The caravan trundles away from the great walls of the town and I fall in with the other guards. Two mercenaries, four adventurers and an old ranger I don't know make up the rest of the guards. The old man is the only one I get along with among them even though he keeps to himself. The mercenaries look down at me but are skilled enough I don't take offence. It is the adventurers that annoy me are the sons of minor nobles with no more than a spark of magical ability between them but talk like they are supreme tallents and direct desendents of the throne.

When not on scouting duty I mostly sit and talk to Macias or sleep. His wonderlust is infectious. Every nuonce of nature I point out to him is met with awe and more questions. When I am not talking I am being swept away by new ideas for performance and am used as a test subject for tricks. It turns out years spent in a forest surrounded by dangers has made me difficult to fool with unrefined slight of hand and minor magics. Olivia joins us some days and introduces her own take on everything, giving us both lessons on how to dance, play cards and improve on the slight of hand we have been learning.

Other than my friends and obligations the two magic users in the caravan have fascinated me. They are easily the most reclusive and cryptic performers. The two are a couple with the husband being a minor oricle and fortune teller and the wife being an illusionist. They are both somewhat old but it is impossile to track their ages as their appearance changes day to day, especially the illusionist. Since the day I fond out about their magic abilities I have been pestering them to teach me to no avail. They seem to have some ammusement teasing me and giving me clues as to their magic but the clues are indecipherable at best. When they don't want to be pestered I can never find them.

I find it somewhat amazing that we encounter monsters so infrequently. I am used to at least several fights a day in the forest even with stealth and a fast travelling speed that avoids dangerous areas. The most annoying part is that myself and the old ranger have to ignore the occasional weak creature in order to prevent the adventurers from moaning about how bored they are and how their tallents are wasted sitting around. This is especially irritating as it has caused some of the mercinaries distain. They only see the creatures we miss and not why we missed them.

Some nights we stop at hamlets. Each time the troup performs and trades with the inhabitants they also gather information on celebrations that are likely to occur and other matters. I am informed with great pride that the information networks available to performers is the largest in the world as it spans class, boarders and religion while recording the matters of even the most inane of communities. They do admit that the networks are often unreliable due to their nature as story tellers and that information from distant lands are harder to access but are proud nether the less.

It does not take long before we reach a jovial and busy village. Immediately decorations are being made and recovered. A middle aged man comes. "I am glad you have come." he calls. "My son has just married to the third daughter of a noble in the town near here. We would happily have entertainment for the party tomorrow." The proformers that prefer the softer fixed beds are welcomed into the rooms above the local tavern and the rest, including myself are greated by a clamour of gwarking onlookers. Due to the schedualed celabrations tomorrow there are not as many of the usual small performances or displays of trinkets. I soon find myself exhausted by the constant interactins especially with the children. As if in answer to my silent plea a hand taps me on the shoulder. The old man signals I should do some scouting for pests and monsters. I nod and wander away. There isn't really a need for the duty in such a large village but it makes for a perfect excuse for some isolation. Thanks old man.