Keish- April 25, 2004

April 25, 2004
Dear Arri,

I’m writing even though you and I are sleeping under the same roof.  Ridiculous, I know.
But with everything going on and everyone here I never really get you alone to tell you anything.
If Phyfe hadn’t sprained his ankle at the ball it would be easier-- we could send him off somewhere with Jace and Imato.  And if it weren’t for this wretched unseasonable rain we wouldn’t be spending so much time in the library.
Not that I mind Phyfe’s presence in the library.  It keeps Gretel from burying us in her trousseau.
Of course, he likely wouldn’t have gotten such a bad sprain if you hadn’t looked so stunning at the ball.  I’m glad Tish made reflections of all of us.
Tomorrow the horse market will start and Phyfe seems to be healing well enough to come with us.  It should be an interesting outing.
Anyway.
I found Uncle W. in Father’s study this morning.  Papa was letting him use it for correspondence and such.
I took a deep breath and stood in front of the desk.
He looked up and sighed.  “I knew it was only a matter of time before you came to interrogate me.”
I gave a small smile.  “I’m more aggressive than Arri.”
He snorted.  “That’s putting it mildly.  You get it from your mother.  It doesn’t mean I’m going to tell you anything.”
“You’d have told my mother.”
“I wouldn’t have needed to.”
“What happened was an accident,” I said softly.
He looked at me strangely.  “You don’t know what really happened, do you?”
“You tried to make a wand.  People died.”
He stared intently for several seconds then shook his head.  “Not going to work.  If Adlen hasn’t told you the rest of it, I’m certainly not going to.”
“Father didn’t know.”
He seemed taken aback.  “She never told him…” he whispered.  Then his face hardened slightly.  “No.  I see no reason to discuss it.”
“But you must,” came a voice from the doorway.
I turned to look at Nysa as she entered, closing the door softly.
“She deserves to know.  Elli would have told her.”
“Perhaps, but I fail to see the relevance now.”
Nysa just looked at him.  The silence stretched awkwardly.
“You weren’t there,” Uncle W. finally said, his voice anguished.  He was standing, bracing himself on the desk.
Nysa came forward and covered his hand with her own.  “I know.  And for that I am more sorry than you will ever know.  But you must have expected that I would figure out what happened.”
Uncle W. closed his eyes, looking stricken.
“Please, Uncle,” I said softly after a few moments.
His eyes opened with a lost, haunted expression.  “I don’t know where to start.”
“The beginning,” Nysa said simply, moving back to sit down.
I sat also, hardly daring to breathe.  I hadn’t really expected him to tell me anything, but it seemed like he was going to and I didn’t want to ruin the moment.
Uncle W. sat back down and looked at me.  “You know your grandfather’s magic was waning?”  I nodded.  “Well, there was great hope when he married.  A resurgence,  many thought.  A son who could recapture the full power and glory of the Brio line.”  He laughed shortly.  “Imagine everyone’s surprise when my parents got me.”
“You are always too hard on yourself,” Nysa observed quietly.
“Just realistic,” he responded.  “I was not the son my father wanted.  His girls ended up being all anyone could hope for, though.”
“A bitter pill, but you loved us deeply,” Nysa said.
Uncle W. smiled.  “Of course.  No one could help loving the Brio girls.  And then we lost you.
“Jesse and Elli weren’t old enough to see that magic was to blame.  I was, though, and it was a far more bitter pill-- made worse by the fact that I couldn’t help them in their search for you.  Over the years I grew more and more unhappy with life and my lot in it.”
“You joined the Landbreakers,” I said.  “And you tried to make a wand.”
“It was a foolish idea,” he admitted.  “Wand-making is dangerous and stupid.”
I smiled at his paternal, lecturing tone.  “I know.  My mother taught me to have a healthy respect for the dangers of magic from the time I was very young.”
“Tell her the rest,” Nysa prompted.
Uncle W. grimaced.  “I don’t know how you talked me into having this conversation at all.  But I suppose we may as well finish it.
