Arri and Keish

July 25, 2003

Dear Arri,

Well, I’m glad my letter helped. At least I’m good for something!

You silly goose! You forgot about your meeting with the prince?! Hmm, sounds like something I would do… I hope I’m not rubbing off on you through these letters. I don’t know that it would be good for you and I don’t think Imato would approve.

I can just imagine Imato’s surprise! Honestly, I’m rather sorry I missed it… Too bad we couldn’t get some sort of picture of that! I’ll bet he ran you through quite the interrogation when you got back. How funny! I wish my life were so amusing.

That kind of formality makes me uncomfortable as well. I hate it! I generally insist that people just call me Lakeisha or Keish. Here’s an idea: simply refuse to answer to your title! That way he’d have to just call you Arri! I’ve had to use this strategy before-- it’s fairly affective, I must admit.

Sounds like the two of you had an interesting day. Well, I guess it was really three of you, wasn’t it? Clara seems like a fun girl. Anyone willing to stand up to a prince like that and help play a prank on her master’s son is definitely my kind of girl! I say she’d be worth getting to know better.

So why did you have such a problem with playing a prank on Mendel? All that complaining about him isn’t a ploy to hide a crush, is it? Please tell me it’s not!

Speaking of such matters, how do you like the prince? Have you seen much more of him since you last wrote?

I’m glad the crystal bowl got there alright. Even with the spell, I was a bit worried. Liop got the roses to grow, did he? That kid’s amazing! You mentioned that Imato was getting suspicious, isn’t he often suspicious? I would think he would be living with you two! (Just kidding)

Gretel came running into my room the morning they were to leave. “Mother’s coming,” she practically wailed in despair.

I groaned, knowing that Lady Aoweir would never allow Gretel to stay. The original plan had been for Sir Aoweir to travel with Gretel and leave her there for a few days while he went off to Rousha on other business. Well, with Lady Aoweir coming along we knew those plans were as good as gone. I’m sorry she was such a spoil-sport! She always had to work at being seen as a lady when she was young because her father was only a fringe noble. Now that she has a daughter with all the privileges she wanted as a girl, it frustrates her to no end that Gretel isn’t interested in them! She highly disapproves of me, and just about everyone else, so don’t feel bad if she wasn’t warm and congenial; you’re in good company. I wouldn’t worry about her though, because Sir Aoweir’s word is law in that house and he likes Imato a great deal.

Since writing the above, Gretel has returned. She said she couldn’t persuade her mother to allow a stop at your cottage on the way back and, as Sir Aoweir came back yesterday, Gretel had to abide by her mother’s wishes. Gretel has just given me some wonderful news! Well, I think it’s wonderful, and she’s very glad, so I hope you will be too. Apparently, (now you’ll have to correct me if I’m wrong because Gretel had to leave so she’s not reading over my shoulder as I explain), in a young knight’s training he goes through three year-long phases, the second of which is done on an exchange basis. Our king sends knights to Rousha to train and your king sends knights here-- hence Imato’s time here in the past months. Well, my understanding is that Imato is down to his last year, so he should be returning to Rousha to finish training, right? Well, (now don’t you dare tell Imato this, and if you don’t think Liop can keep it a secret, don’t tell him either), Gretel says that Sir Aoweir is insisting that Imato return here for his final year and declares that he will train Imato personally! Isn’t that wonderful?! Gretel is overjoyed at the idea of Imato being close again and I hope your king will accept Sir Aoweir’s proposal.

I’m glad you liked the kitten. Kestrel is a wonderful name! I think it’s funny that Liop told you to keep her away from the newts. I don’t know much about them, but I can’t see a cat wanting much to do with them.

Oh, Gretel’s here again (I honestly think she has the strongest legs of anyone I know, running up and down to see me like this). We’re scheming to come visit together and stay a few days. She thinks her mother will allow her to accompany me out of propriety, since a young woman should not travel alone with servants. Of course, Brynn could come with me, but as that would eliminate the reason for Gretel to come, Brynn has promised to develop a severe cold when we want to go! Now, no getting all flustered about this, but Brynn has read the cards for a match between Gretel and Imato and says it is a beautiful future they would face together, so she is a willing conspirator to let them spend time together. We may be able to come for your birthday! Oh wait, your birthday is only a week away! Perhaps it will take a little longer than… no, Gretel says she insists on being there for your birthday since she was off on Liop’s by a day and didn’t get to give him a present while she was there. Apparently we shall make it there by August 1st if we have to fight our way out of the castle! She’s absolutely insistent, so we will set about persuading her mother of it tomorrow. Brynn says she will come down with something tomorrow to keep her from traveling for a couple of weeks.

Alright, now my room is empty once more and I can tell you more about the dreams. I’m still not sure how much to tell Brynn, though I think you may be right, perhaps I should just tell her everything. I’m suspicious about the death of Pricille and her child. I had forgotten Pricille died around that same time. There has to be a connection, but what would it be? I’m starting to think that there was an omen in connection to them… I’m also starting to wonder if the boy really died. What if I’m drawn to the cave because he’s hidden there? Maybe I’m just losing my mind. I haven’t been sleeping well still, so I may just be jumping to wild conclusions.

Dreams about the future really aren’t as interesting as you might think. So far I’ve had a couple more, but they’ve honestly been rather boring, just about little mundane things. I did have one interesting one though, just the other night. I’m not sure I should tell you, however, because I think it might just make you worry. Well, I suppose I will, though. I dreamt of your wedding. I didn’t recognize the young man, but he was a well-dressed, handsome fellow. You looked so happy! It was a very brief dream, so there aren’t really any details other than that. There were, of course, a lot of people there, but I couldn’t see faces in the crowd. I think I was sitting with Gretel, though, and maybe Imato and I’m pretty sure that little scamp (Liop) was sitting next to me with a tamarin on his shoulder. Really that’s all there was too it. I was thrilled to see you so happy!

Well, I have other things to tell you, but it is terribly late and the candle is burning very low. No stars tonight, and hopefully Father will sleep well, I fear he may be getting ill.

I’m going to bed and hoping for a dreamless sleep, though I don’t think I’ll get it. The dream is so inescapable. I feel like it’s always there, just waiting for me to close my eyes. I wish it would take a night off! If only the clouds could block it out as they do Father’s stars.

Goodnight-- may your sleep be filled with peace.

Love Always,