The 20^th Day of the 8^th Moon of the Year

We just finished helping out at the healer’s. It is not looking good for Sarah. The healer says the stab wound probably pierced her heart…and she is lucky to even be in the condition she is in. She has lost a lot of blood and has not woken up. I can tell Franklin is very concerned, but he is taking it a little far. It took almost an hour for me to convince him that sitting outside reading and writing would be safe. As a matter of fact, he is hovering over my shoulder at this very moment. I am not sure why he is behaving like this; he has never done it before. I feel like it has something to do with the assault, but I cannot see why; people get assaulted by thieves along trade routes all the time. Whenever I ask him why he is behaving this way, he always responds with, “It’s my duty to protect you,” and then says no more. Yes Franklin is one of our best and most loyal guards, but he has never taken his job so seriously. It is making me worry, but I am not sure how I can learn any more information on what is going on.

I tried to distract myself from everything that is going on by picking up another book, Tales of Dragons and Fairies. I was intrigued simply because pairing dragons and fairies together in one book seems odd. However, I just could not concentrate on the book and ended up rereading the first page five times and I am still unsure of what it said. Images of yesterday and the condition of my fellow travelers kept flashing through my head. I am worried that I will never be able to sleep or concentrate on anything again. I have no idea of how to keep from having these memories. I am also not looking forward to writing the letters to my parents as well as the palace. I am going to have to be crafty with my parents’ letter because I do not want to tell them exactly what happened, but I have to explain that I will be staying in this town for an indeterminate amount of time. How am I to say all of that to my mother, because I know she would be upset if the letter was strictly for my father? The letter to the palace will be far easier, but still difficult. I am not entirely sure who I am addressing that letter to and I am unsure of the idea of explaining anything to them as well; they might also report to my parents and then they will know I was not telling the truth, not necessarily lying but not fully truthful.

Franklin is indicating that I must go. Maybe he can help me with the situation. I will have to remember to talk to him after lunch.