to sometimes and she knows a lot about movies. She's a lawyer too, but not a lawacore. Lawyers can be people -- after all, my Duckie is becoming one and he is people. Ari says so. Major Mondragon has the neatest pistol. Made me decide that the next thing I was going to learn was physical fire or lightwalking. She even helps me study. I'm not sure that is part of her job -- they never did explain what her job really was -- but she is nice to have around. So I didn't get a bodyguard, more of a babysitter, but she might be a friend too. We are going to "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" next and "Wolfie" said he could make it as well. I'm going to enjoy the rest of the semester. So there. And Teal is ok after all. Paladins almost always are.

Classes have been fun, and that wedding movie was the best! My Greek is getting better, though my classical studies professor got a little animated when I disagreed with him about whether anyone could read linear A or not. He had a bunch of it with him and so I read it to him. I'd read it off in Minoan (we disagree a lot on how it is pronounced and the cadence, but heck), and then in English. He'd pull out another sheet and I'd read that. He'd pull out another -- he had a briefcase full. Every-so-often he would pull out one he had already showed me -- guess he thought I couldn't read the same sheet twice the same way -- it isn't that situational. You would think he was one of those sly Mycenean types.

He pulled out the same stack a week later and we went through the whole thing again, though he didn't pull any of the repeat the same sheet stuff. This time he taped me. Guess he'll pull it all out again some time and see if the tapes match up. Sheesh, everyone knows a bull rider needs to be able to read the high signs and glyphs. I didn't say that though.

Climbing is really fun. They have an advanced area in an old grain silo that some of us have been allowed to start using. Ever since I changed my clothes things have gone better all over. Talia has gotten nicer, though she did tell me to quit just paying for all the pizza, people are better friends if they all share. Her dad owns some boats, so she doesn't see him much, he is too involved in oil. I knew a Greek oil man once, crushed his own olives, sold the oil in Minos, in Thera and in Mycenae. He was from Argos. She just laughed when I asked what kind of olives her dad was making the oil from. Told some joke about how oil comes out of the ground. (I didn't get the joke, so I just smiled politely).

Tinda is busy with classes, though he acts like a responsible Joyous King some times. Ducks has been walking arm in arm with the lawacores, though he waves when he passes. I've given up on the boy until summer, though I visit with Ari a lot. She is a great kid.

Dragon is going to save my life in American History and Citizenship. She knows all this stuff. Whoever said this was an easy class was out of their minds. No kings, civil wars, an endless list of presidents (couldn't any of these guys hold on to power?), a patchwork of states and kingdoms, I'm in awe at how well the other students are doing.

On the other hand, Geometry is not only fun, it is my easiest class. I'm the only one who seems to really appreciate the chance to learn the advanced mysteries. You would think the students in this class would kiss the ground for joy. Instead they tend to sleep and they look astounded when I suggest that we do things for the professor to show gratitude. I can't wait for my next math class. Next semester I get compressed algebra. These modern arabic numbers are so much easier to use. Incredible. I love the zeros, those would have made life so much easier.

Oh. I've got to quit thinking about my old life. I'll hit a thought like that and suddenly it is like I'm trying to breath in a sponge or the world goes dark and gray.

I just have to run.

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Dear Diary,

I'm back, the run did me good. Wolfie ran with me.

I feel bad, but I didn't feel like running alone. Not like we talk much (if at all). But it helps to have him there. I know, he had it a lot worse, but it helps, and he runs with me, so there.

I'm looking forward to Christmas. No one is sure if anyone will be back for the holidays. The Rukh sent two packages that arrived at the house with two spindle golems and a fu dog. The golems are to unpack the packages when it is time and the fu dog just told us he was there to make sure we didn't get into anything before its time.

That's not fair. Jean says that half of the fun of Christmas is trying to get into presents early. A temple guarding fu dog type isn't exactly the easiest to bypass, not to mention the spindle golems are sitting like statues on the packages.

Who knows what we will do when we get together.

.

