Arri and Keish

Winthrop to Keish- March 9, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

March 9, 2004

Dear Lakeisha,

Your ability to jump to conclusions is amazing. I never had possession of the mirror and did not know the Chronicle was missing until we returned from Onoff. As for their placement, I will refer you to Trena of Solutuns. If you do not know how to contact her, I believe Nysa can help you. The lioness and I have not spoken since she suggested I jump from a griffon’s cliff. Just because I can speak to animals does not mean they do my bidding. If I had known about the attempts of Gessair on your life, you can be sure that I would not have encouraged you to confront him. I would have done that myself.

As for my use of magic: yes, since the incident in the cave I have been placing wards around the cottage and the apartment. I wouldn’t need them, if it weren’t for the constant haze of magic Nysa, Arri, and Liop leave from their spell-casting. I expect Nysa knows about them. I haven’t asked her. If she hasn’t told Arri (and thereby you), it isn’t my fault.

What exactly were you doing that disrupted my wards the other night? If you’re demanding to know why I have them, then I demand to know why you need to disrupt them.

I have not lied to you; I stand by my beliefs. Magic is dangerous, much more so than anything else you could choose to practice. More than one magician has been killed by her own magic, and I pray everyday that you won’t be next.

Please be a little more careful before accusing me of hypocrisy. I hope I have outgrown that weakness.

Your uncle,

Winthrop

Arri- March 7, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

March 7, 2004

A couple of days after the dinner with Phyfe, he sent me an invitation to attend the opera with Taty, Master Jemond Telesforo, and himself. Oh, the opera is magnificent! We had a balcony for just the four of us and waiters served us hot cocoa and cookies. I spent most of the money you gave me on a pair of brass opera glasses and a rose-colored fan which Taty said I must have to appreciate the experience properly. She had never been to an opera either, but knew all about them. The music was beyond anything I’ve ever heard before. They sang in Iconese, so Phyfe leaned over to translate in my ear. The story was terribly tragic, even more so than The Lady in the Forest. Taty sobbed through most of it and Master Jemond looked very nervous trying to comfort her. I finally leaned over and told him not to worry—that Taty was crying because she was happy. Fortunately, Taty’s tears are very quiet, so I was able to hear the music. The scenery and the costumes were gorgeous, so much more elaborate than the plays I went to as a child. I do hope I can go to another opera next season!

After the opera we rode home in Phyfe carriage. The sky could not decide whether to snow or drizzle, but it was not so wet as to be uncomfortable. We dropped Taty off first and Master Jemond walked her to the door and kissed her hand. He was a perfect gentleman. Next we dropped him off. That left Phyfe and I sitting opposite each other. He leaned forward.

“Did you have a good time?” he asked.

“Yes, it was wonderful,” I said.

Phyfe smiled.

“May I call on you, Lady Arri?” he asked.

I froze. For a moment the words hung meaningless in the air. Call on me? Call on me???

“Yes, if you want to,” I stammered. Phyfe reached across the carriage to take my hand in his. I don’t remember much else, except that he walked me to my door still holding my hand. And like Master Jemond with Taty, he kissed my white glove before he left.

“Is everything all right?” asked Uncle Winthrop when I walked in, “You look stunned.”

I didn’t answer. I was looking at my white-gloved hand, feeling mostly confused.

“Arri,” Uncle W. commanded my attention, “I trust young Lord Tecsin was a gentleman? Did you have a good time”

“Yes,” I said absently, “it was lovely.” I would have liked to give him all the details of the opera, but I wasn’t sure I remembered them anymore. Kestrel jumped up on the back of the sofa and meowed.

“Anything else you’d like to say about it?” Uncle W. was looking at me rather sharply. I realized my face was very red.

“Yes,” I began uncertainly, “Lord Phyfe asked if he could call on me.”

“Ahh…” said Uncle W., but he didn’t looked surprised. In fact his expression was rather too neutral for the significance of what I’d just said. “And you responded…” he prompted.

“I said that he could, if he wanted,” I admitted. Uncle W. smiled with amusement.

This morning a bouquet of hothouse flowers arrived: yellow roses and white daisies. Phyfe’s calling card was attached. Uncle W. surprised me by coming home for lunch. When I asked him why, he only smiled and shook his head. Phyfe arrived a few minutes later and I realized Uncle W. meant to chaperone us.

Keish, it was so awkward! Phyfe sat next to me on the sofa and Uncle W. sat in the arm chair. He asked Phyfe what brought him to Rousha out of season. Phyfe smiled at me and said that his parents felt it would be good for him to be around more people his age. Uncle W. asked about his education and they talked about college for several minutes. Phyfe graduated with a business degree just last year, so they compared notes about which professors were still teaching. Then Phyfe tried to draw me into the conversation, but I felt too awkward to say much. I don’t think I said more than five words the whole hour. At the end Phyfe kissed my hand and asked to call on me again. I said that he might. Then I spent the rest of the day trying to study, but all the while wondering why Phyfe would want to repeat the afternoon’s disaster again. Could he really like me?

March 9

I got your letter last night. I read most of it to Aunt Nysa. She was furious.

“Something must be done,” she said, looking exactly like the woman who yelled at me in the cave for the first time since I’ve known her.

“But what?” I asked, looking down at your letter and rereading the parts about Uncle W. silently to myself. Uncle W. doing magic behind our backs?

Nysa grabbed my hand and closed her eyes.

“What…” I started.

“Concentrate on the caves,” she told me, “we’re going to ask the lioness.”

The lioness!

“Do you know her?” I asked as we hurried down a corridor of a cave a few minutes later.

“No,” Nysa admitted. She was sounded less sure of herself now.

“Do you know where she is?” I asked next.

“She must be somewhere in the caves,” Nysa said. We were turning corners right and left so fast that I would never find my way back to the practice chamber where we arrived. Nysa tugged at my hand and moved faster, despite the fact that we were wandering. Her anger frightened me.

“The lioness is the guardian of these caves,” Nysa explained, “if we delve deep enough, we’re sure to attract her attention.”

“But will she be angry?” I asked.

“We’re Brios; we have as much right to be here as she does, maybe more.”

That really frightened me. It sounded too angry. I was sure the lioness wouldn’t like it. I tugged at my hand in Nysa’s, trying to slow her. We turned one more corner and… Oh!

The lioness was crouching just a few feet away. Silvery-gray wings folded neatly against her back. Her ears were half back and her gold eyes bore into us with pupils narrowed to slit. Her tail lashed back and forth behind her.

Nysa came to a sudden halt. I bumped into her, but held my footing. Angry as she was, I expected Aunt Nysa to say something, but she didn’t. The echoes of our last movements faded into silence.

“May I ask your names?” The lioness’s voice was low and undercut with a slight growl.

“Nysa Brio,” Aunt Nysa sounded more nervous than angry now.

“Arrietta Fae Etautca,” I said quickly, and I curtsied, wondering if curtsying was a good thing to do to show respect to a lioness. Perhaps it was. Her ears came forward and her tail stopped lashing. She sat down , wrapping it neatly around her feet. I could hear her wings rustling as she moved.

“My name is Trena of Solutuns,” she said softly, “I’m very pleased to meet you. Jezreel Fae Brio was a great friend of mine.”

I think I heard Nysa’s heart restarting. I know mine was. The lioness studied us intelligently.

“You look like you have a lot on your minds. It’s not often people come looking for me and I love company. Would you follow me to my chamber?” She turned slowly, somewhat stiffly, and led us further down the corridor. We followed in silence.

The lioness was old, white hairs scattered evenly throughout her tawny coat. Her pale yellow eyes had creases in their corners and wrinkles, softened by fur, lined her forehead. Her movements were measured and graceful. Nysa looked utterly awestruck, her earlier fury vanished entirely and the subdued, shy persona so familiar to me returned.

Eventually we came to a chamber not much larger than my bedroom in Rousha. The ceiling was arched and natural looking. Torch patterns flickered from sconces along the walls. The floor was covered with a thick layer of fresh hay. I wondered briefly where the hay might have come from, but I didn’t ask. Over the hay, several blankets, one nearly identical to Uncle W.’s quilt that Aunt Rawnal made. The lioness curled up on it and indicated that we should also be seated.

“We’ve met before, of course,” she said conversationally, “but neither of you will remember.” She purred, not exactly like a housecat, but a low, uneven growl that somehow was still benign.

“We’ve met?” I asked.

“Yes, Arrietta,” the lioness said, “when you were a baby.”

“Arri,” I corrected automatically.

“Arrietta,” the lioness responded, her purr deepening, “you may not care much for your name, but Jezreel loved it. The listening fairies were very angry when I prevented them from taking you.” Her expression was very much like Kestrel’s when she’s just stolen a lick of cream.

“Why…” I began, but Nysa interrupted me.

“When did you meet me?” she asked.

“At the same time,” the lioness told her, “we needed fairy magic to work the spell that would protect Arrietta.” She shook her head, “This is no place to begin,” she told us, “let me try again.

“When you were two, Arrietta, Ellean foresaw that the fairies would try to take you. Jezreel was very clever and she brought you here. These caves are neutral territory for both man and fairies. She knew that you could not be taken from them. Perhaps she would have hidden you for the full six years, but it would not have been good for you. So we devised a spell that would protect you until you came of age. Of course, we needed Nysa’s power to complete it.” She turned to Nysa, “the amount of power involved was tremendous. With your simple fairy’s memory you could not have been expected to recall it afterwards.”

“But I did recall the promise,” Nysa said softly, “to protect Arri if anything happened to Jezreel.”

“Yes,” agreed the lioness, “a fairy will remember a promise, even when they remember nothing else. The listening fairies erased most of your memory after each human encounter. They couldn’t erase all of it though, and Jezreel was expert at maneuvering around their spells.”

She kneaded her claws contentedly into the quilt.

“I did love her visits,” she reminisced, “Jezreel had a spell that could ease my arthritis, and she told me everything about the outside world. I’m very old Arrietta, so old that leaving this cave for any great length of time would kill me. It is the magic of this cave that has allowed me to live so long.”

“You don’t look so old in my fairy book,” I commented.

“Jezreel was very kind,” the lioness purred, “Now you must tell me all about yourselves, and what you have been doing since your mother died.” She was looking at me more than Aunt Nysa, so I began to talk. It was awkward. The lioness wanted details; she got frustrated and interrupted with questions when I tried to skim over anything. Nysa said nothing, but I could feel her eyes on me too. I didn’t like it, describing Mother’s funeral and Father’s disappearance. The lioness growled slightly when I told about going to live with Uncle Winthrop.

“You ought to have gone to Adlen Leilani,” she said. I wanted to defend Uncle W., but I couldn’t, not with your letter fresh in my mind. I simply continued talking. Finally, I got to Gessair and everything that happened in the cave. I added the parts you told me in your letter about Uncle W. planting the Chronicle and the mirror for us to find. Suddenly, the lioness interrupted, her voice indignant.

“Winthrop plant the Chronicle and mirror?” she demanded, “is that what he claims.”

I was taken aback.

“It’s what Lakeisha believes,” Nysa said, speaking for the first time since I began my tale.

“It’s very anthro-centric,” the lioness growled, “Winthrop had the Chronicle, yes. I stole it from him. But Ellean gave me the mirror many years ago. I was the one who planted them for Lakeisha to find. Winthrop should have given Arrietta the Chronicle when he received it among Quin’s belongings. It was never his to begin with. I only restored Lakeisha’s ability to fulfill the prophecy, which Winthrop would have denied her.”

“But what about the wards?” I asked.

“There were no wards when I stole the Chronicle. Winthrop must be getting paranoid.” Here she smiled. “We’ll come full circle at last, I believe.”

“But he’s been using magic with the stone,” I protested.

“If he is, it’s more recent than you think. In these caves everyone speaks the same language, so, as you have noticed, there is no need of a stone to speak to me. Now, tell me more about Imato and Gretel.” She began kneading her claws again.

I talked until I fell asleep. When I woke up Nysa had brought me home. I immediately got up and finished this letter to send you. I will talk to the lioness again as soon as possible. Nysa’s says she liked me very much.

I suppose you must have survived the wedding, or did you turn Prince Euan into a fire newt after all? That would have gotten you out of going I’m sure, and it’s not like he doesn’t deserve it.

I need to post this letter, so I will end here. I hope all is well with you.

Love,

Arri

Go to NEXT Letter

Keish to Winthrop- March 7, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

March 7, 2004

Dear Uncle Winthrop,

How dare you.

How long have you been using magic? Or did you never really stop?

It was you. You’ve been in contact with the Lioness. You knew where I would have to go and what I would have to do. You made arrangements for her to leave the book with Darius and the mirror in the cave.

I should have known. We wondered how Darius got the Chronicle. He seemed to know I was coming. Were you responsible for leading me there, too? It was too dangerous to leave the Chronicle in the cave with the mirror, so you arranged for me to get it elsewhere.

How dare you lecture Arri and me about using magic. At least we don’t lie about it.

You are going to tell us everything. Whether you like it or not.

And don’t tell me not to give orders to my elders. You lost that argument when you started lying to us about everything. You even lied to my Father.

You arranged everything and then still had the nerve to be unhappy in the cave. You knew exactly what was going on, and you weren’t happy with me.

I want an explanation. I’m demanding one.

Go to NEXT Letter

Keish- March 4, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

March 4, 2004

Oh, Arri,

You mustn’t blame yourself. It’s not like you’re trying to hurt people. And Liop’s fine.

If you’re really worried about it, you could confine your practicing to the cave for now. You haven’t been causing havoc there.

Maybe you should add lessons from Brynn to your schedule. She probably has more experience with compensating for the change in atmosphere. I know you’re terribly busy already, but it’s something to think about.

How can you help Uncle Quin if you aren’t practicing and learning?

Using magic to find out when something will happen! Now why didn’t I think of that with Gretel and Imato’s wedding?

Oh wait, I did.

Gretel forbade me, saying it would be completely unfair if I knew her wedding date before she did. I decided she had a point.

I’m going to wait a few days to do it, though. Divination seems to work better at the new moon.

Mar. 5

So you’ve seen Lord Phyfe again, have you? It sounds like you had fun. Too bad he’s not in Rousha more often. How long is he staying? And who is Lady Bashiyra? (I’d ask Jace, but he and Imato are off doing… something. They were rather vague as to what.)

Vanessa and Euan are getting married in three days. I still haven’t figured out how to get out of it.

I met with Master Byra today.

“Why didn’t you stop the argument about literacy sooner?” I asked before he could say anything. It’s been really bothering me.

He smiled. “I needed to see if you were dedicated enough to see this through.”

I sat abruptly in the chair across from him. “It was a test.”

He nodded. “I firmly believe in what we’re doing, but I don’t have your financial power. I needed to make sure you could weather the storms of criticism we’re bound to encounter.”

“I guess I come across as fairly flighty,” I said, only a little bitterly.

He shrugged. “You are young.”

I wanted to spit my tongue out at him, but that seemed too much like proving his point, so I decided against it.

“You’re no more flighty than your mother was,” he added, “and she was a fine woman.”

I smiled. “Thank you.”

I showed him the curriculum outline I had prepared. Once we had worked that out, I said, “There is another subject we need to teach.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Science,” I declared firmly. “I want a scientific laboratory in every school.”

Now the other eyebrow was up too. “A user of magic promoting science?”

I nodded. “We’re teaching science.”

He considered a moment. “Okay. I can agree to that, but it will have to be kept to the basics-- and limited to older students.”

“Agreed.”

I stood and he shook my hand firmly, treating me like a true colleague for the first time.

I liked it.

Mar. 6

Two days until the wedding. I’m so glad my work on a school for girls made me an “inappropriate” choice for a bridesmaid. Poor Gretel.

Tonight is the new moon, so I will definitely perform the divination tomorrow.

Evening

I ran into Prince Euan today.

I bowed as slightly as one can get away with around royalty and kept walking.

He actually grabbed my arm.

I cannot tell you how badly I wanted to use the techniques Jace and Imato have been teaching us.

“Lady Keisha, I hear you’ve taken up teaching. Such a waste.”

Oh, how I wanted to use those techniques! He does NOT have my consent to call me that.

I removed my arm from his grasp and smiled tightly. “Your father doesn’t seem to think so.”

At first I thought that was going to stop him, but no. “How would you like to come be my model instead? So much more suitable for a pretty young lady.”

I couldn’t stop myself. “How would you like to become one of your own wedding decorations?” I asked sweetly. “I hear there will be fire newts on every table at the dinner.”

You should have seen his face. I think he almost swallowed his tongue.

I bowed again and left as swiftly as I could.

I complained to Gretel and Jace (and Imato, though I don’t think he was as impressed as he should have been by my restraint).

“This was why we got him to notice Vanessa!” I wanted to scream as I paced around the room.

“She won’t sit for his paintings anymore,” Gretel said. “She told him it was dull.”

Maybe I didn’t give Vanessa enough credit.

“So she told him to ask you,” Gretel added, trying not to laugh.

Then again, maybe I did.

Imato was laughing. Jace didn’t seem to react.

“Why me?” I moaned, sinking into a chair. “He could have asked you, Gretel.”

She hesitated. “Well actually…”

I sat up straight. “What?”

She looked to Imato for help. He sighed. “Of course he wouldn’t ask Gretel. She’s engaged. It wouldn’t be appropriate.”

“So, let me get this straight. It’s wrong for him to ask an engaged woman, but being engaged himself doesn’t make it wrong to ask unengaged women?” I shook my head. “That’s insane.”

“Unattached women are fair game,” Gretel said. “I don’t agree either, but it’s the way it is.”

“She’s not unattached,” Jace said quietly. “And I don’t appreciate him ignoring etiquette like that.”

My eyebrows shot up. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him offended by a breach of etiquette. He’s never bothered when I do it.

Imato pointed that out.

“She’s not trying to slight people,” he retorted. He smiled at me. “Unless they really deserve it.” Turning back to Imato, he finished, “A courtship is an attachment, and Prince Euan should know better.”

And with that he announced he was taking a walk.

I wasn’t sure what to say. He told me finally the other day that he had asked Papa’s permission to court me (back in January!) but that he wouldn’t push me to make it any more official or formal. I liked his idea of just letting things be natural.

Maybe I should have let him make it more official.

But I don’t think that would have stopped Euan.

Mar. 7

Thank you for enclosing the hair. I might have been able to do the divining without it, but it’s a far more complicated spell. Remember the time I knocked myself out trying to divine answers about the Brio magic? Decent chance it would happen again.

So I set it all up in the library-- cleared a small table, set up the candles, put the hairs in the middle… And it hit me-- this is what the mirror is for! I haven’t done anything with my mother’s mirror since bringing it back to Adya. But this is what it’s for. This is why it goes with the gift of divination.

I ran and got it from my room right before lunch, but didn’t have time to do anything else since Gretel was dragging me off to one last wretched lunch with Vanessa before the wedding. (I barely survived.)

But I digress.

After lunch Gretel went to watch Imato spar with a couple of other squires (including Kaplan, whom you’ve met, I believe). Jace asked if he could watch if he stayed quiet. That felt right, so I agreed.

I fixed what I had set up. With the mirror on the table as the surface, my gift should be much stronger.

Except it didn’t go quite as planned.

Everything started out fine. I started the incantation and sprinkled the pennyroyal… and everything went black.

I had interrupted someone else’s spell.

Does Nysa realize Uncle W. has been doing magic in his study?

I know he hid it from you.

He was using a large stone. It’s the missing magical object; the one that goes with the gift of talking to animals. It allows him to call to them from a distance.

He arranged it all, he must have. The lioness had the Chronicle and the mirror, and they just happened to appear where we needed them.

The book, mirror and stone are all linked, that’s why I stumbled on his spell. He must have wards set up to keep us from finding out and they knocked me out when I tried to use the mirror. But I saw him.

I wrote a brief (and demanding) letter to him and soon as I recovered and sent it express. He will have to answer all of our questions now. I’m going to force him.

Papa is very surprised. He didn’t know anything about it. Uncle W. lied to everyone.

I just thought of something. If he has wards on the apartment, that could have affected your magic. I’m guessing you did compensate properly for not being in the cave, but you couldn’t compensate for wards if you didn’t know about them.

I don’t know what he was doing. He’ll have to explain that too.

Evening

Jace made me rest for a while before attempting the divination again.

This time I did a spell first to check for Uncle W.’s wards. He must not have been using the stone, though, because there was nothing.

April 8th! Glory will definitely have her foal April 8th. It looked like late morning. Everything seemed fine, but I don’t know anything about the birth of foals. Nacks was there, and Mendel, and you. You looked so happy and calm.

Now you can plan your trip. You won’t miss it.

I’m going to send this in the morning. You may still get it before my express to Uncle W. You don’t have to confront him if you don’t want to.

Love Always,

Keish

PS The wedding is tomorrow… I’m afraid I’ll have to go. Blast.

Go to NEXT Letter

Arri- February 25, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

February 25, 2004

Dear Keish,

I've just had my first lesson with Master Imkell and he is much less like a drill sergeant than Uncle Winthrop. Honestly, I think Uncle W. was feeling the strain of having to prepare lessons and remember information he hasn't needed since he took the entrance exam himself, so many years ago when he was in his twenties and it was after he failed at farming in Onoff and "came to some sense of reason" as he puts it.

Uncle Winthrop gave me a lecture on not telling anyone about my studies until I've actually passed the entrance exam. He doesn't need to worry though. I don't want everyone knowing how foolish I am if I fail.

Aunt Nysa and I spent over an hour this morning looking at objects in the cave. There are so many! But as Imato would say, "We have nothing of interest to report."

I received a note from the young Lord Phyfe Tecsin. He returned to Rousha for a holiday this week and is renting the Anther House. He sent me an invitation to a dinner party. It's a very formal looking invitation, but at the bottom in more casual scrawl are the words: "No dancing required". I think I will accept.

February 29, 2004

It's supposed to be bad luck to study on Leap Day, so school was out for Liop and Master Imkell cancelled my lessons. It seemed like a rather silly superstition to me, but Liop and I were glad of the break. Uncle W. went to work as usual and Aunt Nysa wanted to be alone, so I let her shut herself into our room. For myself, I decided to cut up Treany's old yellow dress and use the best parts of the fabric to make doll clothes for her little sister. The Dinettes have invited me to stay with them when Glory has her foal. I'd like to have some gifts to bring with me.

It was almost time for lunch when Liop came wandering out of the big bedroom that he and Uncle W. share. He looked sad and frustrated.

"What's wrong?" I asked. He held up a vase that I'd never seen before. A large ragged crack marred one side of the red glazed porcelain.

"I promised Clive that I would fix this," he explained, "but the small repair spell won't work on it and I can't get enough magic into the big spell to make it work." His voice cracked as he admitted this.

I was surprised. Liop uses magic so often that I've always assumed he had plenty of magic. I've only used the large repair spell once, but I was able to get it to work with a lot of concentration. It does take rather more magic than most of the other spells in the Basic Spell book you gave me.

"What happened to the vase?" I asked Liop.

"Clive's new puppy knocked a side table over with this on it," Liop said, "His mother will be awfully mad if she finds out."

"Here," I said, reaching for the vase, but Liop didn't hand it to me.

"I want to do it myself," he said stubbornly.

"Okay, let me watch you," I said.

Liop ran his fingers along the crack and recited the spell three times. He frowned with concentration, creasing the cream skin between his eyebrows. I put my hand on his shoulder and felt the magic build and disperse. He was right. There wasn’t enough. It seemed strange that Liop wouldn’t be able to build up enough magic, although when I think about, I’ve never seen Liop successfully complete a spell that required this much magic.

“Maybe you just need some strengthening,” I said.

That’s when I made the mistake. I should have gotten Aunt Nysa to help, but I thought I could teach Liop myself. Actually, the idea of teaching him excited me. First I showed him the levitation spell, and he mastered that easily. It doesn’t take much magic for small things and Liop is a quick learner. Then I tried to teach him the strengthening exercise where two people pull or push.

I thought I had adjusted for not being in the cave, and we were only using a dinner roll. I set it on the floor between us and we chanted the spell together using the adjustment.

But I didn’t have it right.

The roll shot straight up into the air like and rocket and burned a hole in the ceiling almost through the roof! Liop was knocked unconscious. Keish, I almost killed him! I almost killed Liop! Aunt Nysa heard the explosion and came running. I was already kneeling next to him. Together we carried Liop to his little bed and knelt over him. I tried to think clearly.

Aunt Nysa wrung her hands together and began to pace.

“I don’t know healing,” she said, “why didn’t they teach me healing!” Her panicky cry wasn’t helpful. I shook my head, trying to clear it.

“Herbs!” I remembered, “get me some herbs and then run for a healer or a doctor.”

Aunt Nysa obeyed. She brought me all the herb jars from the kitchen cupboard jumbled into a basket. Then she disappeared out the door. I found the chamomile and sprinkled it over Liop’s face, chanting Mother’s peace poem over and over, feeling the magic build in me and willing it into Liop, unformed though it was. After several minutes, Liop slowly opened his eyes and looked around.