“The experiment had… unforeseen consequences.  In addition to the deaths, I mean.  In the end, we had forged a link.”
I looked to Nysa and back to Uncle W., confused.  “A link?  Between you and my mother?  I don’t understand.”
“Neither did we at first.  It’s not an outcome we had even considered.”
Nysa spoke up.  “It’s not unheard of.  Some even do it on purpose.”
Uncle W. looked at her sharply.  “Something no good can come of.”
She shrugged.
He turned back to me.  “The first thing we noticed was that we could feel what the other was feeling.  As soon as I learned the full extent of the link, I left.  Distance lessened the strength of the connection.  I had to protect her.”
“Protect her from what?” I asked, feeling suddenly wary.
Nysa answered for him.  “In many of these cases, the link extends beyond sharing feelings to sharing magic.”
“So Uncle could have…”
He interrupted me.  “I could have drained her dry.  I could have killed her without meaning to.”  His voice was a harsh whisper.
I didn’t know what to say to that.
“You wouldn’t have,” Nysa interjected.  “And I’m sure she knew that.  But she wasn’t aware of the magical connection at first, was she?”
He shook his head.  “No, she didn’t know at first.  But I learned quickly.”
“And you stopped using magic to protect her,” I finished.
“It wasn’t so much of a sacrifice as you might think, Keish.  Though the link had other problems.  The flow from her to me was strong and even at a great distance I could feel her.  Her joy, her pain.”
I gasped softly as the full implications of that his me.  “Her death.”
He nodded sadly.  My own eyes were tearing up.
“You knew she was killed.”
He sighed.  “I was concerned, but I didn’t have any evidence.”
“You said nothing.”
“You girls don’t bring your questions to me.”
“You don’t answer when we do,” I responded.
He gave a slight smile.  “I suppose that’s deserved.”
“Why not tell us sooner?  And don’t lecture me about protecting us from magic.  You know perfectly well that magic is too much a part of Arri and me.”
He sighed heavily.  “I survived without it.  I thought you children could as well.  And it was to protect you.”
“Can Uncle Quin survive without it?” I asked pointedly.
“I have allowed Arri to pursue her training,” he replied, his voice starting to rise.
“In word only,” I responded, my own tone growing sharp.  “In deed you’ve done all you could to bog her down.”
“I’m giving her options,” he said hotly.
I snorted.  “And those options have nothing to do with delaying her magical training?”
Nysa spoke before he could respond.  “Of course they do.”
He looked to her, then back at me.  “The entrance exam requires a lot a study,” he said stubbornly.
“Now I’m sure where Liop gets it,” Nysa muttered.
“Then after the exam you’ll let her fully pursue magic?” I asked.  “Give as much time and effort to it as she wants until she has to devote time to classes?”
“I am still…” he started.
“It’s a reasonable request, Brother,” Nysa interrupted.  “A solid, mature compromise.  You want Arri to take the exam, fine.  But afterwards you let her decide her course.”
He stared at Nysa.  Finally he nodded.  “Fine.  After the test, Arri may determine her own schedule until the term begins.”
I smiled.  “Thank you, Uncle.”

I realize Nysa may have told you all of this before you’ll get a chance to read this, but I wanted to write it all down for you anyway.
Now, though, it’s late and Imato was very clear about how early he expected us all to head out to the horse market.

April 29th
Finally, we had time more to ourselves yesterday!
But of course I’d already written so much that I didn’t bring up any of it.
And really, riding isn’t always conducive to deep conversation.  (Though it was fabulous to be riding my very own horse!  I’m glad I went with an Oldenburg and Dumaine mix.  Argentum is a perfect horse.)
I wish someone would explain to me, though, how I managed to have more one-on-one conversation with Phyfe than I did with you!
Uncle W. sent me in search of Liop yesterday evening while you were all packing.  I eventually found him in Imato and Jace’s study.
“That wouldn’t be the same scrying spell you were trying yesterday, would it?” I asked, ever so sweetly.
