The Fifth day of the Sixth month :

Tomorrow we reach Arima. The weather has gotten so much colder; I had to pull heavier things from our trunks. Back at the House the days are warm but where we go it is winter all year round and so we dress in heavy boots, thick pants and shirts and wear heavy cloaks to protect ourselves. I am so very cold… even the coal box in the carriage does little to keep me warm. Master once again sits with his arm around me to keep me warm… I don’t even fear punishment for the contact I am too focused on not getting sick yet again. Besides, where we go the Mastress of the Manor is much kinder, much like my Master himself.

Snow covers everything and the air is cold and wet; I think a strong hot tea will be needed by everyone who travels with us once we get to the next inn. It would be bad if Master were to get sick so close to the city and a shame if he were to spend his first few days there in bed after looking forward to coming for so long. As for myself, cold or no, I cannot stop smiling. It seems like Master and I have been dealing with demons for so long, and now suddenly everything is at ease. It’s wonderful being able to sleep without fear that something could happen to Master while I dream. He hasn’t had a Night Terror since we began this trip, though I still keep the lavender soaked handkerchief from the Mastress close when he sleeps, just in case.

I have managed to hem all of my things that were left unfinished before leaving the House, even with numb fingers. With that finished I was able to find some warmer things to wear but my biggest concern is making sure Master is warm and healthy. He certainly seems much better since leaving the House. The color has come back to his skin, the dark crescents under his eyes are fading and all in all he is looking more like I remember him being. He’s looking like he used to, back before the House became a place of trial.

My fingers are beginning to hurt from the cold so I will tuck my hands away and write more later.

The Fifth day of the Sixth month – later that evening :

It is late. We traveled a long way today and now stay at an Inn only a few miles from the city of Arima. Our small group crowds around the large stone fireplace in the common room of the Inn and for the most part we are alone. We have all gotten a warm meal in and now each one of us sits with a hot mug of tea to ward off the last of the chills. The air is calm and content, worries shed like cloaks. None of the men here care that I write in front of them, no one really seems to notice. I don’t think that I have ever felt quite as content as I do right now, knowing my Master is happy and that I do not have to hide of feel ashamed of any of the things I do… if this is anything like what Master dreams freedom is like, I do not mind a small taste of it.

The carriage driver has begun to sing… he has a wonderful voice… I should like to listen.

The Sixth day of the Sixth month – early morn :

Last night was great fun. After the driver began to sing, the others began to chime in as well, throwing in their own songs or singing along with others… it was quite lovely. What I enjoyed most though was when they quieted and Master began to tell a story. When he was a child Master greatly enjoyed reading legends and fables and tales, so much so that to this day he still has them memorized. I cannot think of last night without grinning; Master seemed to be returning to his old self.

He told the tragedy of the Black God and his Lover. Long, long ago when the Gods still touched the Earth, the White God and his brother the Black God had separate realms. The White God controlled all that flourished on the earth and that lived in the sea and that flew through the sky. The Black God dealt with everything beyond his brother’s reach: the Dead, the Lost, and all that had no place in land nor sea nor sky. As was his duty the Black God often made trips from his otherworldly home to the surface world his brother controlled to claim those that were to become His before they withered.

Upon one of these trips the Black God saw a woman who was more beautiful than anything he had ever seen before, and the Black God had quite an eye for beauty. He watched her; stunned and amazed, admiring the piece of pure beauty his brother had created in the shape of a human. His heart reached out for the woman and he took her with him back to his home with the intent of making her his queen; however, as soon as his lips touched hers she fell to the ground, her flesh cold and grey, her heart stopped in her breast. Alarmed the Black God cried out to the White God who, taking pity on his heartbroken brother, roused the woman from her sleep of death.

Having rescued her from death the White God took his creation back to the surface world where she belonged, leaving the Black God to himself. His love for the woman was painfully strong, but he could not have her without killing her first which he could not bring himself to do. The memory of her vibrant beauty was so vivid that in desperation to preserve his memory of her the Black God plucked his eyes out so that he would never see anything beautiful again. One eye he gave to the White God, a reminder that eventually all of his creations must eventually become part of the world of the Dead; the other he gave to his love so that she would always be safe and some part of him would always be with her.