“Liop?” I asked.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. He reached up to rub his eye and found the crumbled herbs dusting his face, “I’m not sick.”

I was so relieved that I laughed. By the time the doctor arrived Liop was sitting up and insisting that nothing was wrong with him. The doctor examined him and agreed. He was not someone I know and I paid him without ever asking his name. He didn’t really do anything for Liop anyway.

Liop has no memory of the accident or anything after he and I decided to try the strengthening spell. He wants to try the spell again.

Keish, why is it that when my spells go wrong other people get hurt, but never me? It’s not fair. I should be the one getting hurt. Nysa says it’s my resilience. She says it’s very unusual for someone to be both magical and resistant to magic at the same time but I am. I wish I could teach it to Liop.

March 3

Last night was the dinner party with Phyfe. There were eight of us in all, including Taty who was in raptures over the whole experience. It was her first formal party since she turned sixteen and without even trying she managed to steal the evening. I was glad of her presence. She sat next to me at dinner and nudged me when I tried to use the wrong fork for my salad. Phyfe has a strong sense of style, so the dining hall was very elegant in two-tone tapestry with white porcelain accents. Lady Bashiyra said it was the height of modern fashion. It was beautiful and much simpler than the traditional decorations I saw in the castle. I liked it.

After dinner, true to his word, there was no dancing. Instead we played charades and other parlor games. Some of the guests gave performances at the harp and piano. Lady Bashiyra accompanied Taty in a song and everyone said it was the best performance of the night. And of course Taty stole the show at charades. I was my usual awkward self and stayed out of the way as much as possible. Phyfe insisted I play on his team for most of the games and sat next to me during the performances. He asked me if I liked the games better than dancing and I said that I did.

At the end of the night Phyfe insisted that Taty and I ride home in his carriage. The night was cold and clear. Taty asked me if she had behaved like a lady and I said she was much better at it than me. She insisted that she was too loud and showy. We argued this point for a minute until Taty was convinced I was telling the truth. Then she sat back in the carriage very happily and let me watch the stars the rest of the way to her house.

Taty danced up the steps to her home and the carriage driver waited until she was safely inside. The rest of the ride was quiet. I held my breath going back through the gate to Old Rousha.

I haven’t tried to do magic again since the accident with Liop. Aunt Nysa says I’m overreacting. She’s getting angry. But I’m scared. I don’t want to hurt anyone again.

I am still studying with Master Imkell. In fact, not going to the cave gives me more time to study for the exam. Uncle W. hasn’t commented on this.

I have your letter. Imato and Gretel are getting married July 26th! I’m so glad! July is a beautiful month. Liop says he will enchant the flowers again.

All those arguments with people sound exhausting. I can’t imagine how you survive them. You must like getting out of social invitations though. I’ve gotten out of some of them, but not all. So far they have all been luncheons and visiting calls—nothing formal. Fortunately, Taty gets invited to most of the same things as me, so I’m not entirely alone.

Lord Salazar and Lord Pastile sound very frustrating. It’s too bad Queen Elspeth can’t attend your meetings with you. I bet she could make them cooperate.

I wish my education had included navigation. Then maybe I wouldn’t have gotten lost when I went looking for Uncle Winthrop. The other subjects you’re going to teach sound great.

Zest sounds adorable! I can’t wait to see her. She must have so much energy! Colter is a very calm dog. When we aren’t out walking, he curls up in front of the fire to sleep. He sleeps very deeply. You must bring her with the next time you come. Blaze should be able to get used to Zest. Kestrel rather likes Colter, now that she’s discovered how warm he is. She curls up between him and the fire. She only gets frustrated if he tries to lead the way to visit Father. Then she swats him (claws sheathed) to remind him that she is in charge. Colter makes a sound like a sigh and drops back to my side.

I’m going to end and send this now. I know I need to start magic lessons again, but I’m just so afraid. I hope things are going better for you.

Love,

Arri

P.S. I’m enclosing some strands of hair from Glory’s mane. Can you perform a spell to predict what day her foal will be born? I know it’s supposed to be the first or second week in April, but I’m so afraid of missing it. I want to be there for the actual birth. I’ve never seen a foal born.

Go to NEXT Letter

Keish- February 26, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

February 26, 2004

Dear Arri,

What have I gotten myself into?? I’m ready to run away and join a band of Numaries! Four days, I’ve been meeting with Master Byra, Jace and the others for FOUR DAYS and I’ve decided I’m in over my head. We haven’t accomplished much of anything! I’m starting to seriously envy you. I think I’d rather be studying it all than trying to plan and teach it all! My head is spinning . I’m not even sleeping enough to have nightmares.

Speaking of nightmares-- I think taking the square root of the General of Greste would probably be far more interesting than reading about him!

One thing that makes planning better than studying is that I don’t have to actually do any math! It’ never was my best subject (hence my having to have the treasurers go over my figures for the funding!). I definitely won’t be teaching any math!

I don’t suppose your studies could get you out of society invitations? My meetings certainly are. I’ve barely even seen Gretel. It does get me out of seeing Vanessa, thankfully. With the wedding coming up in just a couple of weeks, she’s more insufferable than normal. Poor Gretel is with her almost every day! I think Vanessa is even annoying Imato.

I’m glad Liop is becoming comfortable at school. You can tell him that I probably won’t be allowed to teach anything interesting, se he shouldn’t feel too disappointed that I’m not teaching in Rousha. (Okay, so you shouldn’t really tell him that. It’s a little too disillusioned. It’s how I’m starting to feel with all of this ridiculous debate, though. And if they try to make me teach Feminine Politics I’ll… well I don’t know what I’ll do. I’ll have to learn some good curses. Turning them all into newts just doesn’t seem like punishment enough.)

Later

Jace says I’m not qualified to teach Feminine Politics. I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or an insult.

Feb. 28th

I almost had to fight a duel today.

I guess I’d better start at the beginning, right?

After what I wrote the other day I fell asleep reading in my chair in the library. So yesterday I woke up stiff and rather disoriented. In bed. Which was decidedly confusing. Apparently, Papa and Jace found me when they were finally going to bed (the sky had clouded over) and carried me to my room.

Anyway, I was stiff and in a rush, so I wasn’t very patient yesterday.

We were debating literacy.

(Can you see where this is going?)

“I fear that literate servants would jeopardize privacy,” whined Lord Schnauzer for probably the eighteenth time. (No, Schnauzer is not really his name, but his face reminds Jace of your dog. His name is really Lord Salazar.)

“Reading has to be the basis for any education we can provide,” Jace replied-- again-- with one hand firmly on my arm since he could tell my temper was quickly boiling to the surface.

“But how could we send servants to deliver private messages if they might read them?” This time it was Lord Pastile. I honestly don’t even know why he’s involved. Lord Schnauzer is a Lord of the Treasury, so his presence makes sense. I don’t like it, but I understand it. Lord Pastile, though, does not seem to have a purpose. I think he’s there to help us find somewhere on the grounds to hold classes, but I’m not holding my breath on the “help” part.

“That,” I said in the most even tone I could manage, “is what sealing wax is for. Besides, who says the servants even care what it says?”

“I’m sure my wife’s maid would read any private missive she got hold of. She’s a useless gossip,” he sniffed.

“Then it doesn’t sound as through she were a maid worth keeping, literate or not,” Master Byra responded. Amused, if you can believe it. “I think we should adjourn until tomorrow. King Menion has asked us to end early because of the state dinner.”

Which I thankfully did not have to attend.

I told Jace I needed to get out of the palace before I exploded, so we went for a long horseback ride. Then had a nice quiet dinner with Gretel and Imato. (Papa was with the king, of course.)

So this morning-- the debate started all over again. Finally I stood up (almost knocking over my chair, but Jace caught it).

“If we aren’t going to teach them to read, there’s no point in educating them at all!” I yelled.

“Marvelous,” replied Schnauzer, “then we won’t bother.”

I started to splutter. “You… pompous… BULLY!” I practically shrieked.

Lord Schnauzer stood also. (His chair did fall over.) “If you were a man…” he began dangerously.

“You’d challenge me to a duel?” I asked hotly. “Please, don’t let that stop you. My magic against your sword-- anytime, anywhere.”

“It would be unfair to fight a woman,” he replied disdainfully.

“You’re right,” I shot back, “you’d better bring a couple of friends with you to make it even.”

Jace was standing at this point too, ready to jump in, but knowing that I could handle it.

“In my day, a man would have dueled anyone who insulted his lady so,” Lord Schnauzer sneered at him.

“I don’t believe Ancient History is the subject under discussion,” Jace said quietly, effectively distracting me from my desire to lean across the table and throttle the blasted man.

Master Byra banged his fist on the table. “Enough!” he roared.

Jace held my chair and I sat down with a dignified nod. Lord Schnauzer was still blustering.

“Sit down!” Master Byra ordered. “That’s enough. We’ve wasted nearly two full days on the subject of literacy. Lady Lakeisha is correct-- if we’re not going to teach the girls to read, it’s pointless to be teaching them at all. We teach reading and writing,”

I gave a sigh of relief and Jace relaxed next to me. “I will teach those,” I said, daring Schnauzer to contradict me.

Master Byra nodded. “Agreed. I believe young Master Jace mentioned history--” he said, his eyes twinkling merrily, “where do we stand on history?”

“Everyone should be taught the basic history of Arella,” I said decisively.

“It’s similar to literacy,” Jace added. “History should be part of the base.”

Even Lord Pastile agreed with that. “I suppose if we’re going to teach them, we ought to do it correctly.”

“I know of three tutors of history who I am sure would help us,” Master Byra said. “I will speak with them tomorrow. If one agrees to teach at the palace school we can have the others work in the city.”

“Would you teach Mathematics?” I asked him. “Here at least?”

He smiled. “Certainly. I always enjoyed teaching mathematics.”
Lord Schnauzer grumbled, but we ignored him.

“I’d like to teach basic astronomy and navigation,” Jace put in. “Just a short course. Everyone should know the basics.”

“I have another request for a short course,” I said, turning to him. “The history of Elcaro. With such close ties between Adya and Rousha, it would be prudent to include their history as part of a basic education.”

Jace looked to Master Byra.

“I was going to suggest it myself,” the older man replied. “If you would teach those two short courses and one more…” he trailed off, looking at Lord Schnauzer. Clearing his throat, he said simply, “I would like you to teach basic self-defense.”

I nodded quickly. “Very wise. It may be the most useful thing we teach, especially in the city.”

Lord Schnauzer started to protest, but I cut it short with a lethal glare.

“I may require an assistant from the guard,” Jace replied, “but I’d be happy to teach the basics.”

Schnauzer was starting to look like he was going to throw a shoe. (You know that dangerous look horses sometimes get!)

Master Byra must have noticed, too, because he said “Lord Salazar, I believe you can cease troubling yourself about these meetings. Lady Lakeisha’s funding estimation seems more than adequate. If we need further funding approved, we will of course let you know.” And with a smile my nemesis was firmly dismissed.

We aren’t meeting tomorrow because Master Byra is going to speak with some tutors about teaching positions. It’s not really a break for Jace and me, though. We need to start preparing a curriculum. I think we’re taking the next day to work on them, too.

Gretel is going to help, though, and Imato said that if Jace will leave the self-defense stuff until the afternoon when he’s free, he’d love to help. I think they mean to make us try our their lesson ideas. (Since my run-in with that Narl, Imato has become quite the advocate of women learning self-defense. Jace has already shown me a couple of things, too.)

March 1st

Oh, Arri, I may never move again! Your brother wasn’t kidding about making Gretel and I try out the lesson ideas they came up with! It took them a few minutes to get used to the idea that the only way it would work would be for them to play the part of the attacker. Once they overcame that trepidation, however, they really jumped right in.

We spent FIVE HOURS learning just three moves. Jace was pleased with our progress after just a couple of hours (so was I, frankly) but Imato was insistent that everything be perfect! However did you get such a taskmaster for a brother?! Absolutely relentless!

“They won’t do you any good if you don’t do them correctly,” he kept saying. I think even Gretel was ready to hit him if he said it again.

So Gretel and I have decided we deserve an honest-to-goodness day off and once I’ve finished breakfast… I’m going back to bed. Utterly lazy of me, I know, but I’ve earned it. We told Imato and Jace to practice on each other today and leave us out of it!

Afternoon

I am officially Gretel’s favorite person! Okay, not really. Actually, I think it’s your father who’s her favorite. I dreamt of him again when I went back to sleep this morning. He is so calm when I dream of him now-- so much more like how he used to be.

I told him you were studying hard and he beamed with pride. Then he said simply, “Tell Imato to marry the girl already!”

I laughed and the dream faded as I woke up. I rushed to dress and ran into Gretel as she came looking for me.

“The boys have tired themselves out finally and come for lunch,” she said. “I was just coming to see if your were going to join us.”

I grabbed her hand without a word and nearly dragged her back down the stairs.

We burst into the breakfast room (really it’s where we always eat) startling Imato and Jace. They were giving us decided odd looks as I pulled Gretel in and sat her down next to Imato.

“I dreamt of Uncle Quin again,” I began, “and this time the message is for you, Imato.”

He squirmed a little. I don’t think he’s really comfortable with the idea of your father coming to talk to me in dreams.

“What was it?” Gretel asked.

“He said, and I quote, ‘tell Imato to marry the girl already.’” I sat down by Jace in triumph and began to eat. Jace was laughing and Imato just looked kind of stunned. I think he’d have looked less surprised if I had walked in and used one of the self-defense moves on him. Gretel was looking down, blushing.

It just confirmed what Gretel was saying the other day-- now that Imato is so close to having his knighthood they can’t put off choosing a date forever.

“So, you’ll get your knighthood in July when you go to Rousha for Tulson’s wedding, right?” Surprisingly it was Jace who finally broke the silence.

Imato nodded, not entirely confidently. Gretel seemed to be holding her breath.

‘Well,” Jace continued, “my mother has always said that the south garden would be perfect for a wedding the last week of July.”

I must say, even I was surprised. Who’d have thought it would be Jace, of all people, who would give them the final push they needed.

“July 26th,” Gretel whispered.

Imato looked at her thoughtfully. “The beginning of the week for the beginning of a new life,” he said softly.

She looked up at him, her eyes asking more eloquently than words ever could. He nodded simply and she threw her arms around his neck.

Jace squeezed my hand briefly and we wandered out to my garden to let them talk.

And, no, there’s not much to see in my garden this time of year. Honestly, there was still a tiny patch of snow in the corner that we cleared away. It will be a few weeks at least before there’s a whole lot to see.

March 2nd

Papa heard about the almost duel.

“What were you thinking, Keisha?” he asked at dinner last night.

“He started it,” I said petulantly.

Naturally, Gretel and Jace were laughing. Imato just shook his head. I think he sometimes wonders how we could possibly be related. “You do know dueling has been illegal for years, right?” he asked.

I rolled my eyes. “Of course I know that. Like I said, he started it. He’s a bully. He even mocked Jace for not jumping right in to defend my honor.”

“Well, Jace knows better,” Gretel said. “If he had done that, he’d be in trouble with you too.”

Papa sighed. “I should probably be scolding you, but you’re right, he is a bully. Did I hear it right? You said your magic against his sword?”

I nodded. “I’m not stupid. I know I wouldn’t stand a chance with a sword.”

“And he wouldn’t stand a chance against your magic,” Jace said proudly.

Papa just shook his head in a way that said “Where did I go wrong?”

I like the idea of pushing or pulling an object between us with magic. It sounds like an excellent challenge. I wonder if we could pull at it three ways and include Nysa.

I told Imato about it, but he cut me off by saying, “Don’t even ask. I don’t even have enough magic to lift something, let alone try to pull it away from you.”

Jace received a note today from Master Imkell. He says you are a very promising student (which we already knew). After just one lesson, he seemed very impressed by what you already knew. He seems very likable.

Oh! Thank you for sending the pitcher! It’s so lovely! Sadly, I haven’t had time (or energy!) to try to figure it out. It’s quite a puzzle. What other fascinating things have you found? (I feel like you’re getting to have all the fun!)

I had better close. This is getting quite long and will be too heavy soon!

Oh, but Jace is pulling me away, insisting that there is something in the library that I must see. I suppose I will go see and then finish this up. He says you’ll probably want to know all about it.

Later

A DOG! Jace decided, after seeing yours, that I needed a dog also. She’s a lovely soft-coated wheaten terrier. At a year old, she’s still practically a puppy-- full of energy. So naturally, I named her Zest. She’s very sweet and has curled up at my feet. Blaze isn’t quite sure what to think, but he isn’t hissing at her, so I suppose they’ll get along.

Anyway, I promised myself I would send this off before going down for lunch, so I’m closing now.

(Aren’t you glad Gretel and Imato finally picked a day?!)

Love always

Keish

Go to NEXT Letter

Arri- February 24, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

February 24, 2004

Dear Keish,

I think I have never been so busy in my life! In the early morning I visit Father, but I mustn’t linger because Aunt Nysa is making breakfast and she expects me home in time to eat it. I finally worked up the nerve to tell Uncle Winthrop about the magic lessons and he took it very calmly (at least while I was still in the room). So after breakfast Aunt Nysa and I go to the cave and spend the rest of the morning practicing magic. Lunch, if I’m lucky, is brief and simple. But sometimes there are invitations to tea which Imato and Taty say I mustn’t neglect. Eventually, I’m sure I will run out of people to embarrass myself in front of and then maybe the high society of Rousha will leave me alone. Oh, Keish, it’s not that I don’t like people, I’m just not very good at talking to them! In the afternoons I review what Uncle W. taught me the night before so that he can quiz me on it when he gets home, and then there is so much more to learn! I am forever poring over books and charts. I had no idea the world had so many countries and I don’t know if I will ever keep the names of all their leaders straight. And the math! I thought I was good at math, but now I realize how much more there is to it. My head spins just writing this paragraph, and last night I had a nightmare about trying to take the square root of the General of Greste, whose name I can never remember.

Liop is no help. He has a new friend named Clive who follows him home everyday and the two of them make such a racket that I send them to the park if it isn’t snowing, which it usually is. One good thing about Clive is that he prevents Liop from doing magic. Uncle W. told Liop that if he and Clive ever tried a spell, Liop would have to switch schools. It was a very effective threat since Liop is only just becoming comfortable at the public school.

I do wish winter were over already, but we still have a few more weeks, at least.

As you have noticed, I sent you a water pitcher. Aunt Nysa found it in one of the cave chambers. I was practicing magic and she was wandering around looking for objects that might stir her memory of Mother and Ellean. She found this. It didn’t bring back any memories, but look on the bottom: your full name, Lakeisha Nerys Leilani, is etched into the glass. That’s why I’m sending it to you. Can you feel the magic in it? It almost pulses, it’s so strong. Magic is flowing through the swirled blue pattern. It’s beautiful. Aunt Nysa says it’s very old. She can’t tell what the enchantment on it is meant to do, but she believes it has been there for centuries. If that’s true, how did your name come to be there?

Tomorrow Aunt Nysa and I are going to look to see if there’s something with my name on it. There are parts of the cave that Aunt Nysa remembers as clearly as she remembers the land of the fairies. But the caverns are so vast and intertwined that it would be impossible for someone to explore them all. Listening to her talk, it sounds like the whole mountain range is practically hollow.

Aunt Nysa’s magic lessons are different from the way Brynn taught you. The first part of each morning is spent using the strengthening and precision exercise that she taught me the first day. Then yesterday, she added an exercise that is less about precision and more about strength. First she taught me to suspend an object in midair. It’s the same spell you use when you throw things at people that annoy you. It took me all morning to master it, so we had to wait till today to use it in the exercise. For the exercise, both Aunt Nysa and I cast the spell together on the same object (a rock). Then we try to pull it towards ourselves and away from each other. It’s like tug-of-war with magic. Then we switch and push the object toward each other. It’s exhausting. Aunt Nysa says I should try the exercise with you next time we see each other. Brynn couldn’t teach you this one, because her magic isn’t strong enough to give you a challenge. When two people of greatly unequal strength try this exercise, only the weaker person gets stronger. Two people closer matched, however, can strengthen each other with it. I guess that means Aunt Nysa, you, and I are all closely matched.

Practicing magic in the cave is a lot safer than practicing in the apartment. I’ve noticed that a lot of the spells Aunt Nysa knows don’t work the way she expects them to the first time. She says it’s because she still isn’t used to being outside of the fairy ring. The atmosphere is different and the spells have to be adjusted to compensate. The cave has the same atmosphere as a fairy ring. After the first day, she hasn’t jerked my arm while taking me to the cave. She also says that my body is very resistant to foreign magic and that Gessair must have performed a very dangerous spell when he tried to drain me.

As I wrote this, I just realized that since I’m learning fairy spells in a magical cave, I’m going to have to adjust everything I learn so that I can use it outside the cave, the same way that Aunt Nysa does. I wonder if Aunt Nysa has thought of that…

I have been reading in the Chronicle. It’s a difficult book to read. I can never be sure when I open it that the same stories will be in the same place. I have been trying to find mention of a water pitcher, but no luck so far. The last page I read contained a list of Brio people who have made wands over the centuries and the dates they made them. As you would expect, it’s not a long list and at the top is Brio of Thalthin. I didn’t recognize any of the other names on it. The last wand made was over a hundred and fifty years ago by a man named Abuk Reddox. I didn’t know the Reddoxes were related to the Brios. I don’t think any of them have magic now, at least not that I’ve heard about. Old Mr. Reddox is a butcher. He has seven grown children scattered and married throughout the city. I buy a chicken from him once a week. Maybe I should ask him about his ancestor some time.

Liop and I are so glad you like the chalk and erasers! Liop says you ought to come and teach in Rousha and then he would attend your classes. I asked him how he would like to be the only boy in a class of all girls. He said if I could do it, (meaning sit in a college class with all boys), so could he. I suppose he’s right, but I don’t think I want Liop studying Feminine Politics.

Your dreams about Father are comforting. I wish I could have them too.

I did not find out about your birthday ball until the day of your birthday. Taty told me as we were having tea with Lady Hiro and Lady Clara. She’s known about it for a while, but she couldn’t tell me, because no one trusted me to not tell you. They’re right. I would have told. Taty said that Jace intended to dance with you all night on the balcony under the stars, until dawn if you let him, and the band would keep playing. I think that you probably enjoyed yourself more than you’re telling.

Master Imkell arrived this morning and left his card in the door, because I was at the cave and no one answered. It was my fault. I had your letter, but I got the date mixed up (there are too many historical dates that I’m trying to remember right now). Anyway, he left his direction, so I sent a note of apology and invited him to dinner, which he accepted. Uncle Winthrop interviewed him very thoroughly and I will start lessons tomorrow afternoon. It’s just not possible that I can be ready to take the test in March. Uncle W. wanted me to try in April, but that’s when Glory’s foal is due and I won’t miss that! So I’m going to take the test in May, which is the latest I can take it and still be accepted to medical school in the fall.

Jace is going to teach too! Taty is disappointed that he is going to move to Arella. She had counted on you moving to Rousha. I think it’s wonderful, and Taty is thrilled to have you for a sister and already begging her parents to let her spend her summer vacation with you.

Prince Tulson and Lady Clara will be married on July twenty-fourth. Lady Clara says I am to be her maid of honor, but I don’t have to look at any fabric swatches because she’s going to wear her mother’s wedding dress. (Her parents died many years ago, but Lady Westridge saved a chest of their belongings to give Lady Clara when she came of age.) She says the rest of the wedding plans will be decided between her and Queen Elspeth, who sees this as a chance to get to know her better.

Lady Pren is surprised at how quietly society has accepted Lady Clara. She thinks it’s because there aren’t any secrets to uncover. Lady Clara makes no effort to pretend that she’s anything more than a servant, “and in doing so, she behaves with all the dignity of a queen.” Those are Lady Pren’s words. She’s very impressed and says no one can say anything except that Prince Tulson made a good choice.

I think everyone loves a fairy tale. And this is just like one.

Uncle Winthrop says Queen Elspeth would whip anyone who spread rumors or made snide remarks about her future daughter-in-law (the choice of her flawless youngest son). Queen Elspeth is not a woman to be crossed.

After they marry, the King will proclaim Prince Tulson the Duke of Lake Lowell. He and Clara will be Duke and Duchess Trunsle and they will move to that city. Clara says I must come and visit her. She says I can continue to call her “Lady Clara” if I like, but that I must never call her “Duchess”. She says she will help me set another griffon trap so that I can catch my own prince this time. I’ve never been to Lake Lowell, but I hear it is very pretty.

I’m so sleepy that I’m going to end here. It’s not a very long letter, but I’m going to send it anyway, because I want to hear how your work on the school system is going. Tell Jace not to worry about Taty. She’s not mad. She just misses him.

I hope you’re getting more sleep than I am.