He nearly dropped the bowl of water he was holding as he whipped around.  He handed me the bowl, looking rather guilty.
“What did I tell you about that spell?” I asked, trying to keep a straight face.
“That it’s a violation of privacy and too complicated for me and if I do it again you’ll turn me into a newt and let Blaze chase me around the tower,” he recited glumly.
I nodded.  “That’s right.  Even with the gift of divination I’ve shattered more than one bowl just setting up that spell.  It’s a bad spell.”
“I know.”
Poor kid.  “Uncle W.’s looking for you,” I said gently.  “Off you go.”
He left looking absolutely forlorn.
As I started cleaning up Liop’s preparations I heard a voice behind me.
“Would you really turn him into a newt?”
I nearly jumped.  Turning slowly I saw Phyfe sitting at Jaces’s desk.  I hadn’t even realized he was there.
“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“It’s okay.  I just didn’t see you there.”  I smiled, “But no, I probably wouldn’t turn him into a newt.”
He raised an eyebrow.  “Probably?”
I shrugged.  “I’m not really sure the spell works.”
I don’t think Phyfe is sure what to make of me.  He just stared as I finished cleaning up what Liop was doing.
As I finished he hesitantly asked, “You and Arri are very close, right?”
“As close as we can be, given the distance, I suppose.”
“She tells you everything?  Asks for advice?”
“Something like that,” I said cautiously, not really sure where he was going.
“Do I pass inspection?” he asked after a moment.
I couldn’t help it-- I laughed.  And I shouldn’t have, because he seemed completely serious.
He smiled a little.  Sort of.
“I’m sorry,” I said, regaining my composure.  “As far as I’m concerned, the only inspection you need to pass is Arri’s.”
His smile became more real, even if he didn’t look completely convinced.  “Not Imato’s?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about Imato.  I don’t always pass his inspection, but it’s never  worried me much.”
I’m not sure he found that reassuring.
And of course, that’s when I noticed the green spots.
Really, Liop needs the magical equivalent of a cow bell.
“Um. Phyfe, would you mind standing over here for a moment?” I asked, indicating the open area near the window.
He looked puzzled but did as I asked.  “Is something wrong?”
I bit my lip as his hair turned purple.  “Well, not really, just some magic residue… that seems to have attached itself to you.”
He paled a bit.  At least, I think he did.  It could have just been the contrast with his newly purple hair.
I walked around him slowly, while he stood there looking nervous.  The nervousness was either because a) I was circling him or b) he noticed his hands were turning orange.
Which is what was happening when Jace walked in.  Bless him, he didn’t even ask what was going on.
“Need some help?” he asked instead.
“How much time has Liop been spending in here?”
Jace shrugged as he studied Phyfe’s hair.  “A couple hours a day, I think.  Residue?”
I nodded.  “And it really likes Phyfe.  Is this the most time you’ve spent in this room, Phyfe?”  He nodded.  “That’s why it’s happening now, I guess.”
Jace grinned at him.  “Lucky you.”
Phyfe didn’t look like he felt very lucky.
“Don’t worry,” Jace told him.  “It happens.  We’ll get it all cleaned up.  Well, Keish will.”
“Jace, you watch for more changes,” I instructed, turning towards Imato’s desk to see if I could work out what spells Liop had been working on.
Unfortunately it was a bit of a jumble.  And when I untangled them there was one I didn’t recognize.
“Um, Jace, I’m going to need Nysa.  Would you mind?”
He frowned slightly, but nodded and left.
“Should I be worried?” Phyfe asked.  Which seemed like a silly question since clearly he already was.
“No,” I said.  “Just hold still.  I’m going to remove the remnants of the spells I recognize.”
“You don’t recognize all of them?”
“No, but I’m sure Nysa will,” I said cheerfully.
He wasn’t sharing my optimism.
“Does this happen often?”
“Not often, no, but it happens.  I’m not sure why it’s settled on you so heavily… unless…” I stopped myself there.  He was worried enough.
