Arri- April 9, 2004

April 9, 2004
Dear Keish,

I have your letter now. I’m sure Gretel’s trousseau will be perfect, but it does sound like a lot of work. I’m sorry you have to help with it. It seems like you have enough school work to keep you busy. I think Liop would be a perfect second groomsman.
It sounds like you did a good job of spreading rumors about Tish. Maybe social columns are good for something… When Aegolius comes back I wonder if he would make reflections of Glory and Moonstone. Imato said he would come to see the foal as soon as he could. Has he taken you to get your horse yet? Have you decided on a breed?
Treany says gold hairpins with crystal teardrops are spectacular. She has the winter issue of Rousha Fashion Today. I looked at the illustration. I don’t know how they got the lady’s hair to stay like that. It reminds me of a water fountain. There was a lady in one of the booths at the opera with hair like that. I kept waiting for her to get caught on the swag curtains. Treany is right—it is elegant, but I don’t think I could manage not to make a mess of it. Treany flipped through the whole magazine but I kept forgetting to pay attention. She was very patient and finally narrowed it down to two choices for me. One is almost identical to the dress you gave me for the Winter Ball. Couldn’t I wear that again? I love that dress. The other dress is very similar, but it has a sash with white beading. The lady’s hair is braided into a bun on top of her head and woven with green ribbon. I think I could get Nysa to do that for me.

I didn’t go to the stables quite as early this morning. I felt guilty about waking people up yesterday. Mendel was there to let me in, but he didn’t stay. He had a fishing pole, bucket, and very full shoulder sack with him. He disappeared after showing me to the stable.
I started by petting Moonstone, but Glory became jealous and nudged me away, so I picked up the brush and began brushing her. She quieted down after that. Moonstone nursed and slept. After an hour Sean and Ruby came in with muffins and apple juice. Sean showed me how to put a soft leather halter on the foal. The stall opens out into a small paddock. I led Glory outside and Sean cradled Moonstone in his arms to guide her. Moonstone is so much steadier on her legs today. Sean left us to take care of his tamarins and I spent the morning just watching Glory and Moonstone from the fence. They took little notice of me. Glory is such a good mother.
I promised Master Imkell that I would study in the Westridge’s library for three hours every evening. Of course that meant telling Mendel and Sean about the entrance exam. It was really the only way to make things work since I couldn’t haul all of my textbooks around without attracting attention. And I know they can keep secrets.
Mendel showed up in time for lunch. After eating he asked if I would like to see the site for the new stables. It seemed like a good opportunity to ask him about the library, so I accepted.
The site for the new stables is not far from the current building. Mendel brought a map of the grounds and took me up into the stable loft where we could overlook the location from the hayloft. The new stables are only defined on the ground by stakes with multicolor strips of fabric. Mendel, however, talked almost as though he could see the actual structures.
“We’re going to build a full second floor for storage,” he explained, “and every birthing stall will open out into paddocks one third larger than the current ones. I’ve been reading up on cement for the birthing stall floors. It’s easier to seal with the paint because there aren’t any seams like you get with a standard stone floor and it won’t crumble like the brick we tried two years ago.” I listened, but I really didn’t know enough to comment. Eventually Mendel fell silent. He stared out over the field with it’s stakes thoughtfully.
“I was wondering,” I began awkwardly, “if I can borrow your library for a few hours in the evenings.”
Mendel looked at me.
“Sure,” he said, “why?”
“Well, I need to study,” I said.
“Aren’t you done with all that?” asked Mendel, “we don’t have many spell books and they’re all pretty basic. We do have some excellent horse books.”
“Well, actually, I need to do more general studying…” I hesitated.
“Like…?” A slow grin started on Mendel’s face, as though he could tell I was about to say something unexpected.
“Like the kind of books you would study… if you were going to take the college entrance exam.”
Mendel’s whole face lit up.
“Really?” he asked, “are you going to college? That’s brilliant! Completely circus, of course, but brilliant.” Mendel laughed.
“It’s not circus,” I stiffened.
“You’re raising a foal, studying magic, going out in society, and rescuing people. Now you want to add college! Really Arri, your life is a complete circus.”
“If I study medicine, maybe I can find a cure for Father,” I said, “Ladies have gone to college before.”
“Yeah, but I bet no professor has ever had to deal with a student like you before,” Mendel said happily, “I hope we have some classes together.”
I looked away, feeling angry again.
“Do you think you can do it, Arri?” asked Mendel, his voice more serious.
“I don’t know,” I admitted.
“But you think it’s worth trying…” he continued.
“I don’t have any other ideas.”
Mendel was quiet for a minute.
“A healer and a doctor,” he mused, “I don’t think anyone’s ever done that before. Will they call you Dr. Etautca? or Healer? Maybe they’ll come up with a new title…”
“It might take ten years,” I said.
“Yeah, I’ve heard the apprenticeship can be long, but you’re pretty smart.”
“It’s a long time for Father to have to wait.”
“Well,“ said Mendel slowly, “You might not have to finish first. You might find the cure sooner.”
“But if I don’t finish, won’t that be a reflection on women’s education? People might think I was taking education lightly, or I couldn’t handle it.” I remembered the Queen’s warning about the cause of women.
“Arri,” said Mendel laughing, “if you’re worried about what people think, you shouldn’t go around catching griffons. Besides, if Sir Quin is cured of madness, then what can people say? You’ll have done more than the all the doctors and healers treating him now. That ought to reflect well.”
Mendel has no right to call my life a circus. But he did make sense.
“So why are you going to college?” I asked curiously.
Mendel shrugged. “I’m a gentleman’s son. Father gave me permission to study philosophy.”
Mendel studying philosophy?!? I put my hand to my mouth. He thinks I’m circus for going to medical school…
Mendel tilted his chin up arrogantly.
“Meditation,” he said solemnly, “I expect I’ll grow a beard and walk around barefoot.”
I couldn’t help it. I giggled. The picture didn’t make any sense. Philosophers have to be serious.
“I’ll tell you one more thing about philosophy,” Mendel added brightly, “you can take your time at it. Father won’t expect me to report taking more than one class per term. The rest of my time can be taken up with anything I want.”
“Like what?” I asked.
Mendel smiled. “Anything that interests me,” he said vaguely.
“It will take forever to graduate at that rate,” I considered.
Mendel shrugged. “Hey, I know what they can call you—Heal-octor! Nevermind, that’s awful. What about Doct-healer… Dochealer… Doctealer…”
I started to walk away.
“Hey, Arri, come back!”
I kept walking.
“Please, Arri…”
I looked back. “What do you want, Mendel?”
He frowned, “I don’t know. I just don’t want you to be mad at me.”
I didn’t say anything.
Mendel shrugged. “I’m sorry,” he said.
“It’s okay,” I walked back over to the window and looked out over the fields, “Why philosophy?” I asked.
“Well, Father wants me to be a gentleman of leisure, so this is something gentlemen-of-leisure often study—if they’re the studying type. It’s not like business or medicine—the point it simply to learn. Few people make a career out of it…” he looked at me quickly as though worried I would be offended again.
“So this isn’t what you want?” I asked.
“It doesn’t matter,” said Mendel, “how often do we get what we want? Are you doing what you want?”
“I’ve always wanted a foal and now I have Moonstone,” I told him, “and I want to heal Father.”
Mendel grinned. “I want to go to college,” he told me, “so we’ll both do what it takes to get what we want in the end, right? Are you sure I can’t call you Doctealer Arri someday?”
I don’t understand Mendel at all, but I don’t think he means any harm.