Love,

Arri

Go to NEXT Letter

Keish- February 18, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

February 18, 2004

Dear Arri,

I never thought I’d say this, but I think I might actually agree with Uncle W.! (I don’t know that you should tell him that, though. It might go to his head.) I think medical school is a wonderful idea. I think it would accent your healing and with Aunt Nysa teaching you I don’t think it will slow down your magic training much. (Though, yes, that may be Uncle W.’s motivation.)

Speaking of Aunt Nysa teaching you, I think I’m jealous! Spending the day in the Brio Caves practicing magic sounds fabulous!

What do you think happened that surprised Aunt Nysa? It sounds as though you did just what she said. Did you ask her what she meant?

I would love to explore the treasure of the Brios. It sounds so amazing. A quill that never runs out of ink? We could both use one of those! I wish we knew the stories behind each thing. Maybe Uncle W. or Aunt Nysa know at least some of them? Are some of the objects mentioned in the Chronicle?

Maybe Aunt Nysa will remember more about being in the cave as she spends more time there.

I only did that strengthening exercise once. It’s very frustrating at first, trying to figure out how to hold a spell in the air. My magic was already starting to spike uncontrollably, though, so I don’t think Brynn thought I should be trying to strengthen it! Brynn is also very uncomfortable with using fairy techniques. The strengthening exercise is really harmless, but she was still hesitant. (I wonder if we’ll ever get her to tell us her story.) I should try it again. It would be good practice.

I’m very impressed that you turned the air particles green! It made Papa laugh-- Mother used to send colored clouds to block his telescope when she felt he was working too hard. I’ve only done it once. It gave me a headache. No wonder you were so tired. All of that would be enough to exhaust anyone.

Gretel has read “The Lady in the Forest”. Imato called it sensational trash, too, but Gretel told him not to be stuffy.

Papa says your father would probably just laugh and that it’s the kind of thing our mothers used to read and then write to each other about. (In case you were wondering-- Gretel and I picked committing suicide by jumping off the warship while Imato [answering under duress] would rather be hung… Papa refused to choose saying that he hadn’t chosen when Mother tried to get him to years ago and it didn’t seem like any more reasonable a choice now.)

Feb. 19

Thank you for talking to Jace! I forgot to write that when I started this yesterday. With Gessair gone, I feel fairly safe, but also more cautious. I pay more attention to what’s going on around me, especially when I leave the castle.

Do I feel grown up? I don’t know. Imato says it’s not likely, Gretel just laughs, and Papa says if I don’t feel grown up yet, I will in a few days when we really get to work! I’m glad Uncle W. approves (you definitely shouldn’t tell him that-- it would go to his head!).

As for going into mourning-- we could get you a black dress, of course. But you’re right, I don’t think Imato would like the idea. You definitely wouldn’t have to go to tea though!

I’m a little surprised at King Trunsle’s reaction to Uncle W.’s proposal. Especially after my own experience with King Menion. I think you could pass the exam. I’m glad Queen Elspeth was there. She seems to have more sense.

The cause of women is just a grand way of saying women should have opportunities just like men do. Sometimes I think people take it too far though. They want grand pronouncements from the king declaring women equal to men. Frankly, I know I’m equal to any man without needing the king to say so. I’d hate to think I needed his permission to be equal.

The chalk and erasers are wonderful! Thank you both so much! (And yes, Liop did get the spell right, though it may take a little longer than 15 seconds.) You are both wonderful!!!

Oh, I dreamt of your father again last night. He was much more at peace and said only “I’m so proud of her. She is so like her mother.” He may not be able to respond to you when you go to see him, but he hears you.

Feb. 20

It’s a conspiracy. They are all conspiring against me! I specifically said NO BIRTHDAY BALL! That’s pretty clear, right?

Gretel burst into my room this morning, dragged me down to breakfast, and then dragged me to a fitting!

“Gretel, this is not a quiet relaxing morning,” I growled. (I am simply not a pleasant person first thing in the morning and being dragged about on my birthday is just not appealing to me!)

“Just be grateful I didn’t wake you at first light,” she grinned. We have to check the fit on your dress.”

“What dress?” I groaned.

“The dress for your birthday ball.”

I stopped dead in the doorway to the dressmaker’s. “No, no NO!” I said. “No ball. There is no ball!”

“Oh but we couldn’t let you come of age without a ball,” Gretel said, prying my fingers off the doorway and pushing me into the room.

Okay, so the dress is beautiful. Very beautiful. It has a full green skirt and cream floral sleeves. And the fit is perfect. Of course.

But why a ball? Gretel knows I do not want a ball! Imato knows, Father knows… the whole castle knows! And apparently the whole castle conspired against me!

I had to sneak away after lunch to get a quiet moment to write this. Gretel has the whole day planned! We went from the fitting to visit Marie to lunch and any minute now Gretel’s going to burst in again to drag me to the baths and then to see her mother’s personal maid to do something dreadfully fancy with my hair.

Here we go again.

I insulted the maid.

I didn’t mean to, really. What she was doing with my hair was ridiculous, though. I swear she tried to use 800 hair pins! After sitting their for nearly an hour, I couldn’t handle it any more.

So… I’m going with my hair down with only a simple tiara… And Lady Aoweir is mildly disgusted with me… And her maid will “never be talked into dealing with such a petulant child again.”

At least I think that’s what she said. She has a very thick accent.

Well… off I go. I guess.

Just for the record, since I know that Imato is writing a slanderous letter, I did not throw myself at Jace. I ran to him, yes, embraced him, yes (Gretel says “fiercely” is the word for it) but I did not throw myself at him. Just to straighten that out.

Did you know Jace was coming? Was everyone in on this?

Jace entered (rather dramatically, I must be rubbing off on him) during the first song. It was such a wonderful surprise! It almost made it worth having to go to a ball… and stay the whole time… almost. Having him come into a quiet dinner would have been good too. I suspect the ball was really Gretel’s doing.

The first faint rays of sunlight are starting to glimmer and I haven’t been to bed yet. I’ll add more after I get some sleep.

Feb. 21

What is it like to be in love? Jace said something last night that really struck me. “I just wasn’t myself without you.” I’ve decided being in love is being incomplete without the other person.

Gretel highly approves of this definition and Imato’s exact words were “You’ve managed to be eloquent, simple and correct all in the same breath.” I think that’s a compliment. Though sometimes with Imato it’s hard to tell.

Jace just smiled.

About your upcoming exam-- Master Imkell should be contacting you soon. He was one of Jace’s tutors and Jace says he’s the perfect person to help you prepare. Jace says those exams are only given the second week of each month, so you have some time even if you want to take it in March. Everything has been completely arranged-- Jace contacted him using a Palace carrier pigeon this morning and is certain Master Imkell will love the idea. Apparently he knew Madame Athica before she died. Plan on him coming to see you the morning of the 24th.

Jace had more surprises for me today! He’s not returning to Rousha-- he’s going to live here! He’s already talked to my father about living in the room at the base of the tower that he always uses when he’s here. Imato is moving in too, something about that making it more proper. I think it’s really just because he spends so much of his spare time here anyway. (Probably still a reaction to finding those Narls.) Papa is just overjoyed at “always being surrounded by such vibrant young people.” Without my knowing it, Jace has also been in contact with Master Byra about taking a position in our new school system. (See, conspiracies abound.) He’s been accepted and will help us put together a curriculum. We meet the day after tomorrow to start working. I expect we’ll be at it all day… probably all week really.

All of the girls that work here in the palace will have special sessions to attend on the castle grounds. Jace and I will be teaching around the clock to accommodate their work schedules. We’ll definitely need more teachers!

Feb. 22

How did you live with Imato for so long? After one day he’s proving to be quite a pest.

Gretel and I have been looking through wedding dress sketches for ideas for her. Her mother is convinced the dress needs to be started even without a date. Jace provides an opinion if pressed, but would obviously rather be left to the book he’s reading. After I’d glared at him a few times he said, “My dear, I promise that if you were looking for such a dress for yourself, I would have more of an opinion.”

Imato has not stopped snickering to himself since! Gretel must be insane.

Gretel just brought in a stack of fabric swatches. I groaned. “You know how I feel about fabric swatches.”

She smiled that impish grin that I’ve seen so much of lately. I do not trust that grin. “Don’t worry, there are only about a hundred options here.”

On the up side, it stopped Imato’s snickering. “I think that must be Sprigs giving the stable hands a hard time,” he said, rising quickly. “Join me for a ride, Jace?”

Jace looked between his book and the fabric for a moment. “Yes, I think I will,” he said.

They made a hasty exit and Gretel and I dissolved into laughter.

When we finally regained some control I said, “Imato must have excellent hearing to have noticed Sprigs from this high in the tower!”

“It’s worse than that,” Gretel responded. “Sprigs is with my father’s horses at our private stable. There’s no chance he heard Sprigs from here!”

Thankfully there were really only about 50 fabric swatches and without a date it’s almost impossible to choose a fabric. There was a gorgeous white satin, but if they have a winter wedding Gretel will freeze.

How are Tulson and Clara’s plans coming? Have they picked a date yet?

Oh, Jace just reminded me. He was hoping you would go see Taty. He’s a little worried that she’s mad at him for leaving. She didn’t act mad, but still… She might need a friend.

I should send this off. I’ll try to write all about our work on the school system in a few days.

Love Always,

Keish

Go to NEXT Letter

Arri- February 11, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

February 11, 2004

Dear Keish,
I went to talk to Father this morning. Aunt Nysa and I couldn’t start lessons till after Uncle Winthrop had left for the day, because I haven’t exactly discussed it with him yet. Of course, the morning would be half gone by then, so I put a leash on Coulter and walked to the hospital. Kestrel led the way and nothing remotely dangerous happened. I think Coulter was probably relieved. I told Father all about my decision to let Aunt Nysa teach me magic. Then I tried to imagine what his answer would be.
I came back to the apartment in time for breakfast. Aunt Nysa was cooking. She’s getting very good. Actually, I think she uses magic when no one’s looking, but I would use magic to cook too, if I knew how.
After breakfast Uncle W. walked Liop to school and then from there he went to his shop, so Aunt Nysa and I were left alone. It was at that moment that I realized we didn’t have a basement to practice in. I thought about this as we dried dishes. Somehow it didn’t seem right to practice in a room with breakable objects.
“Are you ready?” asked Aunt Nysa. She sounded nervous, as though afraid I might change my mind.
“We should find someplace safer,” I said, setting the last glass in the cupboard and latching the door so Nozama couldn’t get in.
“We could go to the Brio caves,” suggested Aunt Nysa.
I stared. “How would we get there?”
“Through your fairy book; you’ve done it before,” Aunt Nysa looked surprised, “The magic will resonate in the cave and you will grow stronger.”
We got my fairy book and opened it to the page with the lioness.
“Will the lioness be there?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” answered Aunt Nysa, “I’ve only seen her there once.”
I wanted to ask about that, but Aunt Nysa took my hand.
“Concentrate on the picture,” she instructed, “you shouldn’t need a magnifying glass.”
I concentrated, half-frightened, remembering my last experience in those caves. Suddenly Aunt Nysa jerked my hand so hard that my arm almost came out of its socket. I blinked and looked around. We were in the cave.
Aunt Nysa looked as surprised as I was.
“It wasn’t supposed to…” she murmured but trailed off thoughtfully. Yellow torch light flickered across her face. I looked around for its source and found it in a sconce on the far wall. Suddenly another torch lit next to it. Then another. The three torches together cast enough light that I could see other dead torches lining the rough walls of the cave. Aunt Nysa was lighting them one by one with narrowed eyes and just the slightest movement of her head. It was magic the way you do magic, Keish, wordless and full of power.
In the growing torch light I could see that this was not the cave with the dais where you defeated Gessair. It was the room full of objects that I saw in my dream and also from the first time I used the magnifying glass. I found the helmet and shield and many other objects, most bearing the crest of the hart. Many, but not all, were made of expensive materials and encrusted with multicolored jewels.
“What is all this?” I asked.
“It is the treasure of the Brio clan,” said Aunt Nysa simply.
“Can I touch it?”
“It is yours to touch,” she replied, “anyone of Brio ancestry may come to this cave and claim any objects they want.”
I picked up a helmet and ran my hand over the etchings. I studied the strange script along its edge. I could feel magic saturating the cave, though none in the helmet itself.
“Some of the things are magical,” said Aunt Nysa. She picked up a long quill of gold and handed it to me. I felt a buzz of magic as I ran the tip against my palm.
“What does this one do?”
“It never runs out of ink.”
How wonderful! I stroked the smooth surface as I continued to look about. Keish, it would take hours to describe everything in that room— dishes, weapons, tools, jewelry. I hardly know where to begin. You must see it yourself. Eventually I remembered my magic lessons. Aunt Nysa led me away from the treasure hall to an empty chamber.
“How do you know so much about this place?” I asked.
“I’ve been here many times,” she answered, “It is a neutral place for fairies, not in a fairy ring, not out.”
“If you came here you must have known you were a Brio,” I thought aloud. Aunt Nysa didn’t answer, but her brows knit together thoughtfully.
“Someone brought me here first— Jezreel,” she ran her hands over the walls, “It was a safe place.”
“Tell me about it.”
Aunt Nysa didn’t answer. Instead she laid her head up against the cold, rough granite and closed her eyes. Listening? Her long, blonde hair fell over her face, hiding her expression. I waited.
“I can’t remember,” she concluded sadly.
To start the magic lessons, Aunt Nysa handed me a round glass ball, hollow like the one I broke when Brynn first tested my magic. I shrunk away and didn’t take it.
“I might break it,” I said.
“You won’t,” said Aunt Nysa. She took my hand and placed the ball in it.
“What spells do you already know?” she asked me.
“Just the ones Brynn taught me— the growth spell and the color change spell. I can cast them pretty well, if I concentrate.”
“The color change spell will do,” Aunt Nysa responded, “I want you to form the spell and hold it in the center of this bauble. Don’t let it actually penetrate anything. Just hold it in the center of the sphere.”
I stared at her, bewildered.
“Hold the spell in the…the air?” I asked. Could something like that be possible?
“Yes,” said Aunt Nysa simply.
“Can Keish do that?” I asked.
“I think Brynn would have taught her this,” Aunt Nysa said slowly, “all fairies learn this strengthening exercise. Haven’t you ever…” She trailed off as I shook my head.
“I’ll try though,” I said. I looked at the glass ball uncertainly. Silence gathered in the room. Sometimes I think silence has an echo.
I didn’t have the slightest idea how to begin, but I supposed a color… I thought of my favorite shade of sea green and pronounced the spell. In a moment the glass of the bauble glowed flashed green in the flickering torch light. I shook my head, reversed the spell, and tried again. Eventually I lost track of how many times the bauble turned green. Aunt Nysa never said a word, but I could feel her eyes on me. I felt stupid and frustrated. The muscles of my hand ached from gripping the ball too tightly, as though I could force the spell into the ball with mere physical strength.
Suddenly it shattered.
“Oh!” I jumped back in surprise as glass shards brushed past my arms and face. Aunt Nysa jumped too. Fortunately, as had happened that first time when Brynn tested my magic, I miraculously was unhurt. Even Aunt Nysa survived my clumsiness. She shook the glass from her skirts, snapped her fingers and returned the ball whole and undamaged to my hand.
“I don’t think this is working.” I said.
“You’re concentrating too hard on the glass. Just focus on the space between it.” Aunt Nysa replied. She frowned at me. I tried not to show how tired I was getting.
“Okay.” I stared at the inside of the ball and began the spell again, trying to keep my grip on the glass loose. It was hard not to tense my muscles as I concentrated. I thought about the air in the center of the sphere. I thought about the color green.
“There!” I shouted triumphantly as the inside of the ball turned a foggy shade of green.
Aunt Nysa didn’t answer for a few seconds.
“You’ve changed the color of the air particles,” she said finally.
All my excitement crashed and I sat down on the floor.
“No, it was a good spell,” said Aunt Nysa quickly, “it takes a lot of concentration to change air particles. She took the ball from me and turned it around. “You changed every particle,” she declared, “that’s really very good, even if it isn’t what you were trying for.”
I looked up at her. I felt like crying.
“Oh, Arri,” said Aunt Nysa, “keep trying. Please, keep trying.” she returned the bauble to me. I sat with it in my lap and closed my eyes. If I cast the spell blindfolded, I could do no worse. I tried it. When I opened my eyes, the glass was green. I don’t know why I thought it wouldn’t be.
I held the bauble before my face. I tried not to think about glass or air or anything at all. I just said the words of the spell. I felt a little magic, but of course it had no where to go, so it faded. I said the spell again, concentrating on the magic inside me.
“That’s good,” said Aunt Nysa, breaking my concentration, “just move it into the bauble.”
I said the spell again and again and again, and finally I started to feel that I could move it, that it was a kind of object in itself. I moved it toward the bauble. It dissipated the moment it left my body, but still it seemed like progress. I tried again.
“You did it!” Aunt Nysa exclaimed as the spell moved smoothly into the sphere, a faint colorless shimmer, but nothing more.
I was exhausted, but I practiced for another hour, until I realized the day was long gone.
I did it, Keish! I can hold the spell inside the glass for several minutes before it fades. Aunt Nysa says I have to practice until I can hold the spell for over an hour. Then she will begin to teach me other spells. Is this how Brynn taught you? Did you have so much trouble at first.
That’s as much as I have energy to write tonight. It’s dark out and I’m so sleepy, but I had to write this down before I go to bed…

February 13

I fell asleep with my head on the writing desk. Magic is exhausting, Keish.
Why are all the Prens whispering about you? I had lunch with Taty today and she seems to take it for granted that you’ll be returning to Rousha soon. I don’t think she realizes that I don’t know what she already knows. But you didn’t know either the last time you wrote, so why should I know? I never know anything I’m supposed to anyway. Everyone’s always telling me that, even Liop. When Imato and I were kids and we lived in Siskyil, we had two tree houses with a talking wire strung between them. I wish someone would figure out how to make a talking wire stretch all way to Adya, so every time I wanted to talk to you, I could just pick up a sound funnel.
“I have a proposition for you, Arri,” I looked up from the novel I was reading. It was The Lady in the Forest that Taty loaned me and I was deeply engrossed in trying to figure out whether it would be better to be hung from the bell tower for treason or to commit suicide jumping over the prow of the warship and into the sea. Really I didn’t want to talk about anything until I found out what the Lady Merriam decided. But Uncle W. looked serious, so I closed the book.
“Sensational trash,” said Uncle Winthrop when he saw what I was reading, “what would your father say?”
“Taty likes it, and I’ve never read a novel before.” I really have no idea what Father would say, and I doubt Uncle W. knows either. He waved his hand dismissively.
“I’ve been thinking about your schooling and your desire to become a healer,” he began somewhat awkwardly. I sat up. Uncle W. tugged nervously on his short beard.
“Arri, I think a person should have a balanced perspective on any career they choose in life. Like I’ve told Liop many times, if you’re going to learn math, you ought to learn grammar to balance it…” Uncle W. paced before me as though delivering an important lecture. “If you want to learn magic, you ought to learn science. That’s why I’ve tried to introduce Liop to alchemy. If you want to learn healing… well, you ought to learn medicine. Understand?”
No, but I didn’t say so out loud.
“You have a good mind, Arri. I’ve thought that for a long time. You’d have done very well in an academy. You’ll do very well in college, medical school actually.”
He waited. I didn’t say anything. “Arri?” he asked.
“College?” I asked finally, “I can’t go to college! Have you ever heard of a girl who went to college?”
“Madame Athica.” Uncle Winthrop was better prepared than I thought. “She discovered the different blood types. Surely they taught you about her in history?”
It’s been three years since my last history class, but I think I’d have remembered something like that.
“But how did she get in?” I asked curiously.
“By special permission of the King.”
“Where is she?”
“She died of old age about twenty years ago, but the point is, she went medical school.”
My head was spinning. I shook it back and forth to clear my thoughts.
“But I’ll be the only girl in the whole school…”
“If I can get you in, will you at least try?” Uncle Winthrop’s voice was almost a plea. “If you promise to start medical school in the fall, I promise not to stand in your way of any magical education you want.”
It’s the craziest idea I’ve ever heard, Keish. I wish I had time to get your opinion. College? Do you think maybe Uncle W. stood in the rain under a full moon last night? More importantly, if I study medicine, will it help me to cure Father? Or will it only slow down my magic studies? Maybe that’s the point…

February 15

I just got your letter and I think I understand why all of the Prens are talking now. What does it feel like to be in love, Keish? I see Imato and Gretel together, and I try to remember Mother and Father. But I really don’t understand it. I’d like to someday. Imato says I’m still too young. I suppose he’s right, but when I was watching you and Jace at the ball, I suddenly realized that it might be fun to be good at dancing.
I will go to see Jace today, right after breakfast. Well, Uncle W. says to keep things proper I have to visit Taty, but that should amount to the same thing, I think. Your encounter at the ball must have been terrifying! How are you ever going to feel safe again? You may have found all the Narls in Arrella, but what about Elcaro? At least you’re so much more powerful than they are. The times I met the Narls, I barely escaped. You could drain someone’s magic? I have to admit I shuddered when I read that. But Keish, you didn’t actually do it. That’s what counts, isn’t it?
Do you feel grown up? You’ve made a serious proposal to the king about changing life in Arrella and it’s been accepted. I wish I had been there to see! Uncle W. says education is the only way to change the world. I told him about your idea and his eyes lit up with pride. I overheard him telling his customers about it in the chemistry shop. He keeps bringing it up in all our conversations. Sometimes I wonder if he’s forgotten that you also do magic.
If I were in mourning for my intended, I wouldn’t have to accept invitations to tea with people I don’t know, would I? But Imato would be so mad! I suppose it’s better not to— besides, I don’t have a black dress.
We met with the King and Queen again. This time Brynn wasn’t invited. No council table stood in the great hall. I was surprised to see Queen Elspeth since she knows now that I’m not marrying Prince Tulson. She smiled and greeted me warmly. King Trunsle was more business-like. I think he was in a hurry.
“Have you made your decision?” he asked, looking mainly at Uncle Winthrop.
“We’ve come to an agreement,” Uncle W. responded. There was a pause in which I took a deep breath. Uncle W. continued: “I have agreed to let Lady Arri study healing on condition that she balance this dangerous profession with one of sound science. To that effect, I would like to enroll her in medical school for the fall.”
I think the King would have been less surprised if Uncle W. had declared war. Like me, he seemed to think Uncle W.’s speech had lost something in translation. He waited for Uncle W. to clarify himself, but Uncle W. was silent. I felt my face turning bright red with every second and I looked desperately for some object to focus my attention on. My eyes found the national flag above the thrones and focused on its bright colors.
“Lord Brio, I don’t think this is a suitable solution for a young lady,” he said with emphasis.
“Why?” I could hear Uncle W.’s natural stubbornness in the word.
“Well, for one thing, she has never attended an academy. She doesn’t even have a Lady’s diploma— nor is she enrolled the classes to obtain it. Do you really think it would be fair to waive the education requirements for medical school? How would she keep up with the other students?”
They were all very good points.
“As I understand it,” Uncle W. never faltered, “the only actual requirement is to pass an entrance exam.”
“Yes, but why put your niece through a grueling three-day exam that she can’t possibly hope to pass?”
“I think she will pass it,” Uncle W. declared.
The king looked as baffled as I felt.
“But she has no education…” he began again.
“But if she does pass it?” Uncle W. demanded.
“If she does pass it,” said Queen Elspeth, “you’ll have a much stronger argument.” She smiled at me.
Uncle W. bowed to her and she dipped her head in acknowledgement.
“I need your permission for her to take it,” he concluded.
“You had better give your word of honor to never bring another ridiculous scheme before the court again,” began the King.
“I’ll grant it,” Queen Elspeth interrupted him, “but, Lady Arri,” and her eyes became firm, “please remember you will not help your cause or the cause of women if you take this lightly.”
Frightened, I nodded. The cause of women? Keish, I think I may be in over my head. I don’t know anything about the cause of women. Do they teach it in feminine politics? At least I think I can be sure that class won’t be on the test.
I did speak with Taty and Jace this morning and Jace is waiting for your own letter before he will believe me that you’re okay. He is glad, though, that he didn’t hear through the news first. And he sends his love.
For your birthday, I am sending you a set of erasers that will magically clean any blackboard and never need to have the dust pounded out of them. Aunt Nysa helped me with the spell. Liop is adding a set if multi-colored chalk. He says they will change color every fifteen seconds as you write. (I think he got the spell right this time.) Happy birthday!
Very Happy Birthday!Love,Arri and Liop
Go to NEXT Letter

Jace-- February 16, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

February 16, 2004

Master Byra,

I understand you will soon be looking for teachers in Adya. I would appreciate it if you would consider me. Please see Lord Adlen Leilani as a personal reference-- he will vouch for my suitability.

I will be leaving for Adya in two days time and should arrive midday the 20th.

I would greatly appreciate it if you would not speak to Lady Lakeisha until after I have seen her that evening.

