Sarah Siruleanne

UP: Napa Valley

    It seems there are interesting things a foot in our land.

    First a gypsy woman buys a house in Britain and while buying a house is not a new thing, a gypsy buying a house in a city is not an everyday thing. Tarina Faa is the woman's name I discovered after speaking to the record's clerk in the Hall of Records. It seems she went to the Hall of Records not long after I saw her at the small house on the north side of Britain.

    The lady inquired after the house's current owner and when the clerk looked it up there was little information to be found except the owner's name. Cross-checking the name with death records ,the clerk, an elder man names Stewert Tide, discovered that the owner had died a short time ago. Then, after opening a few more ledgers and rustling a number of parchments, Mister Tide made one more discovery, in the man's will, he had left the building to the city to dispose of at will.

    Mister Tide smiled and said "All she needed to do was to pay off the balance owing on the old place and the transfer paperwork charges then I handed over the key. Can't understand why she would want the dump though." With that said he turned back to his filing and forgot I was there. It seems she even paid gold out of pocket to cover the charges and left with the deed in her hand.

    After my wee talk with Mister Tide, I took a walk past the old place to see what I could see and low and behold I saw scaffolding out front, a sign that said "Sold! Renovations at request of new owner" and with a rattle of the front door handle, I discovered that the door was locked! That lady does not waste any time now does she?

    It seemed that this it was the day for news! While I was standing there trying to peak into the window, a young man, wild with excitement came running up to the house and started pounding on the door. I asked him what he was so excited about and was amazed at his answer. "A blue dragon," he said not quite able to catch his breath. "I be seeing a blue dragon! On t'other side of Trinsic. It was such a purty blue and I ain't never seen one like that a'fore."

    "Why are you here?" I inquired.

    "'Cause the lady, that Tarina lady, said she was looking for one. I was hopin' she would give me a reward fer the news," he said with a lopsided grin.

    "Well lad, she does not seem to be home right now. Perhaps you should return later," I told him.

    "Yes mi'lady" he responded, his tousled brown hair sticking up a bit farther after his attempts at a courtly bow.

    "Well then" I though to myself as I saw the young lad run off toward the west side of Britain, "I knew this lady was one to watch! And I bet there will be more to learn. I will have to get her a house warming gift when the house is finished up and introduce myself... maybe I will even get to see what she has done to the inside of the place!"

From the Town Cryer - The Journal of Ultima Online, Sunday, July 11th 1999