Ever since that day all things that die wither before the Black God claims them so that nothing of beauty may ever enter his realm again and taint the memory of his love, and he comes blindly, indiscriminately and nothing may sway his judgment ever again.

Master tells the story much better than I do, so well in fact that it brought tears to the eyes of everyone who heard it. There are few stories more touching than that of a love lost, and last night I dreamt of the beautiful maiden and her impossible love. It was beautiful and terrible at the same time…

But now I must get washed up and eat first meal so that we can get in the carriage and make our way into Arima.

The Sixth day of the Sixth month – late evening :

It took much longer than expected to make our way into the city. The roads were icy and the horses were having difficulty keeping their footing and finding their way around the ice. It began to snow as well late morning, slowing our progress further because the snow was so fine that almost looked like a fog around us, hiding the world in white. Despite the slow progress Master was smiling so hard that I’m sure his face started to hurt. It was good to see him so happy.

By the time we passed inside the city’s walls it was early evening. A light snow was still falling but Master told the carriage driver to stop just inside the walls to let us out. We stepped out into the streets and the carriage went ahead to the fortress to drop off our things while Master and I walked for a while. The city is as beautiful as I remember, its Market brightly lit with lanterns. Some of the shops and stalls had candles inside colored glasses, and wreaths hung on doors, hardy winter plants climbed up trellises and everywhere people were smiling and talking and laughing. It almost seemed like an eternal holiday with all of its light and beauty.

Even bundled up with a heavy wool cloak and scarves and heavy garments I was still shivering. I never did do well with the cold. Master saw and once again rested his arm around my shoulders, layering a part of his cloak over my back. The chill in the air didn’t seem to bother him at all, and he simply led me through the streets. For a moment I dared to wonder if this is what it would be like if I weren’t a Pet… if I could ever be there for Master as anything other than one. That thought I quickly shoved out of my mind. There is no use wondering, it won’t happen.

As we walked Master bought meals for us from the stalls that we passed. Roasted apples, rolls filled with nuts and berries and small waterskins of mead to fight the chill. I felt like a child again, not a care in the world. It was just Master and I; no troubles with the House, no fear, and no restraints…The carriage came back for us after a short while and we rode in a contented silence all the way to the Fortress. Mistress Onna greeted us warmly at the door, her excitement as great as ours. She and Master hugged and she kissed him on the cheek and she even wrapped me in a warm welcoming hug before letting us inside.

Inside everyone else was almost as excited as the Mistress. The Pets of the Fortress came running to greet us, many of them childhood friends from our time here over the years. We were dragged into another room for hot tea and pastries, and there was much talk and laughter and happiness. Master has never been so calm and relaxed. Here at the Fortress most of everyone are like equals; the Pets still do the work and the Mistress runs the household, but it’s more like a giant family than anything else with Mistress Onna at the head.

After all of that Master and I took to the bathhouses; the Winter Fortress was not only grand enough to have one bath house, but two so that the men and women of the House may bathe separately. The hot water felt wonderful after so many days of cold I simply sat under the water for a while before quickly washing my hair and body and getting out. When I was dried and dressed I went into the hall and waited for Master, who came out shortly later and together we went up to his new quarters for the time that we’re here. The lanterns and a small fire were lit, his bed was turned down, and a feather filled cushion covered in heavy blankets with two small pillows lay by the bedside. Now I sit on the cushion as Master settles himself into bed, and I’m ready to go to sleep.

The Seventh day of the Sixth month :

Last night I fell asleep with Masters fingers in my hair once again. Last night he had no Night Terrors, and I did dream anything horrible or wake up with a feeling of dread. Right now I am sitting at one of the window seats watching the snowfall in the early dawn. I stirred the fire so that the room would warm before I woke Master, and laid out his clothes on a chair by the fire so that they wouldn’t be cold when he went to dress. It’s a wonderful and peaceful morning. Master looks so content as he sleeps, there is no tenseness about him at all. Its so unlike anything I’ve seen for the past few months which makes me happy. After I wake him I’m going to run down to the Kitchens and get a pot of tea and some biscuits to start the day. I know Mistress Onna wants to do a feast tonight as a welcome. She is much of one for celebration and finds any excuse she can to get everyone together which I think strengthens the familial bonds everyone here shows.

The sun is almost fully risen, I should wake Master soon…

It’s going to be a good day…