Gratefully yours

Jace Pren

February 16, 2004

Dear Lord Adlen,

As we discussed when you were in Rousha, I am preparing to leave for Adya on the 18th. I should arrive midday on the 20th. Is there any way I could see you without Keish knowing I’m there? Perhaps Gretel could keep her occupied?

There are things I wish to discuss with you privately and then I’d like to surprise Keish at her birthday celebration. I’m sure Gretel would be a willing participant.

I have written to Master Byra. I wish to take a position with him in Adya. I have found my purpose in life, just as Keisha has. I used your name as you suggested, so I would imagine he will come to see you.

Thank you for all of your help.

Jace

Go to NEXT Letter

Keish to Jace-- February 12, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

February 12, 2004

Dear Jace,

It’s done. I’ve been before the king and now all I can do is wait. Whatever the outcome, I feel proud to have come this far. I feel like I’ve grown up. I wish you could be here-- I’m so nervous. I would love to have your strength, but your support is enough.

I’m going to start a letter to Arri. I need to reassure her that the Rousha rumors are under control!

As soon as I know the King’s decision, I’ll finish this and send it off.

February 13

The decision has been made-- we won! Master Byra will oversee the project and we have one year to make it work. I’m nervous, but I believe we can do it.

There will be a celebration tonight. I wish you were here. I’m actually excited about a palace event, but there will still be something missing. I know you have responsibilities at home. I don’t want you to feel guilty, I just miss you.

There will be so much work to do, but I think most of it will start after my birthday.

There’s something else, too, that you need to know. I wish you were here to tell you-- a letter just doesn’t seem enough. But now that I’m sure,, I can’t not tell you, not when I don’t know when I’ll see you.

I guess I’ve known for a while now, I just didn’t think about it.

Anyway, I guess the ball really confirmed it. The ball and then having to come home without you.

I love you.

Love

Keish

Go to NEXT Letter

Keish-- February 12, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

February 12, 2004

Dear Arri,

Arri, Arri, Arri! You do know I would never do anything to hurt you, right? I know how to run the rumor mill. And while I can understand Imato not completely trusting me (He seems to think I’m very careless. I hope I’m not anywhere near that bad.) how could he think that Gretel would have let me do anything that would damage your reputation? She was there the whole time and insists that she’ll be having a talk with Imato when he gets here about worrying too much and being more trusting. She says to assure you that everything is fine and that rumors can be manipulated to mean anything. We’ve already got some rumor control in place. If those girls say anything, Taty will hear it and spread a rumor about things not working out between you and the mystery man. Or, if you’d rather, we can spread the word that your intended has died tragically and put you into mourning for a while. It’s a very good excuse for turning down society invitations. No one can argue with it. Granted it would probably only last until Imato or Uncle W. found out, since I’m not sure either would be happy about it. But still.

Penrad Natire, huh? That must be who Imato had cornered at the ball. He’s probably lucky it was in the ballroom, not a private room that Imato caught up with him. Imato looked pretty angry. Can’t say that I blame him. In fact, Natire might be lucky that it was Imato and not me. I don’t think my self-control is as good as Imato’s.

Gretel and I are both very glad you liked the dress-- and that you met a friend, even if Phyfe Tecsin lives so far away.

Technically, I danced half a dance with Imato, too. He cut in because Gretel wanted to talk to Jace. Naturally no one will tell me why. I doubt dancing with my cousin will change any rumors, though. But you’re right. I don’t worry about rumors unless I started them.

A giant schnauzer? Wow. How very… large. I guess that makes Uncle W. feel better. Does it make you feel better?

Gretel is a quivering mass of excited, nervous energy-- Imato should be back any minute now, basically. She’s pacing up and down the library at a ridiculous rate. It’s very distracting…

That’s it, I’m sending her out to the gate. She’s going to make me nuts if she stays here.

I’m glad Nysa’s going to teach you. It feels right. I’ve been having those dreams of your father almost every night, and he’s so agitated. I think this will bring him peace.

Imato’s back. He says to tell you his journey entirely uneventful and he’s very glad to hear that you started your magic lessons. He wants to know what Uncle W. had to say about Nysa teaching you. I’m very curious too. Imato says he will write you himself soon. We all hope that your audience with the king will go very well.

Well, now that Gretel and Imato have gone off to stare into each other’s eyes somewhere else… I love them both dearly, but it was really getting to be too much. I’m genuinely happy for them, of course, but watching them makes me sad today.

Anyway.

Funny you should mention academies. I’ve spent the last month of so researching how the schools and academies in Arella are run. (I agree that you’d do very well at one.) Yesterday, probably as you were having your magic lesson, I had a formal audience with King Menion to submit a proposal for a schooling system for girls. My research was extensive and detailed and, if I do say so myself, the proposal was very well put together. I even bullied the Court Treasurer into reading through all my calculations regarding funding such a system. (I knew the proposal would not be seriously considered without a financial plan, but my math skills aren’t as strong as yours.) I’m still waiting for a response, but the King seemed to think it had merit. I didn’t want to write to you about my research until I had actually gone though with the proposal. I didn’t even tell Gretel exactly what I was doing, though she had an idea and helped me with a few things. The king is meeting with his counselors right now and I know my proposal is being discussed. I hope that my being a young woman doesn’t hurt my chances. I hate that that’s the ways things are, but such things are what they are.. Jace says I’m more confident than many young men and I shouldn’t worry too much. Papa will, of course, support me, but he’s my father, so the others will expect that. I’m so nervous.

Feb 13

Arri, it’s been accepted! I almost can’t believe it! I feel… overwhelmed, to be honest, but I also feel like my life has more purpose now.

Master Byra, a former royal tutor who’s now a confidante to King Menion, has accepted the challenge of overseeing such a system. I am to work with him. We have three months to prepare before the daunting task of registering students for the fall. The first year it will only be set up in Adya and King Menion has made it clear that enough of the counselors are not convinced, so we will only have one chance.

I know we can do it, though.

There will be a celebration tonight. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever been really excited about a palace event!

It’s late afternoon now. I had to finish my letter to Jace so that it would go out with the midday post. I have to get ready for tonight, but I wanted to tell you something. I… I don’t know when Jace will be here again, but I realized something. I want him here. To live in Adya. I… I told him… I told him I love him. I know society would call that improper and a letter doesn’t seem like enough, but I couldn’t not tell him. I tell him everything.

I have to go get ready. I’ll write more later. Thanks for always being there.

It’s late, the moon is high, but I haven’t stopped shaking and I know I won’t be able to sleep. I don’t want to worry you, but Imato was there, so you’ll hear about it either way. It’ll be better for both of us if I just write it down.

The celebration was everything they usually are, though I enjoyed it a lot more than normal. The dinner was wonderful and of course there was lovely music. Imato spent the evening teasing me about finally taking life seriously.

When the dancing started I decided to slip away. I wasn’t interested in dancing without Jace.

Just before I reached the door, someone grabbed my arm. I groaned, thinking Gretel had sent Imato to make me dance at least one song, but when I turned I didn’t recognize the man who held me there.

I gave an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, I don’t intend to dance,” I told him.

“Neither do I,” he said softly, pushing me toward the door.

I stood still, refusing to be moved. “No.”

He pushed harder and I saw Imato starting toward us, but he was across the room and no one else had noticed yet.

I tried to wrench my arm free. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” I hissed.

“You’re not coming of age, that’s what you’re not going to do,” he snarled. “The Master has determined that the Brio that destroyed him shall be destroyed.”

My heart nearly stopped. I narrowed my eyes and they burned into him. Literally. I focused all the power I could muster and burned his hands as badly as I could. He cried out and let go of me.

By now all eyes were on us and Imato had reached us. He pinned the man’s arms, which made the man cry out again.

“What is the meaning of this?” the king demanded.

Recognizing the look of concentration on my face, my father put a hand on the king’s shoulder and the room stilled.

I held the man’s gaze, made it impossible for him to look away, impossible for him to move at all. I pushed into his mind, past his anger and pain, past all emotion. I stripped away his defenses and saw exactly what had happened.

I should have known. I should have felt the twinge of power. Gessair. One of his guards has a little magic-- not enough for him to even be aware of it, but Gessair was. He saw the opportunity and he pulled the guard’s thread of power and sent a message. I was not to live to see my birthday.

The man that attacked me was a Narl with just enough magic to hear his master’s call. He was one of just a few in Adya hoping for Gessair’s release or escape.

The others are being rounded up by soldiers even as I write this. Imato insisted on going and Gretel came up to check on me.

Papa is here now, too. He looks so tired. King Menion wants me to check everyone they arrest tonight for magical abilities, just to be safe. He also asked Papa if I could drain any magic we find, but Papa refused, insisting that I did not know how. I do know, though. I realized as I looked into my attacker’s mind that I could drain his magic and even his wits. I’m too scared of that knowledge to tell my father. I’m not sure what he would think of me. It’s such a terrible use of power, but I can’t say I wasn’t tempted. What does that say about me?

February 14

I couldn’t write more last night, Imato and the others returned and I was called upon to check the prisoners for magic. Thankfully none possessed any. Only my attacker, and his was not enough to bother about.

It was nearly dawn before I was alone in my room and the sun was rising as I fell asleep. Gretel woke me this afternoon with a tray from the kitchen since I’d slept through breakfast and lunch. Imato wanted to talk to me right away, but Gretel told him absolutely not until she had fed me and made sure I was up to it. Imato had been firm about the men being his prisoners and Sir Aoweir agreed, provided Imato didn’t lose his temper.

Gretel finally let him in. He was very gentle. (So much so, in fact, that I finally had to yell “I am not an invalid!”) We’ve never seen eye to eye, but I immediately knew he was doing all of this for me and that he would do no less for me than he would do for you. It was a nice realization.

He wanted me to use magic to find out the extent of the Narls’ surviving organization. I reluctantly agreed. I didn’t want to spend any most time inside the minds of those horrible, misguided men, but I knew Imato was right. We had to know for sure.

I delved into each man’s knowledge and pieced together as much as I could. They didn’t honestly know very much. As far as we can tell, these men were the last holdout, at least in Adya. Probably in all of Arella.

Papa came up for dinner and informed us that a decision had been made. Gessair will be executed tomorrow night, as will the other Narls. I’m honestly relieved.

Imato is insisting on staying here in the tower tonight, just in case. I’m too tired to argue with him.

Other than being tired, I’m fine, I promise. Don’t worry-- by the time you get this it will probably all be over.

Would you do something for me? Will you talk to Jace? Even an express messenger take at least half a day longer to get to him than this will take to get to you. Will you tell him I’m okay? I don’t want him to hear first through the palace rumor mill, since surely other people with carrier pigeons will send news to Rousha. If nothing else, official word of Gessair’s execution will certainly be sent sometime tomorrow.

I promise I really am just fine. Imato is, too. He wasn’t hurt at all when he went with the other soldiers to take the Narls prisoner. He has promised to keep my involvement to a minimum if they end up finding more Narls.

It’s too late to send this tonight-- I’ll do it first thing in the morning.

Love always

Keish

Go to NEXT Letter

Arri-- February 5, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

February 5, 2004

Dear Keish,

Keish, how could you? Everyone in Rousha will be convinced I’m engaged to Sean within the week. Even Imato says you went too far. He says it will discourage other young men from wanting to court me. (I’m not sure I care about that, though.) He does acknowledge that people would have started speculating about me and Sean anyway, especially since I danced with him three times. He cut in once to rescue me from a young man named Penrad Natire who was trying to usher me into a private room. Really, I had decided to run for the door in a few seconds anyway, but Sean cutting in was less embarrassing. I don’t think you noticed that time.

I never thought it would be a relief to dance with Mendel! He’s so much better than me and he loves dancing. But he also pretends not to notice when I step on his feet. Keish, there has to be a way for me to get out of attending dances. I feel so stupid at them. It was nice of Mendel to dance with me twice, and to steer me away and talk to me when other young men came over. He says everyone was dying with curiosity to find out why the prince liked me so much. Your rumors were good, but they didn’t entirely take suspicion away from me. That’s why I got asked so much. Maybe now that the whole world knows what a terrible dancer I am, and that I’m not engaged to Prince Tulson, they’ll leave me alone.

Still, you’re right, I danced with six other young men. They were very polite. Phyfe Tecsin was almost as bad at dancing as I was. He was the nicest though. He said the next time we meet, we can pretend to have twisted ankles and just sit and talk. But he comes from Cletus near the Midaeans so we may never meet again. I met his parents, Lord and Lady Tecsin, a long time ago. They were friends of Father and Mother. Phyfe asked after Father’s health and said that his parents wanted me to know that his family was at my service.

Thank you, thank you, thank you again for my dress! Sean said I was beautiful. Mendel said I looked like the meadow where he first met Fairy (as he still calls Aunt Nysa). I’m pretty sure it was a compliment.

Queen Elspeth was very nice and didn’t ask me a single question about Prince Tulson’s engagement when I helped her get ready for the ball. I did enjoy making flower arrangements for the tables, and one of the servants showed me all the silverware so that I wouldn’t make any mistakes at the banquet.

You looked gorgeous, Keish, and you and Jace danced so elegantly! I heard several people comment that you were a lovely couple. I wonder if you should be worried about rumors. I mean you danced every dance with Jace except the one with Prince Tulson. I guess you never worry about rumors though.

Oh, the festival was the best part of everything! Fire dancers, jugglers, puppeteers! It was like being a child again with a bag of cinnamon-roasted almonds and my old stuffed giraffe under one arm. Father and Mother used to take us to at least one festival in Rousha every year, sometimes the winter one and sometimes the summer. Imato took me on the elephant ride and we threw darts for prizes. I still have the little wooden frog that I won at darts when I was seven. This time I got to watch Liop play games. (Thank you for stopping him from using magic to try and win them!)

I don’t know why Lady Pren kept trying to get you alone. Maybe it wasn’t that so much as trying to get Taty and me to be friends, which wasn’t at all difficult. I didn’t really think about it at the time or even notice until you mentioned it.

Aunt Nysa likes you very much. She wishes we lived closer together.

Brynn came and talked with me on the 31st, but I didn’t want to talk much. I know she wants me to study magic and Uncle Winthrop is against it. She suggested that Taty and I could have our lessons together and I said I’d think about it. I’ve been doing an awful lot of thinking lately, and I just feel so muddled inside. I do want to learn magic, but I don’t want to go against Uncle W. Of course, I promised Imato that I would ask Uncle W. for permission to study magic. The King sent a missive informing Uncle W. and me to appear before him one February 15th. I’m obliged to have things figured out by then.

February 10

Uncle Winthrop doesn’t like it that I get up at dawn and walk to the mental home every morning to be with Father. He says it isn’t safe for me to go walking by myself so early. I don’t understand it at all. In Odsreq there were spikebacks and wolves and lions, but Uncle W. was never the least bit worried when I went out. I tried to get Liop to come with me but he says only the birds are bobbersome enough for that sort of thing and that he’d go with me after school but not before. I asked Uncle W. what he was so worried about and he said robbers, but we had those in Odsreq.

So three days ago Uncle Winthrop came home from work with a giant schnauzer, almost as big as a pony! He must have been solid black in his youth, but now he’s speckled with bits of white. Still, he looks very aristocratic with his head set high and his powerful shoulders. Uncle Winthrop says he’s more for looks than anything and that he would rather I just stay home, but I can’t stand being inside on clear mornings. His name is Coulter, and he has to be brushed everyday to keep his long coat sleek and untangled. Kestrel doesn’t like him much. I think she’s insulted because he took her spot by the fire. Anyway, they both come with me in the morning now. Kestrel leads the way as always, and Coulter walks at my side.

Imato has returned to Adya for his training today. I forbade him to come back without his knighthood and he made me promise I would have started my magic lessons. Aunt Nysa overheard us and after he left, she looked at me closely for a while until I began to feel nervous.

“I should like to teach you,” she said finally in her soft, unassuming, voice.

Suddenly everything became very clear.

“Would you?” I asked, eagerly, “Can you? I mean, do you know how?”

Aunt Nysa’s chin came up and she looked insulted.

“We’ll start tomorrow after Winthrop leaves for work,” she informed me. I stared. It was the first time I’d ever seen her assertive about anything and the intensity of her gaze made me shiver.

It seems strange that less than an hour later Brynn came calling. She asked me to go walking with her, and I agreed. I was excited to tell her about studying with Aunt Nysa.

Her reaction startled me. She stopped walking and her eyes seemed to turn gray and serious.

“I think,” she said finally, “that this is as it should be.” She looked down at me with a worried expression.

“But, Arri,” she continued, “you need to be careful. Fairy magic is strong and very dangerous, especially for someone who isn’t a fairy. You need to remember that the spells Nysa teaches you may be difficult to control and that fairies are known for using more magic than is necessary to accomplish things. Be very, very careful.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t…” I began, feeling unnerved.

“No, Arri,” said Brynn, “Study with Nysa.” And she didn’t say anything more.

I was trying to decide if there was anything else I should put in this letter, so I set it aside and pulled out the ledger to figure the budget for the next couple of weeks. It’s a good way to clear my head when I’m nervous. I had my mind buried in numbers, when I noticed Uncle W. standing behind me. How glad I am that I wasn’t still working on your letter!

“Where did you learn to calculate averages?” Uncle W. asked suddenly.

“From you,” I said.

“No, I taught to divide the money to see how much you could spend on each meal. I didn’t teach you to average the cost of produce.”

I though about it.

“Oh, Cook suggested that,” I said finally. Uncle W. had the most thoughtful expression, as though he had just realized something important.

“You would have done well in an academy,” he said finally, and wandered off again.

It was such a strange thing to say. Academies are for boys preparing for college. I bet Liop would do well in one.

I’m just going to mail this now, and start a new letter tomorrow after my first magic lesson.

I hope your trip went well. I miss you already. Tell Uncle Adlen its my turn to visit you, but I really don’t know when I’ll be able to.

Love,

Arri

Go to NEXT Letter

Keish-- January 30, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

January 30, 2004

Dear Arri,

Four full days in Rousha and there is so much we didn’t get to talk about! It might as well have been four days in Adya, I have so much to write! Of course, I barely even saw you the first two days and the other two were so busy that we didn’t get to talk about much else.

So… how was spending a day helping Queen Elspeth get ready for the ball? I think I’d have died if I’d had to spend that beautiful crisp day directing servants in that busy ballroom. The tables did look nice, though. I’m sure your help was invaluable. (I’m sorry, I can’t help but tease you a little. I’m sure you were very helpful.)

I spent the day with Jace and Taty. He showed me old Rousha and all of the things he planned to show Liop the day after the ball. So many great things to see! It’s no wonder Liop kept switching languages in excitement that night.

It was good to spend time with Jace again. I’ve missed him, even though it hasn’t been too long since he left Adya. I think Taty got bored with us, though. She told Jace to “find another chaperone next time.” He just laughed.

The day of the ball was, naturally spent getting ready and controlling rumors. (Gretel says I should change that to spreading rumors, but really I was trying to control them,) Clearly, I spent too much time in the palace. I didn’t need all day to get ready, but everyone else seems to, so I stayed with Gretel and we heard all sorts of rumors. Most of them were about you, which is why I was trying to control them. (It’s also why I didn’t mention them to you that night-- you seemed nervous enough.) Anyway, even with Lady Pren introducing Clara to a few people as “a special guest,” nobody was picking up on it. Everywhere we went in the palace we heard the rumors about Tulson marrying a Brio.

In the anteroom, drying our hair after the baths, there were four of the young ladies of the court who were going on and on about you when we walked in. I decided enough was enough.

“Have you met Mistress Clara Songson yet?” I asked them, innocently. “I wonder why she would choose now to come to court.”

“The Prince’s announcement, of course,” one of them answered. (I don’t remember their names, so we’ll call her “Red Hair”.)

“Yes, isn’t she your cousin’s friend?” added Brown Hair.

“Well, yes I believe she is, so she must know…” I trailed off, “hesitating.”

“Know what?” asked Curly Blond excitedly.

“Well I don’t know if I should say anything,” I demurred.

Gretel rolled her eyes. “It’s bound to come out,” she said. “Just tell them.” (Not that she had any idea what I had in mind, but she trusts me… for some odd reason, she says.)

I fretted a moment or two more, then said softly. “Well I guess it’s okay to tell you, as long as you don’t tell anyone.”

They hastened to assure me that no a soul would be told, so, content in the knowledge that what I said would be everywhere within the hour, I continued. “I’ve read the cards for a match between Prince Tulson and Lady Arri. No matter how many times I do it, she’s a widow by 20. It always ends in disaster.”

“Now be fair,” said Gretel, trying valiantly not to laugh, “one time it was Lady Arri that was killed tragically and Prince Tulson was left a widower at 22.”

“That’s true. That was if they married on his birthday. If they married on her birthday they both died in a horrible accident within a week. The point is, it’s a bad match every time.”

“But couldn’t the cards be wrong?” Other Blond asked.

I responded abruptly, “You doubt my ability to read the cards?” (Said while rising dramatically, of course.)

They all quickly insisted that they didn’t doubt any such thing and I sat back down, mollified.

“It’s just so sad,” Brown Hair said. “We were all so sure. Poor Lady Arri.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say ‘poor Lady Arri’. She’s being courted by a wonderful young man. And you know what ‘wonderful’ means,” I said with a wink.

“Lots of land and money,” Gretel answered in a conspiratorial whisper.

They all nodded.

“Who is he?” asked Red Hair.

I put my hand to the base of my throat in innocent protest. “Gossip about my cousin? And in front of her soon-to-be sister-in-law? Oh, I couldn’t. And you mustn’t say anything to Arri. It’s supposed to be a secret.”

Since nothing is so exciting as knowing about a secret courtship, I believed them this time when they declared they’d never tell. I’m sure you probably had four girls giving you very interested looks all through the ball, though.

“So who is Prince Tulson marrying?” Curly Blond asked.

I glanced at Gretel questioningly. She shrugged slightly and turned to the four girls. “You really haven’t wondered why Clara Songson would suddenly come to court?” she asked.

“I know if I were her, I wouldn’t have come unless the announcement was about a family member or something,” I said nonchalantly, watching their reactions while pretending to study my nails.

The reactions varied in levels of confusion. Red Hair was most perplexed. “But who is her family? No one has even been able to figure out where she came from. They might be minor landowners from the borderlands.”

“Have you seen her?” asked Gretel.

“Do you really think she’d hold herself like royalty if that were the case?” I added, playing to the common perceptions of class.

“Maybe she’s a relation of the Pren’s,” suggested Curly Blond.

“She is staying with them,” pointed out the Other Blond.

I shook my head. “Jace and Taty said she’s a family friend.”

Gretel jumped in before they could protest more. “Friend of a Brio, friend of the Pren’s, holds herself like a queen… I don’t think anyone needs to be concerned about her family.”

Brown Hair finally piped up. “But it’s just her. I’m not sure she has any family.”

I shrugged. “Well, if she’s not here because it’s going to be her friend and she doesn’t have any sister…” I trailed off significantly.

Their eyes all grew large. “You mean…” Red Hair started.

I shrugged again. “I’m just saying.”

Glowing with excitement, they all hastily gathered up their things and said goodbye.

As soon as they were gone, Gretel and I dissolved into hysterical laughter.

“You liar,” Gretel said when she regained her composure. “All that about the cards.”

I shrugged. “I can make the cards say anything I want them to say.”

“You know, it’s too bad you don’t like all the intrigue of court life,” she said as we went back to our rooms, “because you’re appallingly good at it!”

I ran into Tulson later in the afternoon-- he was uncharacteristically nervous. So much so, in fact, that Jace and I decided we really just couldn’t play any pranks on him.

And before anyone else asks-- NO! we were not responsible for the exploding cravat! I don’t know why people don’t believe me. Don’t they know how much I’d love to be able to claim responsibility for such a great idea?

You looked stunning at the ball. I’m glad you liked the gown. Imato seemed impressed. I thought Mendel might faint! (I’m sorry, it was just so funny!)

I actually enjoyed the ball. Jace and I don’t ever get to go to balls together. He was a little possessive, though, wasn’t he? I really didn’t mind, though. I really didn’t want to dance with anyone else. (Tulson doesn’t count, he only danced with me to ask what I’d been telling people about Clara and to accuse me of causing his cravat to explode,)

You danced a lot. Mendel, Sean, Tulson, and what… half a dozen others? It’s as if the whole kingdom suddenly realized you’re an eligible young lady. (I’m teasing again, aren’t I? I just can’t seem to help it.) Oh and if Imato starts lecturing you again, you’re supposed to remind him that Gretel said to leave you alone. He wanted to pull you aside after you danced a couple of times each with Mendel and Sean, but Gretel wouldn’t let him. “It’s a ball,” she told him. “Let her be. She should dance with whomever she pleases.”

He grumbled a bit. I don’t think he likes people realizing his little sister is a young lady. I guess it’s just part of being a big brother. This was Taty’s first ball and Jace was grumbling about who she was dancing with, too.

