** Nota Bene: I do not own Suikoden or any of its characters.
Master of Budehuc Castle: Thomas's Journal (Jitterrue)
Once upon a time there was a castle. A small castle off in a remote area, near a lake. A run down, dusty castle......a castle whose populace didn't even exceed eight people per square mile....and even less than that. Yes, this was the not - so - famous Budehuc Castle.
And one, not so very special day, this castle received a new Master. A young guy, from some place up north, it's everyone's favorite castle master, Thomas!
Well! Have you ever wondered what Thomas does all day long? What does he write in that journal that Sebastian prepares for him everyday?
It's time to take a little peek into Thomas's journal and see just what it's like to be him.
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Day 1,
....Hello. This is Thomas. I came from the Northern Outlands to be the new master of Budehuc castle. Hmm. I don't quite know what to write. I've never really been any good at keeping records. But...It seems to be a duty of the castle master. Which I am. Castle master. Sounds so odd. It feels odd too. I don't feel much like a master. I kinda don't want to be one. Don't tell anyone (I hope Sebastian doesn't read this) but.....I don't really know if I like this castle. Besides the fact that I have no clue what I'm doing, I mean.....Look at this place! It looks like some kind of ancient ruin. There are holes in the walls and I believe there are only 6 other people living here!
Well any ways. I suppose I should start with how I got here. Well, my mother passed away a month ago. Just before she left me, she told me to go to Zexen so that I may attain a good life. So, of course I did. I was allowed to enter the Zexen castle to meet a council man, the one that I have ties to. He was a very very busy man. He looked me over a bit and then told me to go to some place called Bede Castle. ....No....that's not it. Buddy Hok castle. Er....Buheduc.....Budehuc. I don't know how to spell it. Heck, I can't even pronounce it. Do you think, Diary, that the council man was trying to get rid of me? He did say something about solving 2 problems. Hmph. Well, I'd rather not think of it.
Back to today. I'm going to finish up quickly. I grow tired. I met the castle tenants today. Their names are Martha, Piccolo, Sebastian, Juan, Muto, Cecile, and Eike. I shall speak of them more tomorrow.
-Thomas
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Day 2,
Hello. I'm feeling a bit hungry. Not only is my castle drafty, we have no money. None! And we are beginning to run out of food. All of us, all six of us that is....only ate breakfast today, and we lack a cook so poor Sebastian does it, on top of everything else he does. So I have taken the responsibility of devising a plan to making money for this castle. I say, we cannot live much longer with out food on our plates. After I took a mid afternoon nap, I explored my castle and had a chat with my tenants.
I don't suppose I blame them, but the people here are really quite odd. Muto, well for one thing, is a...a human dog. I was put a bit aback at first, but now I feel quite used to it. He works in the storehouse underground (I call it the cellar) where he deposits my items. And now that I think on it, he does seem exceedingly trustworthy.
Then there is Martha. From the moment I met her, she offered me a lottery ticket. I had to decline since, I've nothing myself, and how on earth she could ever pay me if I won, I do not know. I don't believe the old woman ever meant for me to win anyway.
And Piccolo, the fortune teller. I asked him to tell me my fortune and he said that if I stumbled upon a purple creeper I might find a screw. What? What on earth does that mean? Perhaps the old man was toying with me.
Then I stumbled upon a corpse! Well, at least I thought I had. I wandered into the library and tripped over a chair. When I stood and looked I saw....this terribly ghastly face! But it was nothing so interesting as a body. It was only Eike. I gave him my apologies but, he said nothing to me.
Sebastian was the first person I met. He's the round, butler. Every time I see him he is too busy to talk, always rushing this way and that. For a while he seemed to disappear completely. So for today, I did not disturb him.
Then, I talked with Cecile. She is the captain of the gaurds.....the only guard. And therefor, I officially appointed her. It seemed to make her happy and she jumped around me a bit and bowed and talked on and on about how she'd never let me down. Well, I'm quite happy that I gratified her so. heh.
Finally I met Juan. He was asleep when I walked past him. I didn't really want to wake him, but when I started messing with his little jujitsu dolls he woke up. He told me to just go home. Apparently this castle has seen many masters, and none of them remained for more than a month. Well. I certainly hope I don't end up like that.
