July 6th

After a seven day walk, we finally reached Freta. We used a gold piece to buy ourselves a few months rent. It is not a shabby place. Quite decent, actually. Two bed rooms (not that we need them both), a kitchen, a sitting room, and a dining room. Has a cozy feel to it. I don't know exactly how long we will be living here.

At the time of our arrival and into the next day my arm was still not doing well. Meaning I still needed to go to a healer. The pain was tolerable but any stress made it worse. So on the evening of the 4th we stopped by the healing center.

We were checked in and told to sit and wait. Finally a woman in her mid twenties called us to her office.

She is one of those people you could pick out of a crowd. She had strikingly blue eyes. And they were not the normal blue; they were a dark blue.

“Alright, little lady, you can sit on the bed.”

(Oh. I forgot to mention that to avoid suspicion and and those who might be searching for me, I am now acting as Summer's 11 year old cousin/servant. We have yet to agree upon which. I am now under four feet tall.)

“You may sit next to her, miss.” The woman was addressing Summer. She sat next to me and I had to strain my neck to look at her face which was feet above my own.

“So what is your relationship?” Summer must have given her a questioning look because she clarified, saying, “Oh, you are just new faces for me. I just wanted to know a bit about you.”

“Well, we are cousins.” I glared at her from where I sat, but only for a second. I did not want the woman to notice.

“Oh, and can you tell me what happened? To her arm, I mean.”

Somewhat forgetting my role as a child, I butted in. “I fell, hitting it against a rock, and then lifted something heavy.”

She bent down next to me, gently taking my arm in her hands and examining it. “That must have been something really heavy for it to do so much damage.” Summer stiffened next to me. With my free hand I grasped hers, squeezing slightly, trying to convey that it was not her fault and that I did not blame her. The woman took it all the wrong way; she thought I was scared, which worked for me.

“Don't worry. I will have you fixed up in no time.” I gave her my best attempt at a weak smile.

She rolled up her sleeves and then grasped my arm. The air around my arm glowed green, and the pain in my arm began to fade. When she was done my arm felt stronger and the pain was all gone.

“See. All better.” She turned to address Summer again. “Her bones are really mature for her age. They are more like the bones of a young adult.”

Summer and I both stiffened at that. “Oh. It is not a bad thing. It just means she won't grow much more.” Oh, the irony.

Summer recovered first. “Oh ok.”

“I would like to have you come by once a week for the next six weeks. It is just sa that I can check to make sure the bone I still good. The first will be tomorrow.”

Summer nodded.

“The name is Lyn. Just ask for me when you come by.”

“Ok. Well my name is Tara. See you tomorrow.” I waved enthusiastically as we left.

When we were home Summer knelt in front of me and gave me that “what are you playing at” look. “Tara?”

“Well, yeah. If you were to run into someone we know, wouldn't it be strange for you to be living with a little girl who happens to have the same name as your bodyguard?”

She sighed. “I guess you are right.”

I grinned as she invited me to bed. “Of course I am right. One of us has to be.”

“Well Tara, lets go. I am tired.”

I hurried into a pair of very baggy sleeping clothes. I could not stay as 'Tara' the whole night and so I wore clothes that were fine for my normal size.

I jumped into bed and snuggled up next to Summer.

The next day I visited Lyn again. She said my bones were fine. I will visit her five more times to make sure but I should be alright.