I thought Tulson’s announcement went fairly well. Her connection to you and how she carries herself was already being discussed and Gretel and I had already planted the suspicion that she was the one. The King and Queen were a bit surprised, but Queen Elspeth seemed to be pretty understanding. She had Clara move to the palace, after all. I think what you said to her at the Westridge’s really helped.

It was probably for the best that Sean and Mendel were the only Westridges there, though. I overheard Sean telling Imato that his parents were going to need some time to adjust to the idea.

Speaking of adjusting, I’m glad Nysa came to the ball. She looked lovely. I think she only danced with Sean, Mendel and Imato, but she seemed to enjoy herself. I saw several men that looked disappointed that she left early-- and a couple of them even looked jealous that Sean got to escort her home!

The day after the ball was fun, wasn’t it? I enjoyed the festival market the most. I’m glad Lady Pren convinced Clara to come with us; I enjoyed getting to know her. You’re absolutely right about her making an excellent wife for Tulson.

Father and Uncle Winthrop really seemed to enjoy the gifts we found for them at the market. (Well, okay, I don’t think Uncle W. was actually all that thrilled with the

book of practical magic I got him, but maybe he’s softening just a bit. Either that or he was just being on his best behavior because he had told you he would.)

Speaking of shopping, don’t think I didn’t notice you trying to put the rest of the money I gave you back in my handbag. It’s on the bookshelf in your room. It was a gift and I don’t want it back. If you can’t bring yourself to spend it on yourself (though that dress we found at the market was perfect-- you should get a couple more) then buy something for Liop or something. I’m not taking it back.

I’m glad you and Taty got along so well. You’ve got two good friends in Rousha now to help you get settled in. (Granted, Clara’s just getting settled in too, but still.) Clara and Gretel got along well, also, which will be great for Gretel if Imato ends up with a post near Tulson and Clara.

Did anyone else feel like Lady Pren was trying to push you and Taty together and Clara and Gretel together, leaving me with her? It certainly felt that way to me! I didn’t mind too much, she is wonderful, but it felt like she had some sort of ulterior motive-- like when the Queen wanted to meet you. I felt like I was being evaluated for something. But Jace didn’t say anything… Maybe I’m imagining things. I probably won’t even see Jace again for several weeks. He wasn’t ever sure he’d be able to come for my birthday.

Dinner was wonderful; I think everyone had a good time. Don’t you agree that Father is acting odd, though? I don’t suppose he said anything to you that would explain it?

While you and he were talking after dinner, Nysa and I went out for some air. I didn’t really get a chance to tell you about it though.

“I recognize you,” she said almost immediately. “You were the one in the cave.”

I nodded. “I made that journey.”

“You did for this family what no one else could have. That child was never born.”

“My mother was killed while with child,” I responded softly.

She looked startled. “Your… mother…” You could see her struggling to remember.

“Ellean, your sister,” I explained. That was when I noticed that she was holding you book of fairy tales. I took it from her and opened it to the picture of the three girls. I pointed to each in turn. “Jezreel Fae Brio, Ellean Ryn Brio, Nysa Brio.”

She studied the picture for a moment, then pointed out each girl. “Jessie, Elli… me. Nysa Mikel Brio.” She turned the pages slowly, looking at the pictures. “Someone is missing. I have an older brother.:

I nodded. “Winthrop Latit Brio.” I pointed back inside. “Winthrop.”

She was quiet for several minutes, then looked back at the book. “Jessie told my story.”

“My mother did, too. They told it differently, though.”

She nodded. “They were very different.”

“What about you?” I asked quietly.

Her face clouded. “I’m… still not sure. So much is still missing.”

I put my arm around her thin shoulders. “It will come.”

She smiled. “I know.”

We went back inside and I asked Uncle W. if he’d read any good spells lately. He wouldn’t take the bait, though. I guess he meant it when he promised you no controversy.

I can’t believe how much effort it took yesterday to get that book of spells away from Liop! I was starting to think I really was going to have to turn him into a fire newt! (It’s a good thing it didn’t come to that, though. I’m not sure that spell works.) It’s a good thing that locator spell worked, because I don’t think we’d have gotten it any other way. He seemed mollified by the newer book I gave him, though. Hopefully he’s not causing trouble with it. At least the spells aren’t going to cause any explosions.

It was nice to jest spend a day at your new home, even if we spent most of it arguing with Liop. It’s probably good Gretel and Imato had gone out-- I don’t think Imato would have been amused. Nysa sure seemed to think it was funny, though. And Brynn spent all of lunch laughing at us. Did she come today to discuss more with you or is she coming tomorrow?

Well, I have spent the whole day writing and now the carriage is arriving at the inn. Gretel informs me I haven’t been very good company, so I should stop. Honestly this is so long I’d better just send it to you. Since we’re just a day’s ride from Rousha I’ll just send it to you with the morning post and you should get it tomorrow night! I should be back in Adya by dinnertime on the 1st, so Hermes should find me there.

Love Always,

Keish

P.S. Shelly loved Rousha! I’ve only just seen her and told her you hoped she’d enjoyed herself. She was very gratified that you’d thought to ask after her. Since I did everything for myself, she spent all her time at the festival. Apparently it was amazing!

Go to NEXT Letter

Gretel-- January 22, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

January 22, 2004

Dear Arri,

I’m sending this by express messenger care of Prince Tulson, who solemnly promises, under threats of all sort from Keish, that it will get to you no later than the 25th.

I hope you enjoy this gown. Keish helped me pick the design and colors. We decided the green would match your eyes, and the gold belt looks so elegant. The cream across the bottom is embroidered with golden branches and flowers inspired by the drawings Keish saw in the Fairy book your mother made for you. We’ll make sure you have help lacing the gold cord up the back. I’m planning to send one of the lady’s maids my mother insists on bringing over to you.

Don’t worry about the silk-- Keish has enchanted it not to stain and she enchanted the hems so they won’t rip. She said you’d be glad to hear that, though of course, we both think you’ll do splendidly at the ball.

Keish also assures me the fit should be perfect. She managed to get all of your measurements while she was with you. She says that was why Brynn was laughing so hard the day she was trying to explain what lessons she wanted you to start with-- Keish was around the corner “zinging” (Keish’s word) spells into the room like “possessed measuring tapes” to get all your measurements. She assures me the spells are completely accurate, but I made sure Tulson could give you access to the royal tailors for a more precise fitting if needed.

Thank you so much for what you said to Imato-- I can’t wait to really have a sister!

Love

GRETEL

Go to NEXT Letter

Arri-- January 21, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

January 21, 2004

Dear Keish,

Yes, of course Jace can take Liop out exploring! I’m sorry I forgot to mention that in my last letter, but the answer was obvious. Liop is very excited, almost enough to cover up his fear of moving.

Uncle Winthrop thinks it’s an excellent idea to celebrate his and Uncle Alden’s birthdays together in Rousha. He says he will be on his best behavior and not utter a single controversial word from sun-up to sun-down. I made him promise, although Imato and Liop are taking bets on whether he can actually keep it.

I’m writing this letter from the coach that Uncle W. hired to take us to Rousha, so you’ll have to forgive the sloppy handwriting. It’s snowing lightly and we’ve gotten stuck in the mud twice, but Uncle W. is sure the storm will clear soon and it’s impossible to avoid muddy roads this time of year. Uncle W. is in a small carriage ahead of us with Father. Father doesn’t seem to be feeling well and I couldn’t get him to eat anything this morning. Hopefully the doctors and healers in Rousha will be able to help him. He still hasn’t said a word and he fought hard when Uncle W., Imato, Cook’s husband, and Mendel tried to move him from the bedroom to the carriage. I was afraid they would hurt him, but they were very careful.

I must start this letter from where I left off in my last letter. There were only three things left to do before we could move to Rousha.

The first was to have dinner with the Westridges. It was a formal affair, so Liop had to stay home. I wore one of Aunt Rawnal’s dresses made over. It’s a long red-brown gown with lots of hand-crocheted lace. Uncle Winthrop says it was one of the first dresses she made after they married. It’s old-fashioned, but elegant and Imato said I needed to wear something elegant. I would have worn the yellow dress that Treany gave me, but I’ve worn it so much it’s beginning to wear out. Cook says the shade of brown is wrong for my complexion, but I still like the color.

The dinner was awfully formal, which means that only Lord and Lady Westridge, Imato and Sean had anything to say. Uncle Winthrop was polite, but he and Lord Westridge never really had anything except a business relationship, and that was ending now. Imato told me beforehand that the Westridges were having us to dinner because of our social standing and because they wanted to keep the door open for social contacts when we move to Rousha. I really don’t understand any of that.

I spent most of the first course trying to remember what fork to use, and during the main course I mistook an oil vase for a salt shaker—it was dark—and poured oil onto my meat, which startled me and I knocked a fork (still not sure what kind) onto the floor and bent to pick it up, but I was still holding the oil vase, so I poured oil all down my dress. It all happened in less time than I just took to write it. Mendel put his hand over his mouth to try to hide his laughter.

Lady Westridge rang for Clara to come and help me. For some reason Mendel thought that made everything even funnier and he busted up entirely.

Lady Clara ignored him completely. She picked up the fallen dinnerware and led me away to a spare room without saying a single word. Then she produced a spare dress of Lady Westridge’s for me to change into.

“I really don’t think Mendel should have laughed,” I grumbled as Lady Clara helped me with my buttons.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Lady Clara, unconcernedly, “Mendel seems to laugh every time I do anything these days. It’s driving me crazy. I’ll be relieved when I can follow you to Rousha in three days. Lady Pren is sending a carriage for me the day after you leave.”

I didn’t think anyone could say “relieved” and “Rousha” in the same sentence. I stared at her.

“At least the Westridges never expect me to act like a lady,” I said, although it wasn’t really comforting, “Lord Westridge didn’t even raise his eyebrows. Aren’t you worried about using the wrong thing at dinner?”

“Not really,” Lady Clara answered, “I’ve had to set so many tables that I know what all the utensils are, and having to carry serving trays has given me pretty good balance.” I could hear the pride in her voice as she said this. It amazed me. I hadn’t ever thought about it before.

Lady Clara told me to wear the spare dress the rest of the evening and she’d have my dress ready for me by the time we left to go home. I spent the rest of the evening moving as little as possible. When I got my dress back, it was perfectly clean and spotless.

The second thing to do was to have lunch with Treany. She told me it would be very informal and just her and me, which meant that I didn’t have to worry because even if Treany does know the difference between an oil vase and a salt shaker, she doesn’t ever put both on the table at the same time, at least not for lunches. And she never notices what fork I’m using.

I told Treany about the dinner and she didn’t laugh once. She was very sympathetic and she called Lady Clara a “very superior kind of servant,” which made me laugh because I suddenly understood why Mendel thought the situation was so funny. I would rather forget it happened though.

“You ought to send for her when you move into the palace,” she informed me in a conspiratorial whisper. I was confused.

“I’m not moving to the palace,” I said, “We’re going to a nice two-bedroom apartment in the old city. We have a lovely view of the castle park.”

“Oh, I’m sure you don’t intend to be there long,” said Treany lightly. She studied my confused expression.

“Arri,” she said finally, “I promise I haven’t said a word, but really, you couldn’t have been more obvious.”

“About what?” I asked.

“You and Prince Tulson.”

It was like watching a vital puzzle piece fall into place and discovering the puzzle wasn’t what I thought it was. I started at her, trying to decide what to say.

“I’m not engaged to the prince,” I said finally.

Treany frowned at me.

“The queen came all the way to Rousha and the only person besides her brother’s family that she dined with was you,” she accused me.

“Yes, but you don’t understand,” I said, wondering how Treany knew I dined with the queen.

“You can’t spend most of your time with three young men, two of them highly eligible, without attracting attention, Arri,” Treany continued. Then she sighed, “you really should have taken Feminine Politics. People watch you. Besides, you’re the only eligible young lady in Odsreq.”

I shook my head. “There’s you and Felicia Lowling and…” but Treany interrupted me with a bright smile.

“Prince Tulson would never even look at us. We have no rank.” She shook her head in frustration.

I started to protest that, then shut my mouth, thinking that if I said too much I might accidentally give away Clara. Lunch with Treany wasn’t nearly as nice as I thought it would be.

“What do you mean, people watch me?” I asked finally, my voice soft.

“For all the reasons I’ve already said,” Treany told me, “and you’re really hard to figure out. You’ve never done what people expected a lady of quality to do. You were so quiet when you first came here. People though it was snobbery at first. It took me forever to figure out that you were just being shy.”

“I didn’t know anyone, and I was scared,” I defended, remembering that first awful drive to Odsreq after we were told Father died. I didn’t even know Uncle Winthrop very well. Then going to language class and everyone stared at me like I was a zoo animal and no one said anything…

“Do you think the people in Rousha will think I’m snobbish?” I asked.

She didn’t answer that. She just sighed again and then brightened. “You’re going to make so many important connections. Will you promise to send me sketches of the new season fashions? Old Rousha is the absolute center of modern design!” I promised to send sketches of every outfit I saw.

I don’t think I really convinced her that I’m not engaged to Prince Tulson, and she couldn’t understand at all why I was so nervous about moving. I don’t know what I’m going to do, Keish! I’m so glad you’re coming. I wish you could just stay here with us and keep me from making a fool of myself, although I’m not sure it will be possible to prevent that regardless. Everyone my age will be graduated from finishing school and very elegant, I’m sure.

The worst part of all is that I have to leave Glory behind with the Westridge’s. That was the third thing I had to do before we could leave. I walked her there myself and handed her over to Mendel, who didn’t even laugh once, but showed me the stables and how bright and clean they are, and introduced me to the head stableman and even the veterinarian who will help with the foaling. I know the Westridges have the best stables of anyone and Mendel says that no matter where I’m living, he’ll send for me as soon as Glory’s belly drops and she starts going into labor, so I still might get to see the foal born. But it won’t be the same as if I’m living there and can help take care of them. I know the foaling is still more than two months away, but I can’t help worrying about it.

I’m sorry, Keish. I feel so selfish and helpless and whiny. Everything we’re doing is for Father to help him get better, and I do want him to get well. I want that more than anything—more than Glory’s foal. So I shouldn’t be complaining, and I ought to be much happier than I am. Father’s going to have the best doctor in all of Elcaro! That’s something to be happy about. Everything will be so much better when he’s well again. Our apartment is within walking distance of the hospital. Uncle W. made sure of that, so we’ll be able to visit him whenever we want. And of course the king’s healer will help with the treatments. I wish I could help too.

I don’t know why the fairies didn’t take you, but I’m sure they could tell that with or without magic, I’m hopelessly incompetent.

Uncle W. was right. The snow has stopped and the sun came out while I was writing this. We’re traveling through countryside now with white, sparkly fields covered in fresh snow. It’s cold, but I have plenty of blankets, and Liop is asleep with his hot little head against my shoulder. I think I should quit complaining and just watch the scenery. I wonder though, why your father is in such a funny mood. Do you think he’s been talking to Mendel? He’s been awfully silly since Prince Tulson got engaged, and not just around Lady Clara. It’s like there’s some private joke going on that no one will explain. That’s one thing I just thought of—in Rousha I won’t have to spend so much time trying to figure out Mendel.

I threatened Liop with everything I could think of but I have no idea where that book of spells is. He’s bent on keeping it, even if he blows up the kingdom.

I can’t wait for you to get here. It will be so nice to talk to you in person again! And Aunt Nysa is so excited to meet you! She was very impressed by your spell work in the cave.

I have to end this now, as I’m almost out of paper. Everyone sends their love and safe journey, and we will see you in a few days.

Love,

Arri

Go to NEXT Letter

Keish-- January 15, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

January 15, 2004

Dear Arri,

It is absolutely too much of Tulson to make you do something like that! I should like to give him a piece of my mind on the subject. I think I will, when I’m there in a couple of weeks. Honestly, what could he have been thinking, putting you in such a position?!

And then to be upset with you for what you told the queen… the nerve! He makes me so mad sometimes. Spoiled youngest prince. Grr. That is just…. I need to go distract myself with something.

I’m calm now. I think you did an excellent job. Far better than what Tulson had in mind, I’d say, since you got the queen to admit that one must marry for love. Perhaps you should be studying diplomacy as well as healing.

As far as ways to introduce Clara… well that’s only part of it, isn’t it? How is Clara going to explain going to Rousha to begin with? Or are the Westridges the type of people that would understand? I wrote to Jace yesterday to see what he thinks-- and to tell him to make sure Tulson realizes she’ll need a wardrobe and such. Maybe he’ll have some ideas.

I suppose Clara could go with you-- supposedly as a sort of ladies’ maid or something.

I’ve been thinking about this since I got your letter and I haven’t come to any conclusions. It just isn’t done-- there’s no precedent. Even in the stories, they never bother to mention those kind of practical details. Gretel hasn’t been able to think of anything either and Papa just laughs… at everything these days.

I haven’t called him that in years, but it just slipped out the other day. He’s started calling me Keisha or Keisha Nerys. He hasn’t done that since Mother died.

Speaking of Papa-- I finally got things worked out for his birthday. He rather wishes we could all celebrate together since Uncle W.’s birthday is coming up also. We’re just going to have a quiet dinner here this week and then Jace is making arrangements with his parents for a larger dinner the day after the ball. Please tell Uncle W. and Imato and Liop so they plan on it. Since we’ll be spending the day with Lady Pren, I thought that day worked out the best.

Oh! Since you didn’t seem to object, I told Jace to go ahead and write to Liop about them exploring together while we’re with Lady Pren. If it is a problem, just let me know and intercept the letter from Jace.

Personally, I’m looking forward to being in Rousha as a good way to avoid Vanessa. Naturally, she’s coming too, but there should be enough going on to keep her from pestering me. Unfortunately for Clara, once it’s announced that she’s Tulson’s fiancée, Vanessa will probably want to compare notes on wedding plans.

It’s too bad Clara doesn’t have a long-lost father like Marie. Her presentation to court was a few days ago and it went very smoothly. It was pretty much like any other. She looked lovely in her gown and managed all the dancing, which she was quite concerned about.

January 16

I lost track of time while I was writing yesterday, so I had to leave off when Gretel came looking for me. We were supposed to go out to do some shopping. She needed to get away from the palace for a bit. Really, some of the gossip is getting out of hand. Even Vanessa’s mother is fading into the background as far as the gossip goes-- and her daughter is marrying the prince!

Gretel’s mother is taking the whole thing too far. If one more person mentions the idea that Imato’s training has taken longer because he’s really a sorcerer knight-- a position that no one has held in at least a century-- and that he’ll be the king’s personal sorcerer… well, I might scream. Poor Gretel has to put up with the talk constantly since there’s a steady stream of women coming to gossip with her mother. I think she’s starting to wish they could just elope.

Last night Papa told me that the king has been receiving reports indicating a complete collapse of the Narls. There have also been many reports of men suddenly not knowing why they are where they are, or arriving home after having been missing for years-- with no memory of what they’ve been doing.

There have been some reports of problems, but mostly it seems that taking care of Gessair has taken care of the Narls.

Does Nysa remember more? She asked Brynn some interesting questions. I hadn’t realized Brynn was from the Toroon line. I’m not sure there’s anyone left from that line…

I wonder why the fairies didn’t take one of us? Do you think our mothers found a way to keep them from taking anyone? Or did Nysa stop the fairies?

Oh! You said Liop made a bright blue potion that caught fire? That little sneak! That’s why I can’t find that book of spells-- he must have taken it with him. You’d better get it away from him-- several of the recipes have mistakes in them (like that one). It’s a small volume, kind of ragged and says simply “Practical” on the front. It’s sort of a dirty yellow with red lettering. Hopefully you can find it before he sets anything big on fire… a lot of the mistakes seem to result in flames. Sorry, I didn’t even realize it was missing until a few days ago. He must have found it after I left and he wouldn’t have realized it has so many mistakes. I’ll have to get it from you when I’m in Rousha-- I’ve been trying to correct it.

I’m bringing a “lady in waiting” to Rousha. Well, sort of. One of the maids that helps me from time to time said something a few days ago about wanting to visit Rousha, so I figured, why not? Her name is Shelly and I quite like her. I won’t need much, so I told her she could do all the exploring she wants. She’s thrilled. Gretel just laughs at me.

Speaking of which, (laughing, that is), I’m sorry everyone is telling you not to listen to everyone else. It is funny, though. I don’t know if it would be helpful if I tell you not the listen to Mendel or not, so I’ll refrain even though it’s tempting.

January 19

Sorry I haven’t sent this yet. I thought I’d best wait to see if Jace had anything helpful to say. I just received his letter and he says his mother wants to arrange things. She seems to know what to say to the Westridges and is going to have Clara come stay with her. Lady Pren also seems to think that just introducing Clara as “Clara Songson” is enough and that she (Lady Pren) can control some of the gossip. So I suppose Clara will be hearing from her. (This is one of the rare occasions when I am all too happy to turn things over to an adult!)

Oh, and Jace says that Tulson had already thought of the need for a wardrobe (there may be hope for him after all) but he was happy to turn those details over to Lady Pren also.

It’s quite late, but I’ll send this off first thing in the morning. You’re probably getting anxious since I’ve taken so long responding. I shall see you soon!

Love Always,

Keish

Go to NEXT Letter

Arri-- January 11, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

January 11, 2004

Dear Keish,

Your dress is beautiful! You’re going to look so elegant at the Winter Ball. I showed the sketches to Treany and she said that you have flawless taste (which I already knew, but I thought you’d appreciate the compliment since Treany is also known for having good taste in clothing). I won’t ask about my dress, but I’m very grateful, and it’s wonderful to know that I don’t have to worry about it. I’m really not very good at fashion.

We hired Nurse Linder right before the trip to visit you, because Mother was feeling poorly and wanted extra help. She didn’t come from a healing background, and I think the traditional doctor who trained her was against healers (a lot of them are, since they’re kind of in competition for patients). I don’t remember why Father and Mother chose her. Miss Perlita was around— sort of— she was being courted by someone (I don’t remember the name and they eventually broke up).

I should tell you the plans for moving. Uncle Winthrop found an apartment, so we’ve begun packing. The apartment is smaller than the cottage, so we’ve been sorting things out that will be stored in the Westridges’ basement from things that we really need. Most of Uncle W.’s books will go into storage, and a lot of the furniture. He rented a shop in Rousha for his alchemy supplies. It’s probably best that Liop doesn’t have such easy access to them anyway. Yesterday he was caught mixing a bright blue substance that caught fire when Uncle Winthrop asked a little too loudly what it was. Liop says he was going to rub it on the windows so people could only see out and not in. Uncle W. says it was entirely the wrong color for that kind of potion, and he’s glad Liop was caught before he actually tried to use it.

I know you’re going to miss Jace a lot, but it is very comforting to me knowing that I have friends in Rousha: Brynn, Jace, and Taty. I don’t really know anyone else there, or at least it seems that way because I didn’t keep in touch with anyone I knew after I moved away nearly four years ago. The girls I shared classes with must be highly educated, refined young ladies. They will have graduated from school and be seeking marriage. I never graduated, and although I learned a lot in Odsreq, I don’t think it will serve me in the high society of Rousha. I wish you lived in Rousha; you know virtually everything about high society.

I still don’t know who my trainer will be. Everything is so busy, and Uncle Winthrop is pretty stressed out. Imato advised me to let the matter rest until we get to Rousha, and I think he’s right. Thank you, and tell Uncle Adlen thank you, for offering to pay for my apprenticeship. I think it will be okay now, but I’ll let you know. Thank you.

Brynn came on the eighth in the morning. “It’s too snowy to work outside today,” she said briskly, “is there a room we could use where we won’t be disturbed?”

“The basement,” I said.

Aunt Nysa looked up from the cross-stitch sampler I had been teaching her to sew on. Her long golden hair hid most of her face, but she was watching us.

“You’re welcome to join us,” Brynn told her.

Aunt Nysa turned her eyes on me. She set down the needlework and took my hand.

With Uncle Winthrop back, the basement is much better organized and cleaner than it was before. Brynn, Aunt Nysa, and I moved the table and instruments to clear a space in the center of the floor. Brynn pulled off her long white gloves, revealing her bright orange hand. At least the cuts from the crystal were almost completely healed. Then Brynn removed a cold pale object from her satchel and placed it in my hand. It was a peeled potato, carved round. Brynn smiled grimly: “At least this is closer to my natural skin color than the orange,” she said.

Aunt Nysa stood by, watching us with intense interest. I closed my eyes and felt the weight of Brynn’s hand on top of the potato. Suddenly I felt like I had been doused in cold water. I jerked my hand instinctively and the connection broke. Aunt Nysa laughed as the potato hit the ground with a soft thump.

“I’m sorry,” I said, feeling the color rise in my face.

“Not to worry,” said Brynn, “Keish almost hit me in the head with the crystal when I used the spell on her— said she felt like a spider was crawling on her.”

“Is that what I should have felt?” I asked nervously.

“Different people feel different things,” said Brynn nonchalantly, “Don’t worry; I got the information I needed.” She stretched out her hand and studied it. It was still bright orange, but no worse than that. She sighed.

