Storyteller

The course with Master Kimura finished yesterday. On Sunday we had three brown belts taking their Shodan. All passed and got their belts yesterday. As I've written before, I certainely learned a lot over the last couple of days, but it will take time to sink in. It has been a bit of information overload. The Elizabethan Dinner at Lumley Castle on Sunday was fun. Would have expected a little bit more food for the money they charged (and spuds and tomatoes are definitely not within the time period of the setting), but the entertainement that came with it was good (you have to be able to sing as a serving maid...). One of the othere guests need medical attention towards the end, that's been a little bit disruptive, but then, if paramedics are needed, they are needed.
All in all, it has been a good weekend. Tomorrow I'm back to work, at least it's a short week. I'm considering going to the Christkindle course in Steppach (near Augsburg, Germany), beginning of December, but that depends, whether I find enough people to share a car to Edinburgh Airport. Otherwise the flights to Munich would be too expensive (there's no direct flights from Newcastle, unfortunately).

Where were we, it has been quite I while, since I last told you of Derrick. Oh I remember, they were fleeing their home. They were riding hard for two days, only stopping, when the horses needed rest. I don't think, anyone would have been stupid enough to follow them, let alone in such a haste. Swamps are treacherous places, an this one was no difference, if anything, it was worse. One wrong step, and it might swallow you for good. Mav though didn't seem to be bothered. Either he knew his way very well, had some other means helping him, or he must have been plain stupid (But then as with many stupid people he would have been incredibly lucky).
On the morning of the third day they approached a small cottage. Well approach might be the wrong way to describe it. One moment, there was only swamp, and the next moment they entered a sunny meadow with a cottage not too far away. Derrick was too shocked by the sudden change to ask any questions, Mav didn't seem to be bothered at all. It was like he expected this to happen all along.
As they reached the cottage, the door opened and an old lady greeted them. She had white hair, and the wrinkles in her face told of a long and happy life. Still, something about her told Derrick, she was not to be messed about with, and it was better not to have to call her an enemy. Maybe it was just the place, but then, what does a place like this do in the middle of a swamp? The answer was magic. Derrick didn't know anything about magic, but he was soon about to find out.