Every week, I introduce more characters into the story through these posts, and so the length of my Nina's observations project keeps growing as Nina finds more people to observe...
At least I'll have a decent amount to work with when I actually start writing the ACTUAL story...
Journal Entry 31
Master left for Starfall City today.
I woke up, and the Tower was the same as it had always been; experiments bubbling away in my Master’s Lab, books floating about in the library as they returned to their shelves after being abandoned on tables and chairs the night before, the broom wandering about on its own in search of dust to sweep away.
It just lacked my Master’s presence.
I knew he had gone on his trip and had not just gone off to town. I could always feel his magic when he was nearby, could tell how close or how far away he was by the strength of his aura. But it was gone, completely. And there were only two reasons why I wouldn’t be able to sense it.
And I doubted he was dead. He was old, but he wasn’t elderly.
I’m disappointed by the fact that he didn’t let me go with him, and that he didn’t even wake me to say goodbye, but it won’t be for long. He’ll be back soon enough, and life will go on as before. In the meantime, I shall continue my project. He’ll be disappointed in me if I take the opportunity to slack off just because he’s away.
Hmm. A door in the foyer is open. I do not recall it ever being open before. I shall have to investigate later.
Villager Observation 7 - Lord Bryson Stonewood
Continuing on from my last entry, I have continued to observe the Stonewood Siblings. This time, I’ve been spending my time observing the brother, Bryson Stonewood.
Bryson is very much like his sister. He spends much of his time at either the Stonewood or Fairwood Mines. However, where his sister is willing to put her safety and life on the line at times, disappearing deep into the mines to work with their employees, Bryson doesn’t often wander far into the mines, if at all.
He’s usually inspecting the ore that’s brought up from below the surface, or in the mining office. He’s more focused on the business side of the mines and is rarely seen around either mine without the Overseer or the Co-owner at his heels.
However, Bryson is a little different from his sister as well. Where Gloria seems unwilling to commit to courting and betrothal, Bryson has a fiancee. She does not live in Willowdale - not at present - but she does visit frequently. I do not think the woman likes Willowdale very much - I have seen her a few times, and she never looks particularly pleased. I guess the town isn’t up to her standard. Not enough shops, perhaps, or other upper-class families.
I do not know if Bryson’s engagement is one that was arranged, or if he actually courted the woman. While the answer might make all the difference in my final opinion of Bryson, I do not wish to ask.
I have noticed that Bryson doesn’t spend nearly as much time in the town as his sister does. Whether it is because he is too busy - with Gloria running off pretty much every day, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is swamped by the paperwork necessary to run the mine - or if he doesn’t like the place nearly as much as she does, I also do not know. It is hard to get close enough to him to find out anything of real use to me.
He does seem protective of his employees, and their families. The Stonewood Estate, I have discovered, has many small houses built on its land. Many of the miners and their families live in those houses. They are safe within the tall walls of the Stonewood Estate, though the gates stand open most of the day, and only close at a certain time at night.
I learned that it was Bryson who had the houses built and insisted the miners and their families live in them. Prior to that, they lived in small shacks close to the mines, which were unprotected by the greedy former Caretaker. As such, they were exposed to the dangers that lurked outside of Willowdale, far enough away that help wouldn’t reach them immediately.
It gives a bit of insight to Bryson. He would rather have those people safe, and let the mines fall into the hands of bandits if it must than he would allow them to be killed or threatened by bandits, or worse.
I am still not entirely sure how I feel about Bryson Stonewood. Further observation is required, but that will have to wait until I am a little more confident around the townspeople.
And with Master gone, for the time being, that might be sooner than I’d hoped.
For now, however, I shall move on to observing the Fairwood sisters.
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