“Well, Arri,” she said finally, “your magic is as strong as Keish’s and much stronger than mine. Actually, it’s surprising the fairies never took one of you.” She glanced at Aunt Nysa as she said it.

“The fairies have a more accurate method of measuring magic,” said Aunt Nysa softly.

“Yes— and very invasive. I’ll stick to this one since I really don’t need that many details.”

Aunt Nysa looked abashed.

“Sit down,” said Brynn, and since there weren’t enough chairs we all sat cross-legged on the floor. “Now Nysa,” said Brynn gently, “what would you know of me?”

Aunt Nysa blushed, soft rose giving color to her pale cheeks. She looked down and let most of her face be hidden in her hair. A couple of minutes of silence surrounded us.

“I would know who you are, and how you came here,” said Aunt Nysa, “and why you are connected to this family.”

Brynn whistled. “That’s a list,” she said, “but it’s a wise one.” Aunt Nysa raised her head briefly.

“Very well,” said Brynn sofly, “but understand that I’m not in the habit of telling more about myself than I need to. My name is Brynn Garrard and I am of the Tooron magic line. There is also a little Maurisald in me, but the Tooron is much stronger. Actually neither the Maurisald nor the Tooron can compare to the Brio line in strength. The fairies were slow in deciding to take me— in fact they waited so long that they almost lost their window of opportunity. I was fully seven years old when I was taken.”

“Why?” asked Aunt Nysa, and I asked, “What’s a window of opportunity?” at the same time.

“The fairies’ time allotment in which they can take a child without permission is between two and eight years of age. Before the age of two, they must ask the parents, and after eight, they must ask the child. The fairies waited so long, because they were hoping a more magical child would be born into my family. None was.”
Brynn gave us a minute to think about this.

“How old are you?” I asked.

“Old,” said Brynn simply, “I was fully grown when Nysa came to the fairies.”

Aunt Nysa raised her head and looked at Brynn.

“It had been a long time since a powerful child had entered the world of fairies,” Brynn continued, “when Lord Bastion Brio married the Lady Katja Whiteleaf. They were 4^th cousins, both magical, and both from the line of Brio. You can imagine” (she looked mainly at Aunt Nysa) “the kind of excitement a marriage like this caused. The first child, Winthrop with only a little more than the average amount of magic, was a disappointment. Jezreel was much more promising. Most fairies were certain Ellean would be taken, but still the listening fairies waited. Then you were born.”

Aunt Nysa shifted in her seat and her large blue eyes narrowed.

“You were exactly what they wanted. They needed only wait for the perfect moment. You were three years old when it finally came.”

Brynn frowned. She stopped looking at either of us.

“I didn’t pay much attention at first. I didn’t really care about new baby fairies, but then Jezreel and Ellean came. Other families had looked for their lost children. Other families had even found them. But eventually they would quit coming, especially once the child lost its memory. Even children who never lost their memory soon stopped getting visits. They were too difficult. Jezreel and Ellean were different. Years later they were still coming, still pouring every ounce of magic they possessed into finding a sister who couldn’t always remember them from one visit to the next. They never gave up.”

“I thought you said you didn’t know my mother,” I said.

“I never spoke to her while I was in the fairy ring. I was only aware of what was happening; I wasn’t involved. I didn’t become involved until I left the ring and a couple years later went to tutor Ellean.”
Brynn became silent. I looked at Aunt Nysa and saw tears in her eyes. It occurred to me that Brynn must have had family. Did they find her? Did they stop coming to see her? They were questions I knew I couldn’t ask.

There really isn’t much to tell after that, although Brynn didn’t really answer the question of why she is connected to this family.

In the afternoon Prince Tulson showed up and asked if I would go walking with him, but Imato pointed out that it was snowing, so the prince looked uncomfortable and finally said he had something to speak to me about in private. Imato raised his eyebrows at me and gave me a chance to say no. I knew what he was thinking, so I shook my head and turned a little red.

“Okay,” I said to Prince Tulson and we went into the basement. I seem to be spending a lot of time there.
Once downstairs, Prince Tulson began to look awkward. Usually, when I see the Prince he immediately has something to say and says it, so I wasn’t sure what to think when he started by asking me how I was and then how Father was. Actually, I kept thinking about what Imato said about the prince courting me, and even though I knew it was silly, he was acting so funny that I started to get nervous.

“How long are you going to be in Odsreq?” I asked finally.

“Not long. Mother is visiting Uncle Perris. Actually, I wanted to ask you a favor, since she’s here too.”

I was confused and worried all at once. Prince Tulson was watching me very closely.

“You see, Clara and I have been doing a lot of talking, not just when you’re around. She’s really a great lady, don’t you think? I like spending time with her.”

Relief washed over me. I smiled.

“I like Clara a lot,” I said, “she really does deserved to be called a lady.”

“Or a duchess,” said Prince Tulson, “You see, I made her an offer this morning and she accepted.”

“Really?” I almost shouted I was so happy, “I’m so glad! Congratulations!”

Prince Tulson looked so relieved that I felt a little startled.

“I’m glad you like her,” he said with more confidence, “I was a little worried… well, the problem is more with Mother and Father. They’ve been letting me spend more time here, and I’ve told them a lot about you and Clara, but they didn’t expect me to fall in love with Clara. She’s… well, she’s a servant. And you and I know she shouldn’t be one, but that isn’t going to be so obvious to the king and queen.”

I nodded, wondering what the favor was and starting to get nervous again.

“So I was thinking that you could talk to Mother for me,” the prince continued, “You can have lunch with her tomorrow and talk about Lady Clara. Explain all of her qualities. She’s so graceful and well-mannered…”

“When they meet her, they’ll be able to see that,” I protested.

“I want them to look for it, to expect it. I started to, but Mother interrupted to explain how interested she is in meeting you. She feels badly that she didn’t have an opportunity to speak to you when you were last in Rousha. When you have lunch with her tomorrow, talk about Clara.”

I kept trying to protest, but the Prince Tulson kept insisting. He never listens when I try to get out of things, so in the end, I had to go upstairs and think about what dress to wear. Keish, I really don’t think it’s fair.

I arrived at the Westridge manor right on schedule, walking carefully through the snow with the hem of my yellow dress held up to keep it from getting wet. The day was clear, cold, and beautiful. I climbed the steps to the manor entrance and rang the bell. In a minute a servant answered, but not one I recognized. He, however, recognized me in a moment and admitted me. I handed him my coat and scarf.

“Lunch is about to be served, my lady,” said the servant, “Let me escort you.” He led me through the main hall and into the parlor. Prince Tulson was sitting at a small table with the Queen talking. When he saw me, he jumped up and came to offer me his arm. I curtsied. Queen Elspeth nodded her head and came forward to offer me her hand. She was gorgeously dressed in navy blue with white and gold trim. When she took my hand, I realized with a start that I was still wearing one of my gloves. I gasped a little and removed it hurriedly, trying to stuff it in a pocket, but I didn’t have any pockets, so it dropped on the floor. The Queen laughed a little.

“I’m very pleased to see you again, Lady Arri,” she said. I was glad she didn’t say my full name. Prince Tulson escorted me to the table. He gave us very formal introductions, then stepped toward the door.

“Will you excuse me, Mother?” he asked. She nodded and he hurried out of the room, catching my eye and giving me a slight nod as he went.

I didn’t expect him to leave us alone so soon. I wasn’t ready for it. My mind went blank and I stared stupidly at the Queen, wondering what to say.

“Tulson speaks very highly of you, Lady Arri,” said Queen Elspeth, smiling kindly, “He says you are one of the smartest girls he knows.”

I blushed. It was a moment when I should have said something about Lady Clara, but my mind was still too jumbled up. I never thought the Queen would compliment me.

“I hear you and Tulson have been spending a lot of time together,” she added. I jumped slightly, because I could tell from her tone of voice that she was implying something more than that.

“Not just us,” I stammered, “Lady Clara Songson too.”

“Yes, Tulson has told me about her. She’s a servant here, isn’t she?”

“Yes,” I said, “And I like her a lot.” I tried to think of something else to say about Lady Clara, but it didn’t seem appropriate to say she was great at climbing trees or fixing picnic baskets, or any of the other things Clara did. All those things only emphasized her social status, and I knew Prince Tulson wanted me to make her sound higher class.

“Yes,” said the Queen, “Are you looking forward to the ball?” She smiled politely.

“Yes, I am,” I lied, “Imato and my cousin Lady Lakeisha Leilani are coming too.” I wondered whether I should mention Lady Clara, but decided against it since I didn’t know if the Prince told them he invited her.
Queen Elspeth began telling me about her plans for the ball. She was particularly involved in the decorating and she gave me long descriptions of the flower arrangements and tablecloths. I only half-listened. I was trying to figure out how to draw the conversation back to Lady Clara. Every once in a while, when I could tell the Queen had just asked a question, I nodded politely.

Before I realized how much time had passed, Prince Tulson returned.

“Sorry I took so long, did you enjoy your chat?” he asked, looking mostly at me.

“We had a lovely conversation,” said the Queen, “Lady Arri has agreed to come a day early to help me put the last minute touches on the tables.”

I blinked. I couldn’t remember making any commitments like that, but then again, I couldn’t remember hardly any of the conversation at all, so I figured I must have agreed. Prince Tulson looked at me. I looked away guiltily.

We ate lunch for a few minutes, Queen Elspeth making light conversation. The food was good, but I couldn’t enjoy it very much, knowing I’d failed the Prince so terribly. Then one of the servants came to the door. He called Queen Elspeth and Prince Tulson out of the room. I suppressed a sigh of relief.

Once they were gone, I went to the window, put my hands on the sill and looked out into the spacious backyard. Mendel was playing with one of the cats. They looked peaceful and happy. I sighed miserably, wishing I was home playing with Kestrel or brushing Glory. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around, and found the Queen standing behind me.

“You have a lot on your mind, I think,” she said kindly, “May I do anything for you?”

I’m not sure why, but I didn’t expect Queen Elspeth to be so nice. She looked genuinely concerned about me. I looked back out the window, trying to organize my thoughts. Then I plunged forward with the only thing that came to my mind:

“Your Highness, do you ever think about marriage?” I asked. It sounded stupid the moment I said it, but I couldn’t take it back.

“I think about my son’s marriage frequently,” the Queen replied, “I want him to marry a fine young lady.”
I frowned, knowing she was misunderstanding something important, but not knowing how to approach it. I decided to deflect the subject for a minute.

“What about your marriage?” I asked, “Why did you marry the King?” Then I put my hand over my mouth in fear of my boldness. Is that an appropriate question to ask royalty? Probably not.

The Queen studied me thoughtfully for a minute.

“I fell in love,” she said finally. She didn’t look offended, so I ventured another question.

“Would you have married him if you didn’t love him?” I asked.

“No,” she said slowly.

“Love is very important,” I said.

“Very important,” her eyes were full of questions that she didn’t ask.

“Would you have married him if he wasn’t a prince?” I asked.

“Yes, of course,” she said, “We must marry whom we love.”

“No matter what?”

“Yes,” she agreed, narrowing her eyes slightly, “are you in love with my son?” She put one hand on my shoulder.

“No,” I whispered, “but someone else is.”

“Who?”

I hesitated; it didn’t seem right to just tell her. “I’m sorry, but I think you should ask him that question.”

“Does he love her?”

“More than anything!”

The Queen withdrew her hand.

“Forgive me, but I was sure it was you.” She was disappointed. I felt a worried chill.

“It’s someone better than me!” I cried in a panic, “It’s someone who will make sure he eats three meals every day! She’s really great: smart and pretty and everything.” I tried to remember Prince Tulson’s adjectives, but in that moment they escaped me.

“Do you think so?” asked the Queen.

“I know so. Only… she’s not what you expect.”

“How so?”

“I don’t know, Your Majesty,” I said awkwardly, “but she’s good and kind, and I know she’ll take good care of the Prince.”

“Then I can’t wait to meet her.” The Queen smiled a little perplexedly.

I smiled back as a new idea struck me.

“You’ll meet her at the ball,” I assured her, “The Prince will introduce her to all the court.”

Prince Tulson was really mad at me when I told him later what I said to the Queen. He said he would rather introduce people to Lady Clara one at a time, so he could get their reactions. I said that we should spread rumors through the court about what a fine person she was, so they would already have a good opinion of her before they met her. He liked that idea, but the announcement still worried him. I didn’t know what else to suggest. I mean, I hadn’t planned on making a promise like that to the Queen. I said it without thinking. Do you think I did okay? I hope it turns out all right, and I’m never letting the prince talk me into something like that again.

I told Imato that you said he is the most frustrating person you know, and he said (smiling) that the feeling is mutual. I think it’s funny that Jace took Imato’s side. Imato says men should stick together, especially when stubborn young ladies try to argue with them. I’m glad you told me about how Imato proposed; I knew it had happened, but Imato didn’t give me any details at all. He especially didn’t tell me about kissing Gretel.

By the way, Imato hasn’t ever killed a dragon. None of the squires have. Imato says he did fight one once, but it was Sir Aoweir who finally killed it.

Sean is twenty-two years old— I think— unless he’s had a birthday recently. Treany says Lady Westridge has introduced him to “countless” girls, but he hasn’t courted any of them seriously. I never paid much attention to Sean before. He’s kind of shy and quiet, not at all like Mendel. If Sean wants to court me, I wish he would just tell me. Well, maybe not. I don’t know what I’d say. I guess I’d say yes, because he is nice, and I can’t think of a reason to say no. I wish Imato would stick to his own courtships and not worry about mine. I don’t know why anyone would want to court me anyhow. My education is incomplete, and I’m always getting in trouble for something. I’m too young anyway. At least, I feel too young. Treany says her mother got married at sixteen. I wish I hadn‘t asked Treany about courtship. Imato says I shouldn’t pay attention to her. Uncle W. says I shouldn’t pay attention to Imato who says I shouldn‘t pay attention to Uncle W. Brynn says I shouldn’t pay attention to Liop (not that he has any opinions about courtship). Prince Tulson and Lady Clara only pay attention to each other. Brynn went back to Rousha. That leaves Mendel, which isn’t very comforting. No one else in Odsreq pays much attention to me. I’m glad I have you to write to.

As for the queen, Imato tells me that connecting the royal family to the Brios would be very desirable. I, myself, might not be a perfect match for the prince, but my legacy is, and that would be enough. I’m glad I don’t have to deal with the idea. I don’t want to be courted for my heritage.

I hope you are enjoying getting ready for the ball. If you have any ideas for how to introduce Clara as a Lady to the Court, I’d really appreciate it.

Love,

Arri

Go to NEXT Letter

Keish's dress-- Sketches

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:26:00 +0000

Keish-- January 5 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

January 5, 2004

Dear Arri,

Patience may be a virtue, but as you well know, it is one I was not blessed with! So while I am trying my very hardest to wait for your next letter before responding… I’m starting this letter now. After all, even without a response to my letter (was that really only yesterday?) I have plenty to respond to!

I got your letter from the 4th earlier today. I read it at lunch (good thing Jace doesn’t care much about how poorly I play hostess!)

Isn’t it funny that we both had formal audiences the same day? And then we both sat down yesterday morning to write letters. You’ll probably get mine today, so you can read how mine went.

Yours sounds… interesting. Actually I laughed out loud and Father insisted on knowing what you were up to that was so funny. I told him about Brynn and Uncle W. arguing.

He shook his head. “Brynn and that uncle of yours must be the only people in two kingdoms who would forget themselves and start yelling at each other during a royal audience.”

Jace cast a sly grin in my direction. “Well, maybe not the only two,” he said.

I glared at him and replied sternly, “Arguing with Tulson does not count! It’s usually his own fault.”

Father chuckled. “Perhaps you’re right, Jace.”

I scowled as fiercely as I could with soup in my mouth.

I’m responding all out of order, aren’t I? I think I do that every time. Since I have a plenty of time, I shall try to restrain myself and go through your letter in order.

I think it was a good idea to take Liop. One never knows what that scamp will do when no one is looking. Uncle W. probably would have been irritated it Liop burned the cottage down with some spell or something. I’m surprised, though, that he didn’t try a scrying spell to watch the audience with King Trunsle since he couldn’t go in. I imagine he knows enough about them to pull it off. (Don’t tell him that though, it’ll just give him ideas.)

I remember Father’s reaction when I asked if we were going to attend your mother’s funeral. I know it had been some years since my mother’s, but when his face turned white and he wouldn’t answer me I knew it was just going to be too hard for him. I didn’t press the matter. I remember wondering if you would be upset with me for not coming. I was always too scared to ask you.

Nurse Linder… was she the one who came with you when you visited a few months before Liop was born? She didn’t like me much. I don’t think she approved of me. I seem to recall hearing her muttering something about my being undisciplined, wild and entirely unladylike. Not that she was wrong. I was probably at least two of the three.

Jace showed me the sitting room you were in while I was in Rousha. It is certainly very busy. We laughed about the mural. I doubt people dressed that was when they went hunting dragons. Can you imagine how annoying it would be? Those clothes would definitely get in the way. I suppose your mother was wearing a very nice dress when your father rescued her from the dragon, but she hadn’t been planning on running into one, so that’s an entirely different matter.

Only Uncle W. would try to tell the King that he was already making arrangements! People say I’m outspoken, but good grief! Maybe it runs in the family.

I’m glad King Trunsle won’t let Imato just give up on his training. I’m sure he would have regretted it as soon as things settle down. Sir Aoweir didn’t like the idea of giving up on him, or letting him give up on himself.

I’m glad you don’t have to take Feminine Politics. (That made me laugh, which meant I had to read that part to Father… He and Jace both laughed loudly too.) Poor Imato-- he’s so serious sometimes. You shouldn’t have to take it, though, and I’m glad everyone is in agreement on that.

What was Uncle W. talking about? How could proper training lead to your death? Isn’t the opposite more likely? If you were to try to use your magic without training the results could be dangerous. Besides, your mother died of complications from childbirth, didn’t she? What does that have to do with magic? And what, if anything, does Brynn know? She must know (or at least suspect) something to have let it go at that.

What about Master Ujifil? If he looks forward to seeing you often, does that mean you’d be his apprentice? Or is that just because he’ll be treating your father? It’s wonderful that King Trunsle is going to take care of the apprenticeship. Father and I talked about it last night after I sent Hermes off and agreed that we would fund your training if you would let us. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. I guess maybe we should have been talking to Father about these sort of things all along. In the future, Father says, you are to let us know of such needs immediately so that we can help. He said he was going to write stern letters to Imato and Uncle W. on the subject (though he didn’t think Uncle W. would necessarily listen.)

The next part of your letter made me laugh again. (Actually, I can’t think of it without laughing, which Jace says, teasingly, is most distracting.) It’s probably a good thing Sir Aoweir thought to give Imato the helmet. I suppose that makes Gretel’s letter to you a little superfluous, but she’s been upset enough she may not have noticed. Actually, she says in her note that she didn’t know if she would be seeing Imato or not. If I were Imato, though, I’d have been far more nervous about facing her, too! (You’ve probably never seen her in a temper… it’s a frightening thing for whomever is on the receiving end. She doesn’t scream or throw things the way I tend to-- she becomes deadly calm.)

Imato, however deserved it! I’m convinced he either thinks too much or not enough. He may be the most frustrating person I know, and you are welcome to tell him I said so.

Jace thinks I’m being too hard on him. “Imato is being cautious,” he said. “You don’t understand the pressure put on young men to make good matches and be able to provide for them so that delicate young ladies” (I snorted at that) “don’t have to know any sort of hardship.”

“One,” I responded, “that sounds very boring, and two, we’re not all that delicate, and three, who said such things were anyone else’s decision to make?!”

Jace’s voice took on a tone not unlike my father’s when he thinks I’m being unreasonable. “But a young man simply cannot approach a young lady’s father to ask permission to court her or to ask for her hand if he has no viable means of supporting the young lady. Fathers are intimidating enough as it is without feeling like you’re asking with nothing to offer in return.”

“My father isn’t intimidating. And I don’t see how Sir Aoweir can be that intimidating either, when Imato already knows he likes him. Besides if I want to marry someone then I want to marry them and if that means we would struggle, then that’s our decision to make. The man can’t just decide without giving the girl a chance to voice her opinions too.”

“That’s part of your problem,” Jace pointed out, “most young ladies don’t have strong opinions and don’t even know what a struggle would mean. If they know from experience, then they probably aren’t that good of a match to begin with. Fathers, on the other hand, know what a struggle would mean because they are older and wiser and have seen more of the world. They have to protect their daughters, it’s their job. If a young man knows the father is going to disapprove because he can’t provide, then it’s better to let the young lady move on.”

I blew out my breath in frustration. “But Sir Aoweir likes Imato and Gretel isn’t that sheltered. Do you honestly think she cares a jot about giving up fancy ball gowns until Imato’s established himself? She has them in spades! It’s not as though Imato has no prospects, he just has to finish his training. And it’s not like they’d be starving and homeless until then. All she wants is to be with him.”

“But it would be more prudent for them to wait until Imato is done. I’m sure Imato is thinking Sir Aoweir holds that opinion. Imato’s just being practical.”

“I think in this case the ‘delicate young ladies’ are being more practical than the young men! They would have her dowry, and she comes of age in April and will receive a portion of her inheritance and they have his wages. Plus, he should receive be receiving his inheritance soon, right?”

“I think finding Sir Quin has likely changed that,” Jace pointed out.

I rolled my eyes. “Even if it has, I’m sure Uncle Quin would be willing to give Imato at least a portion once he’s well enough to do so. Plus once Imato finishes his training and enters knighthood it’s only a matter of time before he has a status equal to Sir Aoweir, so in the long run, what has she lost?”

“But that’s the long run,” Jace said, starting to get ruffled at last. “Imato has to consider what she’ll lose in the short term as well-- and in the short term, he’s still just a squire.”

I was ready to pull my hair out. “Am I the only one who realizes that he only has about 6 months or something left?! It’s not as though they would elope! Even the shortest formal engagement is at least six months.”

“Did you learn that in Feminine Politics?” Jace asked mischievously, hoping, I’m sure, to throw me off.

“I didn’t take Feminine Politics,” I retorted crossly, “which you well know.”

Jace sighed. “Maybe you should have,” he muttered.

I threw a quill at him. It was the best thing in reach since I was still sitting at the table in the library where I’d been writing this. (Where I’m sitting now, actually.) Of course my aim was way off, which is too bad, because he deserved being hit in the forehead for that comment. “What are you talking about? You don’t like that rot any more than I do,” I practically hissed.

“But at least we wouldn’t be having this discussion.”

(There’s that word again-- why do people insist on calling arguments with me discussions?! I think they do it because they know it gets me even more riled up!)

“It’s not my fault that Imato’s being ridiculous. And it certainly isn’t my fault that you’re defending him. Even if they didn’t have her inheritance and dowry, which as far as I’m aware would likely be plenty to live on for months, his wages aren’t nothing. And it’s not as though her parents wouldn’t let them live there or help them out in some way. Lady Aoweir certainly isn’t going to allow Gretel to miss any balls or important social functions. Being married won’t mean Gretel can stop living the status life her mother wants her to have, probably. If their circumstances interfere, Lady Aoweir will step in and make up the difference. And, as I’ve pointed out, the soonest they’re likely to marry is fall, since I’m sure there will be some sort of formal engagement. And they can’t really marry until Uncle Quin is at least making some progress. So that’s plenty of time for Imato to finish up and take his place as a knight. There can’t possibly be objections to the daughter of a knight marrying a knight, can there? And I still say it should be her decision and no one else’s. Surely Sir Aoweir can see that, too.”

I was slightly out of breath and very worked up by this point, so I broke off and went back to writing. Jace looked completely taken aback and how passionate I was. I don’t know why-- I thought he knew how I felt about such things. But then, I was surprised too. I didn’t think he would be so seriously agreeing with Imato! “Fathers are intimidating” indeed. It’s not as though he’s had experience going about asking for the hands of this or that young lady. At least, I should certainly hope he hasn’t, for he’s not said a word about it to me and he’s been telling me practically everything for years now. (Just as I’ve been telling him.)

Perhaps he was more taken aback than I originally thought, though. He’s been silent for an hour. That doesn’t mean he agrees with me, of course. I’m sure he still thinks Imato is being perfectly sensible. Though I do hope he realizes I made some good points.

Speaking of good points, I could also go on and on about Imato’s concern that something might happen. That, as I understand it, is life. Of course something will happen, but it doesn’t follow that it will be something bad. You can’t live in fear of vague possible disasters. What if our parents hadn’t married because they were worried something might happen? Things did happen to them, both good and bad, and that’s what has made us who we are.

I just read that last bit to Jace, hoping to draw him out of his rather distracting reverie. He says I’m waxing philosophical.

“But that doesn’t mean you’re entirely wrong,” he says, giving me a broad smile. It’s even more distracting than his peculiar silence was, so I’m sending him off to see about tea.

