Giacomo's Journal (Part 4)

Day 23

My strength is fully returned, Petruzzo. I’m sure you are relieved to hear it. My days here among the Alin have been extraordinary. Any misgivings I had about my adventure during my days baking like a game bird in the desert have long since vanished. I would not trade these 23 days for one thousand times their number among our own people.

Fezzi speaks to me entirely in Vinci. This is frustrating for two reasons. First, I wish to learn Alin, which is made far more difficult by his reluctance to use it. Second, his mastery of our language, while rapid, began only three days ago. We still have some difficulty communicating, as you may well imagine. I would pay handsomely for a capable translator.

One thing which is clear enough – my strength has returned none too soon. The Alin camp is a sandstorm of activity – quite literally. Most of the structures here are made of nothing but magically bound sand, sometimes lined with ornate fabric, as was my own tent, but just as often not. I’m sure it must make caravanning a much easier process. I am uncertain if my recovery was well-timed, or if the Alin were waiting for me to regain my feet, but as soon as I had, they lost no time in preparing to depart.

In fact, dear brother, I am writing this now from the back of a massive scorpion, rigged with saddles and bridles, much as a Condottieri dragoon would outfit his horse. It is a remarkably smooth way to travel – the creatures many legs glide over the sand, where a horse would be forced to trot or gallop. I am having no difficulty writing, aside from Fezzi’s near-constant interruptions. I have tried, in my limited Alin, and in his limited Vinci, to explain what I am doing. He smiles, and nods, and asks again a few moments later. I cannot be sure if his confusion is genuine, or if this is an example of Alin humor.

We are traveling deeper into the heart of the Alin Kingdom, though my only point of reference is the path of the sun in the sky. The dunes are endless, and they all look quite alike to me. The path is peaceful and travel seems easy, however. We have encountered no bandits, or monsters, or any of the marauding genies that you conjured up to give me nightmares while camping in the woods near Vernazza as boys.

We have traveled for hours now. I am grateful for the light clothing Fezzi has supplied, as well as a very well-crafted pair of shaded glass goggles. I have never seen their like, and asked about how they were made, but I’m afraid my limited grasp of Alin must have clouded my question. As near as I could tell, I asked “How make dark glass?” but Fezzi reacted as if I’d just uttered some sort of curse. He looked around, as if afraid someone had overheard me, and gestured for me to be silent. I nodded, not wishing to give offense.

But I will make a point to ask again, when my Alin is less clumsy.

Your brother, always.
--G

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