-Thomas
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Day 4,
I have finally come up with a solution to all of our problems! I've decided to lease out this land to whoever wants to open shop. Yes, the outlands have done it, I see no reason why we can't! It'll be great, there will be people from all over the land, all here in one spot, trading and playing games. Yes, and that should definitely give this castle just what it needs. Truly, its our only hope. I'm going to send word out to the world tomorrow. For now I'm going to take another nap.
Oh and Eike has been missing for quite some time now. I wonder where he has gone?
-Thomas
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Day 8,
I tried a few times to go out and tell everyone about open shop opportunities at my castle but as soon as I left, I was attacked by giant spiders and rabid rabbits. I almost died but somehow I survived. I think if I was hit one more time I would have died.
How am I ever going to do this?
-Thomas
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Day 9,
I'm bored. I've already taken four naps today. I see why Juan sleeps so much. I also got lost in the Cellar. There's a ship down there and its actually really cool. And then when I found my way out I took another nap. Tomorrow, Cecile and I are going out into the world. With the two of us, we may be able to survive.
-Thomas
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Day 13,
Hello again. I've just come back from my travels. I went to Vinay del Zexay, the Zexen bridge, Duck Village, Iksay, and I did meet several Karayans. It seems their village was burned. How terrible. When I walked back into Budehuc, I saw shops already starting! There were people just there, meandering, there was a horse rancher, now I have a cook! There were large duck people and even a Lizard-man. Things are beginning to look up.
-Thomas
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Day 20,
Good morning! I've begun to grow quite fond of my castle! Everyone is working so hard. Already the money is coming in and the town is finally seeing some activity. A woman came to me this morning saying that she has lost her son, Thomas. Odd isn't it, that we have the same name. Juan apparently had told the boy the he had tackled a lion on Mt. Hei Tou. (I doubt that's true.) So Juan, Cecile, Piccolo and I went up the mountain to find him. We finally found him being attacked by a wild boar! I was never much of a fighter, but with the others with me, we defeated the boar and took the boy back to his mother at our castle. I was so proud of all of us. I feel much more able to defend myself as well.
Eike is still missing.
-Thomas
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Day 30,
Alas! I've received message from the Zexen council. It seems that they disapprove of my friendliness with Grasslanders. It seems they have the power to force me to close off access to the Grasslands. The nerve! It makes me quite angry. Why can't they leave me and my affairs alone? Martha conducted a search in my room for an old parchment, a valid paper that said that Budehuc castle was territory of both Grassland and Zexen. We found it. And I presented it to the council. They resisted it, but I think they will leave us alone.....for now.
-Thomas
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Day 47,
Haha! Have you heard of the new scam? It seems Martha and Piccolo have a deal between each other. Piccolo tells people that their future is to win the lottery so they buy a ticket from Martha. Very clever. I've been reading our new Newspaper. I find Erks adventures quite amusing. As a matter of fact, Cecile and I have a new secret code. haha. Its Erk in Danger! haha. I'm going to take a nap.
Eike is still missing.
-Thomas
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Day 50
Guess what! We've had our elevators repaired. (I've heard that there are strong men in the walls that pull the levers, but I'm not so sure. I've never seen them or heard them.) All I did today was ride in them, up and down, up and down. And then I discovered a new floor underneath the cellar! No one, not even Martha knew about it. It seemed that the elevator was the only way to get to this layer so it makes sense that it hasn't been discovered until now. Juan, Piccolo, Cecile, Sebastian and I went down there to check it out. It was dark, very dark. And there were little monsters down there too. I can't say it was too pleasant. But at the end of it, we found none other but Eike, who had been missing for weeks. It seems that he goes down there often to read, away from all the hustle and bustle. It was a relief to find him, but there is one question that remains unanswered.
How did Eike get down there in the first place?
-Thomas
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That's it for now! Next time, I'll conclude the story.
A preview for Next time on Master of Budehuc Castle:
Now that the castle has begun to prosper, word of it has reached Zexen. Grasslanders prosper from Budehuc, and the council does not like this at all! Will Thomas have to give up his place as castle master, even after all of his hard work? And what about the rumors about the Fire Bringer in the castle? Who will they meet and will the castle survive trouble?
Tune in next time for the much more action-packed 2nd chapter!