As he left, he poked his head back in the room. “I’m sorry for what I said about Feminine Politics. I’m glad you didn’t take it.”

“I know, but it was very bad of you to say,” I responded.

He just grinned and shut the door before I could throw something at him again.

I’m sorry Imato was disappointed. He probably doesn’t understand that it’s more difficult for a young woman, especially when you haven’t come of age and aren’t completely sure who knows best, to interrupt that kind of an argument. Just because you were quiet doesn’t mean you’re weak. Sometimes it’s better to let the argument blow over before adding your thoughts. (I know, I know, this sounds strange coming from me, but if you’d started yelling like I would have, what would have happened? The argument would have just gotten worse and Uncle W. wouldn’t have really been listening to you anyway. Much better to go to him after he’s calmed down some.) I’ve always known you have it in you to stand up to him. I’m sure he’ll let you once he realizes how important it is to you. I know Brynn and I and Imato have all told him that, but it’ll mean more coming directly from you (and he’ll be able to see it’s not just my idea or something). Or you could always come here and live with us. Father could arrange and apprenticeship, I’m sure.

I’m glad you set Imato straight about Gretel. They’re both in your debt, I think. I’m sure I’ll hear a lot of details when Gretel returns-- which I hope is soon, though I guess it wouldn’t be fair to separate her from Imato right away. But then again, maybe Imato will be coming back to Adya soon, anyway. Or will he stay until you are settled in Rousha? (Then again, I may know before I even send this off.)

It’s night now. At dinner I asked Father about his letters to Uncle W. and Imato. He had already written them both.

“I told Winthrop that he was being a stubborn, prideful fool not coming to me. We are family, after all. I don’t see why he didn’t write or even mention it while we were there for Christmas! He acted as though everything had been taken care of, arrangements all made, payments decided upon. I didn’t offer help because he made me think everything was done.”

I chuckled. “What did you say to Imato?”

“A lot of the same things-- that he should have come to me. Especially since Winthrop was making an idiot of himself. If he had simply written a letter he could have let the adults handle everything and gone back to his training.”

I nearly dropped my fork. “You didn’t say that, Father.”

He nodded, looking confused at my tone.

I looked at Jace (who was so staunch in defending Imato earlier in the day), but he was suddenly very interested in the fish course.

“Father,” I began gently, “Imato is an adult. He may not have finished his training yet, but he’s 21 years old. You and Uncle Winthrop have to stop treating him like a child.”

Father blinked. “I’m not treating him like a child. I just want him to be able to finish his training. He can’t do that very well if he’s worried all the time about taking care of everything.”

“I know, but he’s not going to see it that way. He’s going to feel like you think he’s 12. Why do you think he and Uncle Winthrop keep arguing? He wants to be allowed to be the adult he is.”

At this point Father looked to Jace for help, but he was still intent on the fish (he was apparently trying to ensure that the sauce was spread as evenly as is humanly possible). I kicked Jace under the table, but he just smiled without looking up. I glared at him.

I turned back to Father. “The fact is that if you don’t rewrite it, it will serve the opposite effect. It will simply convince Imato that you are like Uncle W. and he most certainly won’t come to you for help. It would be better to be on friendly terms, especially since he’ll be coming back to Adya.”

He finally agreed to rewrite the letter. I think he saw my point once he’d thought about it. Jace did quite an amazing job cleaning his plate. He can be very aggravating.

After dinner we went up with Father to the observatory. Jace was finally helpful, keeping an eye on what little could be seen through the clouds. I supervised while Father rewrote the letter. It’s much better now.

It’s late, So I will put this away for now.

Jan. 6th

Grr. Blaze seems to think that the moment the slightest bit of light sneaks in through the crack in the curtains he has a duty not to let me miss it. Personally, I would like to sleep until the sun is high enough that it demands attention, but no, he’s got me up when the sun isn’t even sure it’s up. In fact, this morning, it wasn’t even a hint of sunlight glimmering through the curtains, it was the light from the servants’ tower. Grr.

The advantage to this (the ONLY advantage) is that it has given me a chance to look over this letter and write more before breakfast. And rereading it I noticed that I completely forgot to tell you about the other letter I received yesterday.

It came in the morning, but when I got yours a few hours later I forgot abut it. It was not at all a letter I expected. It was from Jace’s mother.

Remember I told you we’d had tea the day I was in Rousha? It was kind of odd-- having tea alone with a woman you’ve only just met that day, but upon whose household you’ve wreaked a fair bit of havoc over the years. I like her and we had an enjoyable discussion on growing up at court (she’s the daughter of a knight, but then you likely knew that), but it was still just a bit odd.

I guess she liked me, though, because this letter is an invitation to spend the day after the ball shopping with her and Taty. She says the market will be larger than usual for the Winter Festival and the shops will have all their best merchandise out. There’s a letter here for Gretel, too (who apparently instructed the couriers to bring her mail to me… I’ll have to ask her about that). Lady Pren says she has sent a letter to you as well. I guess it’s probably waiting for you in Odsreq. (She must not have known you’d be in Rousha.) She hopes I can persuade you to join us unless your father’s condition absolutely prevents it.

Jace laughed at that. “Between Mother, you, and Gretel Arri had better just say she’ll come or she may find herself pulled out of the house in her dressing gown!” I glared at him and he laughed more.

Jace is here to find out why I haven’t come down to breakfast. “Make sure you tell Arri not to worry about what to do with Liop while she’s out with you ladies-- I’ll take him on a tour of Old Rousha and I promise to keep him out of trouble. With her permission, I’ll write him a letter inviting him to spend the day with me,” he says. He’d just write the letter, but he wants to make sure it’s okay before he gets Liop’s hopes up.

Well, breakfast is cooling and Father wants my opinions on the possible implications of the current proximity of Jupiter to the constellation of the Unicorn. So I guess I shall put this away again.

Evening

Gretel’s back! (I know, it’s completely selfish of me to be so excited when she and Imato can’t spend more time together, but I’ve really missed her these last couple of months.) I’m sure Imato has already told you what happened when he went to find her the other morning, but I somehow can’t picture him giving you a detailed account, so I’ll tell you what Gretel said. Perhaps it’s not a fair judgment of Imato. If that’s the case, it might still be fun to compare versions of the story. Anyway, here is what happened, with minimal commentary from me, as Gretel told it.

“The sun was barely rising when Imato knocked at my door. I hadn’t slept well, so I was already in a morning gown. I’d been staring out the window trying to decide if I’d been to hard on him [I told her she probably hadn’t]. I was glad to see him, especially since it seemed he was radiating a new confidence.

“’I’m sorry,’ he said simply, taking my hand and sitting beside me on the window seat.

“I nodded. ‘Me too.’

“’But you were right,’ Imato said. ‘I shouldn’t have written you that letter. I’ve just been so worried about everything.’

“I tried not to smile at the look on his face. ‘What changed?’ I asked him.

“He chuckled. ‘I talked to Arri. She gives pretty good advice for a little sister.’ His smile was larger and happier than anything I’d seen from him before.
“’You can’t be just figuring that out,’ I told him sternly. ‘You have a wonderful sister. I wish…’ I trailed off uncertainly.

“’It’s true,’ he said softly. ‘Shall I share her?’

“I looked up sharply. Was he saying what it sounded like he was saying? ‘Don’t you dare toy with me, Imato Quin Etautca,’ I told him.

“His eyes were sparkling like Liop’s do when he’s trying a new spell. ‘After yesterday do you think I’d dare do anything resembling toying with you?’ [“Not if he’s half as smart as his siblings,” I muttered at this point in her narrative.]

“My eyes filled with tears. I don’t know what I pictured this moment would be like, but I’m sure it was far more wonderful than I could ever have imagined. [Here I rolled my eyes.] ‘I’ve always wanted a sister,’ I admitted.

“His face grew more serious. ‘I still have to talk to your father.’

“I laughed. ‘He’ll be very pleased to talk to you.’

“He still looked somewhat troubled. ‘And I don’t know when the wedding could be. I still have months of training, and I don’t know how long it will take for my father to recover and…’

“I put my hand firmly over his mouth. ‘There will be plenty of time to sort all that out. Just knowing I can be your wife is enough…’” [Apparently Imato interrupted her here, but she just blushes and nearly giggles. I’ll assume that means he kissed her. I don‘t suppose that‘s a detail he‘ll give you.]

I guess then Imato went to talk to Sir Aoweir. Then of course, Gretel and her father left for home and I guess you and Imato and Liop and Uncle W. did too. It is too bad that they had to be separated so quickly after becoming betrothed.

So Gretel arrived just after lunch and we spent the afternoon trading stories about the winter. Jace helped me tell stories about our journey for a while, but then we sent him away so that we could dress for dinner. It was Jace’s farewell dinner and it was to be a formal, if small, dinner. (Well, okay, as formal as I can persuade myself to be. After two months away I thought we may as well try a formal function, or an informal formal function, as Jace called it.)

Father was in absolutely rare form. I think he told every joke he knows. He was jolly through every course, laughing merrily at anything anyone said that even approached being funny and sometimes… snickering (or something… I can’t think of a better word) to himself for no apparent reason at all. Have you ever seen my father snicker? Until tonight, I hadn’t either. It was very odd. If he were at all prone to drinking I would have suspected he had been having wine earlier, rather than tea. It was nearly as distracting as Jace’s smiling.

I do hate to let Jace go, but it’s not as though I can order him to stay. Well, okay, I suppose I could, but it wouldn’t be very polite of me. It will be Taty’s birthday soon and I have kept him from his family long enough (which really is just one of those things one tells oneself whether one agrees with one’s self on the matter or not is another matter entirely).

Jan. 7th midmorning

I beat even Blaze this morning, waking early to see Jace off. I was sorry to see him go, but I tried not to let him see just how sorry. He didn’t seem to want to go, but said he must speak with his father about several things and left with a certain air of purpose.

I resisted the temptation to return to bed (as if Blaze would have let me) and went up to the observatory. Father was acting somewhat silly again, and as soon as he had had his breakfast I sent him to bed and went looking for Gretel.

The court is positively buzzing about her and Imato. I’ve never understood how so much gossip can have circulated so far and so quickly! I suppose since it’s been a few years since you’ve lived in Rousha maybe you’ve not experienced it, but it’s quite a phenomenon. Gretel’s been back less than a full day and already everyone is talking about what a wonderful match she’s made. Lady Aoweir, of course, has been spreading much of this gossip to make the other mothers jealous. It’s quite the favorite pastime at court, you know. She has made certain that everyone knows that Imato rescued Uncle W. and your father (which technically he doesn’t deserve all the credit for and I’ve had to bite my tongue several times to avoid saying as much) and that King Trunsle has declared him to be Elcaro’s most promising squire and how he’s bound to follow his father as captain. Apparently Lady Aoweir is no longer bothered about the fact that your brother is not landed.

That’s all of the legitimate gossip. There’s also a great deal of ridiculous gossip, probably also started (slyly) by Lady Aoweir, though I’m sure she’d deny it (it’s all part of the game to women at court). Some of it, though, is getting silly. If I’m asked once more how many dragons Imato has slain (the current estimate is 4), I’ll likely go insane. (Ah, court life)

Well, Gretel and I are to have lunch with Marie and help her with gowns and such.

Jan. 8th

I am supposed to tell you that you are not to worry in the slightest about a new gown for the ball. Don’t ask, that’s all I’m allowed to say. You’ll just have to trust me on this.

Gretel and I went to have lunch with Marie (you remember, she’s the girl who used to be a servant, but found out she’s the daughter of a knight). It was a much more enjoyable lunch than the one with Vanessa, even if we did talk about gowns. Marie is to be formally presented at court in a couple of days, so after lunch we went with her for her fitting. It’s fun to spend time with her without her having to be working. She’s been away near the sea getting to know her father.

Gretel and I decided we may as well take the opportunity to see about gowns for the ball. (And naturally there was a discussion of wedding gowns and trousseaus and such, but Gretel demurred for the most part, declaring that she was not starting that process until she and Imato had further discussed dates and such.) One of the dressmaker’s assistants, Annette, always keeps an eye out for things I would like. She’s been helping me keep things mended (since I’m so miserable at it and I always have something in need of mending) for a while now. She set aside a lovely crushed velvet that exactly matches my eyes, which is no mean feat.

Now, you know my sketching is at least as deplorable as my mending, and I’m certainly no designer, but with a few patterns and a little magic, I was able to design my own gown. It will use the crushed velvet and some silver brocade. It’s funny, I always hated going through fittings and everything, but after having been gone so long it’s kind of exciting to get a new gown. I guess court life is a part of me after all. Not that I want to bury myself in it-- in fact I’m avoiding Vanessa who wants Gretel and I to come to tea or lunch, or something now that Gretel’s back. I, however, have no intention of subjecting myself to that again. If Gretel chooses to accept, she’s on her own. (Oh, I’m enclosing the sketches of my dress, since I’m not very good at describing such things in detail.)

Now that I’ve told you about yesterday, I shall answer your letter. I received it not long ago, and read it, but I had to put things down in order.

Gessair is not going anywhere any time soon. King Menion has not formally decreed what will happen to him, but I rather hope he’s simply put to death. Letting him recoup his magic would really not be a good idea.

I’m sorry no one would let you do anything. That is the chief difficulty of being a young lady. No one wants to let you do anything. It’s quite frustrating.

Poor Uncle Winthrop. It must be hard for him to have Aunt Nysa not remember him. I’m glad she is comfortable with you, though. It must be very hard for her, too. All of this is strange. I wonder if she remembers my mother. I hope she continues to remember things. I wonder what Brynn will have to say about it. Do you think they know each other? I don’t know how long it’s been since Brynn left the ring. I never thought to ask.

Mendel does come up with odd compliments, doesn’t he? What a strange thing to say. I’d consider it a compliment, though. Well, of a sort.

Imato does think about courtship too much. And if he doesn’t think much about Tulson and Clara he’s never seen them together. (Not that I have, but I’ve read your accounts of such times) As to the rest of it, if they were courting you, wouldn’t they have gone to Uncle W. or Imato for permission? Mendel doesn’t sound as though he is thinking about courting anyone. I don’t know about Sean, though. How much older is he than you?

I suppose that does explain why the Queen just sat there taking notes. But would it be proper for a princess to be a healer?

I can’t seem to hold the quill from laughing, everything Imato said is so funny. I’ll have to tell Gretel later.

I hope things are going well with Nysa, and that your magic test went very well. You’ll have to let me know what Brynn says about it all. I’ll close now, because I fear that if I write more I will need more than just Hermes and Clotho to send this. (It’s lucky I have both of them here now)

Love always

Keish

View the Sketches

Go to NEXT Letter

Arri-- January 7, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:48:00 +0000

January 7, 2004

Dear Keish,

I got your letter and also Gretel’s. It must have been awful facing Gessair in front of King Menion. I’m glad he didn’t get away or have any magic left. I’m glad you had your father and Jace to back you up. Jace really is indispensable. I think there must be a way for you to stay close to him and still be able to do the things you want to do. Maybe staying close to him is more important than the other things. I don’t know. It’s a lot to decide.

What are you going to do with Gessair now? Is he going to prison? For how long? It seems dangerous to ever let him out again, but maybe he could repent. I don’t know.

I think my last letter explained about Imato and Gretel, so I don’t need to respond to Gretel’s letter. I’m not sure what I would say anyway, except that I’m excited to see her at the ball, and I hope she isn’t too mad at Imato. I thought that maybe we would see Gretel some more before then, but she had to go back to Arella with her father. I didn’t see her before she left, but Imato seemed cheerful.

I slept most of the way home. Staying up most of the night isn’t easy for me. I don’t have as much practice as you do. Kestrel was very happy to see me. She would rather I didn’t go on adventures at all, but if I have to, then she thinks she ought to come too. I think Nozama feels the same way.

Yesterday, I woke up very early. The cottage was very quiet and full of soft blue morning light. I went out to the stables and began caring for the animals. Nacks woke up and joined me after a few minutes. I saddled Sprigs and rode him down to the river and back for exercise. I tried to be busy enough to make time pass quickly, but lunch was slow in coming.

After lunch I went up to my room and started gathering my things so that I could move in with Liop, but Uncle W. stopped me. He said we’d talk to Aunt Nysa first, but he thought that I should share my room with her and leave Liop and Imato as they were. I went and found Cook and asked if we could have a big dinner and could I help her make it, but she said Aunt Nysa would be tired from traveling and that dinner should be simple and light, so that she could go to bed early. It seemed like no one wanted me to do anything, so I went outside. I brushed Glory (though I could tell Nacks had already done it). Nacks, himself, was holed up in the servant’s quarters off the stables. He wouldn’t come out, and he wouldn’t give me anything to do. He just wanted to hibernate.

I went up to my bedroom and found my embroidery (sorely neglected for the last few months) and tried to satisfy myself with the rhythmic in and out of the needle. It’s nice on cold, lazy evenings, but frustrating when I’m trying to keep my mind off something else. I don’t know how the time passed, but it finally did, and I heard horses trotting up the rode.

I recognized Aunt Nysa the moment I saw her, though she was buried in blankets and clung tight to reigns of her pale dappled mount. Mendel and Sean rode on either side of her. Mendel waved to me as I dashed out to meet them. He jumped down from his tall stallion, took the reigns from Aunt Nysa and led the horses forward. I stood on the porch and tried to think of something to say. Mendel bowed deeply.

“Lady Arri,” he said, with a broad smile, “may I present your aunt, Lady Marigold.”

“Oh!” I said as it suddenly occurred to me that Aunt Nysa still didn’t know her name. I was trying to decide how to tell her when I felt someone standing behind me. A trembling hand steadied itself on my shoulder.

“Nysa?” asked Uncle Winthrop, his voice cracking.

The woman on the horse looked troubled. She dipped her face gracefully and stared at Uncle W. with large, hazel eyes.

“Do you know me?” she asked, her voice barely reaching our ears.

Uncle W. was crying. “Since the day you were born, I’ve held your face in my heart. Time has not changed it. Do you know me, little sister?”

Aunt Nysa looked at Mendel. He glanced awkwardly towards us.

“She still doesn’t remember much,” he explained.

“I’m sorry,” said the lady, dropping her head until the blankets around face hid her from view.

“Fairy,” said Mendel, “it’s all right, just as I said.” He reached up and found her hand. Aunt Nysa allowed Mendel to help her down from the horse. Every movement she made was graceful.

“Come in,” said Uncle W., “it’s alright; it’s alright.” He walked down and tried to put his arm around her, but she shied away closer to Mendel.

“Arri, come take her hand,” Mendel told me. I did so and together we guided her into the living room. I helped her out from the bundle of blankets around her. She was thinner than anyone I’ve ever seen, and her skin was almost white. From her post in the kitchen, I heard Cook gasp. Later she apologized for refusing to help me make a large dinner (“The poor bird’s starving!”). Imato added wood to the fire to make it blaze, and moved the sofa closer to it. Aunt Nysa held her hands out toward the warmth. She looked at me and at Mendel, but shied away from anyone else’s glance. I sat down at her feet so that I could look up into her face. It was the face of the woman in the cave, but melancholy.

For a long time none of us said anything. Cook brought in a tray of hot chamomile. Liop began as if to interrogate her, but before he finished the first sentence, Imato grabbed him and took him out of the room. Aunt Nysa watched them leave, and then turned her gaze back to me.

“I remember you,” she said, “Jesse brought you to me when you were just a baby… she bade me watch you… I never knew why.”

“I’m your niece,” I said. She smiled.

“I think she told me that, but I forgot it,” she murmured, “Some fairies remember everything, but I was never important enough for memories.”

“I thought that fairies who remember their old life leave the ring and become house fairies.”

“Yes, the less powerful ones do,” said Nysa, “but there are other fairies, powerful ones, called listening fairies. They lose the memory of their former life, but they keep all of their memories after that. They are the leaders of the fairies. I am very powerful, but I’m not a listening fairy.”

“Where are your wings?” I asked.

She sighed deeply. “I lost them when I left the ring. They never told me that would happen.”

“Nysa,” asked Uncle Winthrop. She turned her large, sad eyes on him. “Nysa, do you know who I am?”

“I saw you in the cave,” she said, “you were one of many.”

“I’m your brother Winthrop.”

She didn’t say anything, just sat looking in the fire.

“Will you still forget things?” I asked.

“I don’t know…”

Mendel knelt down next to me.

“I think Fairy’s memory is getting better—not worse. When I found her she couldn’t remember why she left the ring, but now she remembers your mother. And she remembers everything about me. It’s a good thing she still has her magic, because she’s been wandering in the forest for the past month, and she probably would have starved if she hadn’t bee able to use magic.”

“Will you stay for dinner?” asked Uncle Winthrop.

Mendel accepted, but Sean declined, giving his worrying mother as his excuse. We ate quietly. I was bursting inside with questions, but Aunt Nysa looked so tired that I didn’t want to do anything that would keep her up late. Aunt Nysa said she liked the idea of sharing her room with me. The problem was we didn’t have an extra bed. It turned into something of an argument, but finally everyone decided that the thing to do was to move Uncle W.’s big bed into my room for Aunt Nysa and I to share, and my bed became Uncle W.’s. Mendel stayed long enough to help move the furniture around. Then he went home.

This morning when I went out to help Nacks in the stables, I found Mendel waiting for me. He asked if “Fairy” was awake yet, and when he found out she wasn’t , he offered to help me with the animals. So I woke Nacks up and told him he could sleep in, which he very much appreciated. While we worked, Mendel told me all about his search for Aunt Nysa and how he found her. It wasn’t very easy, because when she left the ring, Aunt Nysa lost her memory of why she left it, so she wandered for a long time before Mendel and Sean found her. Mendel says she remembers a little more everyday. I told Mendel about the cave and Gessair, and he was surprised to hear about it and said that Aunt Nysa hadn’t said anything to him about it.

After the stable work, it only seemed fair to invite Mendel to breakfast. He wanted to help me make it, and I would have let him, except it soon became obvious that he hadn’t ever cooked anything before except wild game on a spit while traveling.

“It must be great to be useful to you uncle,” he said, sampling an omelet.

“Well,” I said slowly, “before Liop and I came, Uncle Winthrop could afford to hire Cook to make all his meals. But with us, it’s different.” I felt a little embarrassed to say such a thing, but it seemed best to be honest.

“Still, you’re not like other young ladies who wouldn’t have known what to do, and would have been ashamed to do it.”

“I didn’t know what to do at first. Cook had to teach me.” I said.

Mendel grinned. “I’m glad you’re not so well-bred as other girls,” he told me. It sounded like a compliment, but I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not. I turned back to the stove, and Imato came down and rescued me from having to respond.

When Aunt Nysa came down, she still looked tired, and she ate slowly. When Liop tried to ask her questions, Uncle Winthrop shushed him. I agreed. It seemed like Aunt Nysa would answer everything in her own time. Often she looked from me to Mendel and back again. After breakfast, I excused myself to practice the magic exercises that Brynn gave me. I have a note from Brynn saying that she come on the eighth to test my magic again, although I’m a little afraid. She already has to where gloves because of me. What if I accidentally change something else orange?

After lunch, Imato and I walked to the market. It was clear and chilly, but the dirt roads were frozen hard and that made it good for walking.

I asked Imato how his magic test went, but he just shrugged. “It’s a good thing I want to be an knight instead of a healer,” he told me, and changed the subject.

“You know, Arri, you’re really setting yourself up for a catastrophe,” he told me. We were walking back from the market with ingredients for dinner.

“How?” I asked.

“Well,” said Imato, “it seems like you have at least two young men trying to court you.” He looked amused. I was at a loss.

“Don’t you already know who?” he demanded.

“No,” I said.

“Prince Tulson and Mendel,” said Imato.

“What? That stuff about the prince and me eloping was a rumor. You know that.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t erase the fact that three young men, two of them with plenty of other business to attend to, dropped everything to help me rescue you. Grant it one may have been mainly helping his brother, but I wouldn’t dismiss any of them entirely.”

“Prince Tulson and I are friends, and Mendel was helping Aunt Nysa, and Sean hardly ever speaks to me directly.”

“Do you know why the Queen attended our audience with the King? She doesn’t normally do that.”

My mind was blank.

“She wanted,” Imato grinned, “to get a good look at you, to see if you were worthy of her son.” He gave me a chance to respond, but I didn’t.

“I wish I knew her well enough to tell you what she concluded, but I think the fact that Prince Tulson is back in Odsreq is a good sign.”

“Is he?” I asked.

“Yep,” Imato touched the brim of his cap as though in salute, “that’s quite a conquest, Arri, if it’s true.”

“I think you’re mistaken,” I shook my head doubtfully.

“Now the next suitor is Mendel.”

I made a face and Imato laughed.

“Perhaps we’ll leave him alone for a while. After all, you’re a highly eligible young lady and have much greater prospects to consider.”

“Sean?” I asked, feeling increasingly uncomfortable.

“Sean,” said Imato knowingly, “who sold you a tamarin for half its value and needed no incentive to ride out with Mendel in search of you.”