"Wolfie...." "Do you have to call me that?" "Sure, until I think of something better. Anyway, aren't you the one who said that Ducks deserved the name?" "But my name really is Robert and I had it first, and I didn't run off with any lawacore." "Yeah, but Wolfie is pretty cute. Anyway, I can't make up my mind between hard fire and lightwalking. What do you think?" "What you really thinking about? " "I've never really had a Christmas before where I knew it was coming. I'm just wondering about it and what I should do." "We can talk about that, though I'll bet your Dragon-lady knows more about how they do Christmas here than I do. I'll tell you about home, the way it was for me." "At home we used to make a great cake, cooked flat in order to be rolled up like a log. We would whip creme and sweets together with eggs and then let it freeze in thin sheets in the snow. Then we would take the cake and after it had cooled, place layers of the iced creme on it and roll it up. Then it would be covered with Meringue and nuts, and eaten. .... It was great. Like cake and ice creme in layers, covered with candied cookies. We only had it once a year. I don't expect to ever have it again." "We didn't do gifts like they do here, just exchanged memories and each person gave a gift to the Church to go to the poor and we each had one person to give a gift to that we'd drawn by lots. The best part was taking turns, exchanging memories of all the good things we were grateful to each other and to God for. Then we would read from the scriptures and then break the Christmas Log as they called the cake. Then it was outside to play in the snow." "I used to dream of that when I had nothing but shirassea fruit. Dream of home and family and real food." "Oh." "I'm sorry, I'm as lost as you are. These aren't my people either." "Lets just run, ok?" "Ok."

.

Dear Diary,

Finals are almost over. I did talk with the Bitter King's advisor once. I made a quick visit up one weekend to pay my respects. I'm thinking that I don't need to know Minoan anymore. It would make it easier to learn the sylvian language if I let the Sihde tongue take its place. I might do that. Minos is gone and it isn't coming back.

I like Major Dragon. I need a cuter name for her, but I've got a Christmas present for her that I think she will like. She has been such a help with school and she has been willing to talk about everything. She just listens and listens whenever I feel like talking about the court or my life or anything. She is also such a help with the American Government and History. I really study that a lot and Major Dragon loves to talk about it and seems tickled that I'm taking the class so seriously.

Ari tells me that Ari and Amber have plans. After all, Amber hasn't really had Christmas either, other than Normandy last year. I'm not sure a Christmas with a religous order is normal. The great lodge was wonderful and the people were nice, and I'll never forget the way they made the Christmas story come alive, but no one in the group had ever had a Chrismas like that. I forget Amber wasn't even human-like when she first came here. But then the Rukh and Lightwalker adopted her.

I asked him, only once, why he hadn't adopted the rest of us and he just smiled and said "You have family, they aren't here, but you have them and you will be together again. As for you, I can't adopt you because you are still your father's daughter, and he still loves you."

He wouldn't say any more.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to Ari's Christmas plans. She and Jean and Marie have been working things up. Her parents are still back home and they've promised to do all sorts of things.

It should be great. And, we will all be together. Maybe then I can talk with Ducks. I've told them all about the city and the mountains and they are excited about a visit. The school has a great threshold that works like a gate and we should be able to travel directly from the one to the other.
.

I went shopping again, this time for the Major for something to go with the magic scarf I found for her. The scarf just makes a girl look prettier and slowly heals scars and old injuries -- a slow magic. The major has some nasty scars I saw when we were doing a little climbing together, though she tries to hide them instead of being proud of them, so I thought the scarf would be perfect instead of a nuisance. I hope she likes jewelry. I talked to her boss and mentioned gifts and Teal said they weren't allowed to take any. I just looked at him and told him "no gifts, no forgiveness, remember you still owe me something on that" and that seemed to do it. They let me break a rule and Dragon Major takes her gift or else. I think she'll like it, though I don't think she plays tennis, they told me that wasn't essential. It is a caret for each of the twenty years old she said she was when we talked. (I think she was joking, but I wasn't going to guess. I'd put her more in her mid-thirties, though these people don't age like we did in Minos. So tall too, though Major Dragon is shorter than some). I'm sure glad to have the Major around. She keeps her distance during the day, but we meet at my dorm room every night. As luck would have it, she has the room right next door to mine and shares the bathroom. I'm so glad it worked out she could be so close -- and she sure is cleaner than the last person I had to share with. I'm glad to be lucky this time.

.

"Child" The room was full of quiet sound. It was the Rukh, my guardian's wife. She had a small package, wrapped in pretty paper. "Child" she said again. I'm not sure I want people calling me "child," but with her, I feel like one. The fading rush of power was still around her. "This is your Christmas present, I fear we will not be back in time to give it to you, and wanted a word with you, lest you be disappointed in it." "This is a Na-Pavaise. I know, it looks too small, more like a war board or a forearm guard that just covers your forearm, and you will wear it like one, but it is more useful than you might expect." "And I know, you block and parry with your weapon, not with a shield, though you could, though this shield does not block well. But the magic in it will serve you well if you understand it." "You are not forgotten, even if we can not be here for you."

** Teal's talk with Tindalasse, Rukh's visit to the Shidhe Court.