Mendel showed me into the library. He promised to let Sean in on the secret but no one else. I studied three hours and then went back out to say goodnight to Glory and Moonstone before returning to the Dinettes for dinner.
After eating I spent some time watching lady Dinette making summer dresses for Treany and Kiri. She used one of my sketches from the opera as a guide for Treany’s gown. It’s going to be beautiful when it’s finished.
The moon is not quite as full tonight as it was last night. There are a few more clouds, so I think it might rain a little. I’m up kind of late again, but there’s so much to tell. I’ll try to go to bed earlier tomorrow.

April 10

It did rain last night, but not very much. I had to step carefully and hold the edge of my dress up on my way to the Westridge’s stables this morning. Mendel was there to let me in again. And he took off fishing again after escorting me to Glory’s stall. I spent the morning watching the horses, and had breakfast with Sean again. Moonstone is so beautiful and good! I can pick up each of her feet to examine. Most of the fleshy padding around her hooves has worn off. They’re becoming very hard. Dr. Marclam let me listen to her heartbeat with his stethoscope.
I ate lunch with the Westridges and studied in the afternoon. Then I spent a couple more hours with the horses before returning to the Dinettes. I didn’t see Mendel at all the rest of the day. Lady Westridge complained about all the fishing he’s been doing since he finished school. Lord Westridge informed her that it really isn’t that much more than he’s been doing for the past few years. Sean just shrugged.
When I arrived at the Dinette’s I found a letter waiting from Phyfe. It wasn’t a long letter, but it included a comment about his pocket watch breaking and trying three different jewelers before finding someone who could fix it. It’s very old and valuable, a family heirloom. I told Treany this. She smiled and said she was glad I didn’t have to be worried anymore. Mrs. Dinette said the she would correct the rumor for everyone else she knows that reads the Fly-by.
“Do a lot of people get the Fly-by in Odsreq?” I asked.
“I think the Vannjers get it on occasion,” she said, “and the Evenwoods. No one in Odsreq gets every issue. They just get occasional copies from friends in Rousha, like Treany got it from you. Don’t worry too much, dear.”
I hope no one got any issues with me in them.

I wish you could come out and see Moonstone. She’s changing everyday. I wish I had a reflectography machine. I could take a picture of her everyday to compare.
I hope everything is as beautiful in Adya as it is here.

Love,
Arri

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