“He’s just a good guy,” I said.

“He’s a gentleman with a valuable inheritance, and parents who would love nothing more than for him to marry a lady of high birth.”

“Yes, Treany said something like that once,” I said, “but I don’t see how Sean could be interested in me. Wouldn’t he have to court me first?”

Imato put his arm around me as we walked.

“I don’t want you to marry anyone you’re not in love with,” he said seriously, “what I’m doing is warning you, so you don’t get pulled into something you don’t like. Prince Tulson and Lord Sean are both good matches, but only if you really like them. Mendel is something else, but I think you’ve already figured that out.”

“Then why are you telling me this?” I asked.

“You need to be more careful about spending time alone with young men you aren’t interested in. You could be leading someone on unintentionally.”

“I’m never alone with Prince Tulson. Clara is there, and I think he likes her more than he likes me. Besides, if I did like someone, wouldn’t I need a chaperone to be with them?”

“It’s unlikely the prince is interested in a servant,” Imato told me, “and you’re right, you should always have chaperone.”

“Well, I’ll remember that if I’m ever alone with Sean,” I said.

“What about Mendel?” asked Imato seriously.

“I’ve never intentionally been alone with Mendel. It just seems to happen, no matter what I do.”

Imato laughed, and that was the end of the conversation.

Keish, do think Sean might like me? It seems so unlikely, and I’ve never thought about it before. I’m too young for marriage. No one has ever wanted to court me. The whole idea is just as frightening as facing the Narls was in the desert. I’m not worried about the prince or Mendel. But I wish Imato hadn’t said anything about Sean. How am I ever going to speak to him again without thinking about it? I can’t even write this without my face turning red. I didn’t know he gave me such a good price for Nozama. Why did he do that?

I think Imato thinks about marriage and courtship too much. He should get married soon, so he doesn’t have to think about it anymore. You probably feel the same way about Prince Euan and Vanessa, right? Having lunch with Vanessa must have really tried your patience. At least most people only get married once, so once Vanessa picks her dress and fabric and everything, that ought to be the end of it. I guess she picked on you, because you do have nice taste in dresses—Imato told me that once. I love the ribbons you gave me. I don’t know what I’m going to wear to the ball yet. The nicest thing I have that still fits me is the dress Treany gave me, but Imato says I ought to have something new. Or I might alter something of Aunt Rawnal’s. I’m going to get Treany’s advice.

If Prince Tulson doesn’t tell me about the container of honey, I’m going to ask him the next time I see him. After all, he can’t make me build any traps for you! Arella is too far away.

I have a note from Lady Pren asking me to join everyone for the festival the day after the ball. It sounds like a lot of fun. I asked Uncle Winthrop and he thinks it will be all right. I haven’t been to the Winter Festival since I moved away from Rousha.

Imato likes the talisman. He attached it to his mail shirt. Liop is so glad that you like the hat. He says his next project is to make a hat that acts like an umbrella.

I wish you well with trying to decide what to do with your life. I’m having similar problems. Magic really complicates things. Without it we would probably just get married and become wives. What do wives of noblemen do, I wonder? It would get boring to just hold tea parties all the time. Maybe if I’ll find out when I move back to Rousha. Uncle Winthrop says we’ll move the week before the ball. That’s only two weeks away.

I have to end this letter now, so I can sleep. May the winter snow be light and peaceful.

Love,

Arri

Go to NEXT Letter

Adlen to Winthrop-- January 5, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:47:00 +0000

January 5, 2004

Dear Winthrop,

You stubborn, proud, camel-minded fool. Would you care to explain why I had to learn from Keisha that there was concern about how to pay for Arri’s apprenticeship? You led me to believe that everything had been taken care of. Not to mention that you all but told me arrangements for Quin had been made.

Why didn’t you come to me? I could certainly have funded Arri’s training there or made arrangements for her to come train in Arella. Imato could have stopped worrying about it and returned to his training. (I’m sending him a stern letter also.) And I could have helped with the arrangements for Quin, though likely King Trunsle would still have insisted on taking care of that.

Next time, I insist you come to me first. And if you won’t, I’m sure Imato can be prevailed upon to be reasonable. (Though if he can’t, Arri will still tell Keish and I will still find out.)

And as to your conduct before King Trunsle, I am appalled. Renounced title or not, you know better. Even at their most outspoken, neither Ellean nor Keish ever approached such disrespect. And how could you put Arri in such a wretched position? Can’t you see how important this is to her? Between her desires and her embarrassment the poor child probably wished she were hundreds of miles away! You really must stop trying to make everyone live your way. And you may as well stop being so antagonistic toward Brynn Garrard. She is inseparably connected to the Brio line now, you know. Stop being ridiculous and you’ll see how valuable she is. Heaven knows Ellean found her indispensable.

And like it or not, she’s proving to be very important to Keish and Arri as well. Even if you didn’t agree with all that Keish yelled at you while we were there, you should at least have realized by now that the girls are destined to follow their mothers whether we like it or not. After having resigned myself to that, I’ve been able to enjoy Keisha’s developing talents. She is so much like Ellean was when she first came here.

So please, stop being a fool before you alienate the entire younger generation.

Adlen

PS (January 6th) Concerning your questions about Keisha while we were there-- Jace came to me today to request my permission to court her. Well, to make sure I approved of his intentions. He wants to let things progress naturally, rather than announcing a formal courtship. (No doubt he’s heard about my courtship with Ellean.) He is unsure of his future, having decided that he does not wish to take his father’s position, but says that he cannot deny his heart (or, apparently, the strengths of some of Keisha’s arguments against Imato’s caution with Gretel). So when the young ladies sent him away so they could dress for dinner he came to me. If I didn’t know him, I might be concerned about his future, but he’s an industrious young man and is bound to find his way. Not to mention, if I’d sent him away for such a “trifle” Keisha would never forgive me. And she would surely point out that the inheritance she will receive soon is more than enough for them to live on, if it comes to that. Apparently she’s found him distracting lately, so I’m sure you will agree that things are progressing. (I’m sure Jace does not want her to learn he approached me from anyone else, so don’t tell Arri or Imato if you think they’ll let it slip.)

Adlen

Go to NEXT Letter

Lady Elizabeth Pren-- January 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:46:00 +0000

January 2, 2004

Dear Lady Arri,

Tatyana and I hope you will spend the day after the ball with us. We intend to visit all the shops and the festival market. We are asking Lady Lakeisha and Lady Gretel to join us also. I understand that your father’s condition is serious, but I hope you will still be able to join us. We are praying for him and your entire family.

Lady Elizabeth Pren

January 2, 2004

Dear Lady Lakeisha,

Taty and I hope you will spend the day after the ball with us. We are planning to visit the large festival market and to visit the city shops, since they will have all of their best merchandise out for the festival. I am also sending letters of invitation to Lady Gretel and to Lady Arri. I hope you will persuade her to join us, if her father’s condition at all permits it. We look forward to seeing you.

Lady Elizabeth Pren

Go to NEXT Letter

Arri-- January 4, 2004

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:44:00 +0000

January 4, 2004
Dear Keish,

I know I don’t have a response yet for my last letter, but so much is happening that I need to describe for you, that I’m just going to send Clotho with this letter, and then wait for your response. The last thing I told you in my last letter was that I was summoned to court, so I’ll describe that for you.
The King’s coach was black with red trim. Four sturdy, dark bay Clydesdale horses pulled it through the snow at a steady pace, their breath making puffs of mist in the air in front of them. The messenger hardly spoke and seemed rushed, but he gave us time to pack our overnight bags and arrange with Cook and her husband to care for Father. Nacks, of course, would see to the animals. Liop wasn’t summoned, but we brought him anyway to keep him out of trouble.
“Will the King be on his throne?” Liop asked Imato, who was the only one of us who had ever stood before King Trunsle.
“Yes,” said Imato.
“Will I get to see him?”
“No, you’ll stay in the guest chambers.”
“Can’t I come to your audience too? I’ll be silent,” Liop shifted restlessly on his seat in the coach, “I just want to see what he looks like.”
“You’ve seen him before,” I said, “in the summer parades before we moved to Odsreq.”
“I don’t remember the parades. I was too little,” Liop complained.
That startled me, but when I thought about it, I realized that Liop was only three when Father disappeared.
“They were very grand,” said Imato, leaning back in his seat.
“Tell me,” said Liop. Imato began describing the parades in a low voice intended to make Liop sleepy as we had at least three more hours of traveling. I turned my head and watched the snow covered hills and the bare-branched orchards that make up much of the land between Odsreq and Rousha. At first I listened to Imato, but when Liop’s head dropped sleepily onto my lap, I began to remember another carriage ride with Liop. It seemed a long time ago…
Father and his man-servant took turns driving the coach while Imato and I sat inside with Nurse Linder. Liop, still so tiny he slept most of the time, was curled up in Nurse Linder’s lap, and every time Imato or I tried to say something she shushed us rather loudly. It was a much longer drive from Rethmon Beach to Rousha, and the spring rains made it gooey and cold. You hear a lot of gossip at funerals, hard to ignore kinds of things. Some people said Father was running away from her memory. Some said he must not have really cared for her, to accept another assignment so soon after her death. Some said it was heartless to pull us children away from our home, but that sounded silly—we’d only lived there two years. Everyone had an opinion, and no one seemed to care if I was close enough to overhear it.
I was glad we were leaving Rethmon behind—I only wished we could take Mother’s casket with us. I remember asking Father if Mother would be sad that we weren’t there to tend her flowers anymore. He told me she would be too busy watching over us in our new home to pay attention to the graveyard. I thought that Father understood what he was doing better than anyone else in Rethmon Beach. He wasn’t running away.
I suppose it must be different living in the same place all the time where you have everything to remind you of the people who aren’t there. For me it has to be different, because everything to remind me is absent, so I have to build up my own reminders like planting seeds I took from the gardens at Rethmon under my window at Uncle Winthrop’s cottage, and tying knots in bits of rope to make sure I still remember Father’s lessons.
Rousha is more than a capital city, it’s also the place we always went between places. When we were children, we stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Brio. After they died, we stayed at the castle, or in rented houses nearby. The longest continuous time we lived in Rousha was the house on Brick Lane near the army headquarters on the west edge of the city.
We passed by that house on the way to court, quickly, as though it weren’t even there. I don’t think the carriage driver cares about scenery. I caught a glimpse of the old lace curtains in the windows and a single girl jumping rope on the sidewalk. I used to jump rope there too. The flower boxes in the windows were empty—of course it’s winter. It looked cold.
We passed through the old inner gate that used to be the outer edge of the city when it was small so many hundreds of years ago. The crumbling brick turrets on either side of us leaned toward each other. They haven’t fallen yet. Maybe they never will. I held my breath as we passed between them, even though I know it’s just a childhood superstition.
The “old” part of Rousha looks less old every time I see it, because so many of the original buildings are being torn down and replaced with newer structures. They finished filling in the moat around the castle. It’s all covered in snow now, but I suspect it will make a beautiful green park one day, just like the king commanded.
When we arrived at the castle, we were first ushered into changing rooms where we could take off our heavy travel clothing and change it for formal court attire. I don’t actually own any court dresses, so I wore the yellow dress that Treany gave me for the cotillion last spring. Imato, however, had a courtier’s suit. Fortunately, we didn’t need to come up with anything fancy for Liop. After changing we moved to one of the sitting rooms to wait for our turn to have audience with King Trunsle.
I’ve been in a sitting room before, waiting for Father to have audience. There are two different kinds: one large, simply furnished room for ordinary people, and several small but richly designed room for nobles and other people of importance. Of course, we were sent to one of the small rooms. I think the person who decorated the small sitting rooms wanted to distract everyone from the fact that they’re waiting by making them feel surrounded by busy-ness. First of all they’re painted, floors, walls, and ceiling, with murals. Our room had murals of dragon hunts full of movement and color with so many people crammed into the space that you felt like the dragons had accidentally wandered into a village fair. Everyone was dressed as though they were on their way to a party and just happened to be carrying swords and shields with them. On the ceiling the sky was painted with so many colorful birds that you had to look hard to find the bits of blue sky poking out between them. They were all flying in a big whirlpool shape that made me dizzy. The rug on the floor was jammed with flowers, as were all the pieces of furniture. After the first several minutes I closed my eyes, so I wouldn’t feel so crowded.
I’m not sure how long we waited. Liop was fidgety because there wasn’t anything to do, and Imato and Uncle W. looked worried and didn’t want to talk. When we were finally summoned to the audience, I was torn between relief and nervousness. Liop made me promise to tell him everything when I got back.
Since the courtroom doesn’t have to pretend to be busy, it is decorated as simply as possible. It has a high arched ceiling, red floor rugs, cream curtains hiding the stone walls, and many tall brass torches to illuminate the room. The only ornate objects are the royal thrones set on a dias at the head of the room. When we entered the room, I saw immediately that King and Queen Trunsle were both present, sitting on the thrones. However, it was the table in front of the dias that immediately grabbed my attention. It was a heavy oak table without any trim, but standing behind the seats watching us enter were Sir Aoweir with his white-feathered helmet, a old gentleman I didn’t know, and Brynn. Each end of the table had formal dining chair, and the side nearest me had three other simpler unoccupied chairs. I had little trouble guessing whom they were for.
I had to let go of Imato’s hand so that he could bow and I could curtsy. Uncle Winthrop bowed too. King Trunsle held out his staff so that we could each touch the smooth ceramic ball on top of it. (I’m told the king has a much more elaborate staff for ceremonies.)
“Welcome,” said King Trunsle, and he looked like he meant it.
We curtsied and bowed again.
“I would like to begin with your reports of service,” the king began. Imato, Uncle W., and I all exchanged confused glances.
“First I would like to hear how Lord Brio discovered the whereabouts of Sir Etautca,” said the king helpfully, “Then Lady Arri can explain how she discovered the whereabouts of Lord Brio, and her part in the rescue.”
“Oh!” I said, and then clapped my hand over my mouth because I had spoken out of turn.
I don’t need to tell you our explanations, or the king and queen’s questions, because I’ve already told you all about those things. After our reports, the king and queen stood and moved to the seats at either end of the table.
“Now,” he informed us, “we will discuss and make arrangements.”
Again Uncle W., Imato, and I felt confused, and again the King had to help us.
“First we will discuss and decide on a proper course of treatment for restoring Sir Etautca’s memory.”
“Your Highness,” said Uncle W., “I am already in the process of making those arrangements.”
The King frowned at him, “I have your letter and I understand, but you can’t simply ask for money and not have me take personal interest in how it’s used. I have called Master Ujifil, my personal healer, to advise us on this case. I will hear your plans and we will decide together the best course of action.”
Uncle W. frowned but he took a place at the table.
“Our next order of business will be to assign Squire Etautca his final tasks so that he can complete his knighthood.”
Imato bowed deeply, “Sire, I believe I gave a letter of resignation…” he began, but the King raised his hand. He was frowning.
“I never received your letter; therefore its contents are completely irrelevant. Sir Aoweir tells me he never received your letter either. Consequently, squire, you are still under his command.”
“Sit, Imato,” said Sir Aoweir. Imato sat.
“Finally, we will discuss the education of Lady Arri,” said the King. He was smiling a little now.
“Do I have to take Feminine Politics?” I asked uncertainly. Imato put his head in his hands, but everyone else laughed.
“Everything in order,” said King Trunsle smiling wider, “Lord Brio, please tell me your plans for my captain.”
It took a long time to sort everything out. Uncle Winthrop thought that he ought to have more control over the proceedings, but the king reminded him that they were discussing the future of the captain of his army. Imato thought he ought to help more, but the King told him that as Elcaro’s most promising squire, he had a responsibility to finish his training and not waste the time and energy that the government had already spent training him. I thought that I shouldn’t have to take Feminine Politics—everyone agreed with that.
The last order of business fell to Brynn.
“I’ve found an apprenticeship for Lady Arri,” she announced, directing a broad smile in Uncle W.’s direction. He immediately stood up.
“I am currently the head of the Brio Family,” he said, “I will not sign my name or put forth a single coin towards an occupation that will likely lead to the untimely death of my niece.”
He spoke with such intensity that for a moment no one spoke. Chills shot like lightning through my spine.
“You don’t know that,” said Brynn finally.
“I know more than you do!” Uncle W. responded.
“You assume more,” snapped Brynn. The rest of us looked at each other in confusion.
“It is Arri’s destiny to follow her mother, just as Lakeisha follows Ellean. She will never find happiness without it,” Brynn continued.
“Assuming she lives long enough to see it…”
“It’s not your decision to make. She ought to have been apprenticed years ago. You know that.”
“There hasn’t been money,” Imato tried to remind them, but they weren’t listening. Brynn called Uncle W. a name that I shouldn’t repeat, and Uncle W. shouted something in response, and I think that they forgot there were other people in the room and even the original argument. Finally the king stood up and shouted for silence.
“Lord Brio,” interrupted King Trunsle, “there are only six healers left in all Elcaro, and Lady Arri is the only child with the affinity to be apprenticed of whom I’m aware. I intend to pay for this apprenticeship myself. You can see it will be to my advantage.”
Uncle Winthrop folded his arms and caste glares at everyone in the room, even those of us who hadn’t said anything. Brynn looked at me; she held my eyes with hers a long time.
“Arri,” she said finally, “aren’t you going to say anything?”
No, I thought nervously. But then…
“Why do you think I’m going to die?” I asked, looking mostly at Uncle W. He didn’t say anything.
“Lord Brio,” said Brynn, folding her arms angrily. He shook his head at her.
“For the love of Jezreel,” he said softly, looking at Brynn.
Brynn’s fine eyebrows arched in surprise and for a moment I thought she would say something, but she regained her composure and was silent. For a long time no one said anything.
Then King Trunsle said, “Perhaps this is not the time for this discussion.” His fingers played with a gold clasp at his throat. I looked over at the queen, but she had her head down, writing something, and didn’t look up. She was the only one of us who hadn’t spoken during the meeting.
Brynn and Uncle W. sat down. The king offered all of us a smile.
“We will reconvene tomorrow,” he said, “after we’ve all had a chance to cool our heads and examine the facts.”
“Sire,” said Uncle W., “my sister, Lady Nysa, is expected home soon. I ask permission to postpone until we move to Rousha for Sir Etautca’s treatment.”
“Lady Arri?” the king asked.
“Yes, please,” I gulped nervously.
“Well, then, I expect all of you to have resolved your differences,” he shot dark looks at Uncle W. and Brynn, “and be ready to discuss Lady Arri’s apprenticeship rationally and without name-calling. Court adjourned.” And he and the queen swept out of the room.
As we stood to leave, Master Ujifil caught my eyes. He bowed deeply, so that I could see the smooth, tan circle of skin on top of his head. When he rose again, a smile made deep creases in his face and his dark green eyes sparkled.
“I look forward to seeing you often, Lady Arri,” he said softly, and while the rest of us milled around awkwardly, he walked swiftly out of the courtroom.
Uncle W., Imato, Sir Aoweir, and I left together. Once outside the courtroom, Sir Aoweir turned to Imato.
“You have one more meeting, squire,” he said, “right now in the third sitting room to the right.”
“Who…” began Imato; then he stopped and his face turned bright red.
Sir Aoweir shook his head at him. He started to turn, paused, and held out his helmet. “Here,” he said, “you might need this.” And he turned and walked away swiftly.
Still red, Imato ran his fingers across the white feathers of the helmet.
“I’ll see you later,” he said, and retreated hastily down the hall, looking much more nervous than he had been with the king.
Shortly after we returned to the sitting room, we were served hot soup with bread and cheese for dinner. I didn’t eat much. Uncle W. spent a while talking to me about the dangers of magic, but it wasn’t anything I hadn’t heard before. It was still early evening when I told him I was tired and excused myself. We had all been assigned separate sleeping rooms, except for Liop who was supposed to share a room with Imato. But Imato wasn’t back yet, and Liop made a fuss about sleeping in the big, ornate room alone, so I told him he could come share my room. He was restless and pestered me with questions about the meeting and I told him everything about Father and Imato, but I didn’t say anything about the argument over my apprenticeship. We found a jigsaw puzzle in a drawer and dumped it out on the breakfast table to work. I didn’t fit very many pieces, and I yawned so much that Liop finally caught on and let me go to bed.
I’m not sure what time it was when I heard the soft tap of knuckles on my door. It was still dark beyond the curtains of the room, and Liop was curled up on the other side of the bed. I climbed out as quietly as I could and pulled my warm, pale blue robe around me. The tapping got a little louder. I cracked the door open just a little. Imato, still in his formal suit and looking wide awake, peered in at me.
“You awake?” he asked.
“I am now,” I yawned.
“Do you want to go for a walk?”
“I’ll get my slippers,” I got them and a minute later we were walking together down the dark halls of Rousha’s castle. At first we didn’t say anything. Imato had a candle in one hand, and its glow caste yellow haloes and made ghostly shadows all around us, catching bits of paintings and the occasional suit of armor or potted plant sitting beneath dark curtained windows. Imato put one arm around my shoulders, protectively.
“How did your talk with Gretel go?” I ventured finally, and it startled me how loud my whisper sounded.
Imato sighed, “I‘m not sure. She was pretty angry, and I don‘t think I said what she wanted to hear.”
“She’s in love with you,” I said.
“She’s the most wonderful girl in the world,” said Imato, “and I want to marry her, but how can I? She deserves so much more than I can give her.”
“You’re the best squire in all of Elcaro, and you’re about to get your knighthood,” I reminded him.
His head dropped. “Maybe I’m just afraid, but those things seem so far away right now. Who knows what may happen? I should have had my knighthood a long time ago. Do you know there’s only one squire left who’s older than me? And he’s been passed up for knighthood three times. Every time I think I’m almost finished, something comes up to slow me down. Even after I have my knighthood, I can’t promise any stability. What if something happens, Arri?”
I dropped my head, “I don’t know.”
“I love her so much,” Imato said.
I didn’t say anything. We walked for a long time, up staircases and along corridors, past balconies and through large, dark rooms. Once we met a watchman, who recognized Imato and bowed to us. We went downstairs to the kitchens and found two new candles (Imato’s was almost gone). The castle is so big that most of the time I didn’t know where we were, but Imato knew. He was a page there before he was a squire.
“I was really disappointed with you today,” Imato said slowly.
“Why?” I asked, startled.
“The king, Uncle W., and Brynn all stood around the table arguing about your future and you hardly said word. You just let them try to make decisions for you.”
I didn’t say anything.
“You have more backbone than that, Arri. Don’t you want to be a healer?”
“Yes,” I said, “but I don’t want Uncle Winthrop to hate me.”
“I see,” said Imato with surprise, “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”
We walked down another hallway in silence.
“It seems like we have the same problem,” I said softly.
Imato looked down at me.
“We both want to do something, but we’re afraid of the consequences,” I told him. He cocked his head to one side, as he often does when he’s listening.
“But you captured a griffon and rescued two people from the Narls,” he said.
“And the king thinks so highly of you that he called a personal audience when you tried to withdraw,” I responded. Imato smiled.
“Maybe we both need to use more backbone,” he said, “and do what’s right regardless of the consequences. Let‘s make a pact that we‘ll both do the thing we most want to do no matter how afraid we are to do it.”
I took a deep breath, “What are you going to do?” I asked.
“I‘m going to ask Gretel to marry me,” said Imato, “what will you do?”
“Ask Uncle W. to let me study healing.”
“It’s a pact?” asked Imato.
“It’s a pact,” I said, and we shook hands.
We came to a window in time to watch the sunrise, gold and pink on the castle turrets. Then Imato showed me back to my room where I began writing this letter while Liop still sleeps. I think Imato went to talk to Gretel.
I have to finish this letter now. It’s already very long, and I still haven’t eaten breakfast. When we get back to Odsreq, maybe Aunt Nysa will be there. I hope so. I have so many questions I want to ask her. I wonder if she can start helping me with my magic.
I hope that you slept well last night.
Love,
Arri

Go to NEXT Letter

Gretel-- Dec. 30, 2003 (sent with Keish's 1/4/04 letter)

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:41:00 +0000

December 30, 2003
Dear Arri,
I don't think Imato is even reading my letters. Did he open the package I sent with Lord Adlen?
I'm sure Keish will tell you what a state I'm in. Suddenly I'm questioning everything. Did he ever love me at all?
Please talk to him. Father doesn't understand why he won't come back to Adya now that your Uncle is her to take care of things. He even asked if something had happened between us to cause this change in Imato. It wasn't something I did, was it? Please, tell him I love him and I'll even come to him if he truly doesn't want to finish his training. If he's found a better path, my father will understand that. If it is something I've done, please tell me so I can correct it!
I miss him so, and I miss having Liop here and for a long time now I've missed reading your letters.
I know Imato is stubborn and maybe he won't listen to anyone, but will you try? I always wanted a sister and hoped that’s what you would someday be. I still hope that.
Give my love to everyone.
Gretel

Go to NEXT Letter