Unfortunately he caught the “unless”.  “Unless what?”
“Unless it’s because of where you were sitting,” I improvised.  “I’ll check it out once I’ve removed everything I can for now.”
Actually I’d taken care of everything but the hair.  And I could tell from across the room that the chair was innocent.
Luckily that was when Jace returned with Nysa, who had to stifle a giggle when she came in.
“Nysa, I don’t recognize the spell this residue is from and didn’t want to remove it without knowing what it was.”
She nodded and moved closer to Phyfe.  “Are you sure it was Liop?” she asked.
I nodded.  “It feels like Liop.  At any rate it doesn’t feel like Imato’s magic and I don’t think anyone else has been in here.  Other than Jace of course, but I don’t think it was him.”
Jace grinned and winked.  “Not this time.”
Nysa nodded and closed her eyes.
“What’s she…” Phyfe started.
“Quiet please,” Nysa cut him off.  After a moment she opened her eyes.  “Aha!”  She made a swift motion with both hands and Phyfe’s hair was back to normal.  “There we are,” she said.  “There may be a slight tint in full sunlight for a few days, but that will fade.  Right now, though, I think it may be best if you left the room, just in case.”
Phyfe was all too happy to comply.
Once he was gone I asked Nysa about the spell.
She sighed.  “Scrying.”
I furrowed my brow.  “I caught him starting a scrying spell when I came in, but that’s not what turned Phyfe’s hair purple.”
“Fairy scrying,” she clarified matter-of-factly.  “Which is not a spell I taught him.  I’ll have to be more careful about my own spells in the future.”
“You’ve been scrying?  On whom?”
She brushed aside my question, but I’m sure I saw a flash of mischief cross her face.  “More importantly, why is Liop focusing spells on Phyfe?”
“A tracking spell, a spell to detect magic and scrying,” I mused.  “All aimed at Phyfe.”
Jace cleared his throat.  “Couldn’t it be as simple as Phyfe having no magic of his own?”
I shrugged.  “That could be, I suppose.  Liop couldn’t try these spells on the rest of us, we’d notice.  Except you and Gretel.  And Papa, I guess.”
“True,” Jace conceded, “but Liop doesn’t know Phyfe very well.  Maybe he trusts him less than the rest of us?”
I sighed.  “Something like that makes sense, really.  Now the question is who gets to have a chat with Liop about it?”
Nysa and I both looked at Jace.
“But I’m not even family,” he protested.
“Which is why you’re calmer and more rational than the rest of us,” I pointed out.  “It makes you the perfect choice.”
He rolled his eyes.
“And I’d prefer Winthrop not find out about this,” Nysa added.  “I don’t think he’d handle it well.”
“Excellent point,” I agreed.
Jace sighed.  “Alright,” he said, resigned.  “But you’re coming with me, Keisha.”
I conceded that was only fair.

We cornered Liop after dinner.
Jace got right to the point.  “Why are you experimenting with spells on Phyfe?”
Liop’s eyes widened.  “I didn’t hurt him.”
“No, you turned his hair purple,” I responded.
He looked perplexed.  “None of the spells should have done that.”
“Which is a good indication that you shouldn’t have been doing them to begin with,” Jace pointed out.  “And why Phyfe?”
Liop looked down.  “He wants to take Arri away.”
Jace and I looked at each other for a moment, then Jace knelt and put his arm around Liop’s thin shoulders.  “He’s not trying to take her away, Li.  He just likes her.  Arri’s likeable, right?”
That got a small smile.  “Of course.”  Then his shoulder’s slumped.  “But if he marries her they’ll go away.”
I hugged him.  “Arri’s not going anywhere anytime soon, okay?”  He nodded.  “Okay. Now, we won’t tell Uncle W., but no more spells on Phyfe.  Especially when he’s in the same room.  If you want to try a spell, you check with Nysa or Arri, alright?”
Reluctantly he agreed and went to finish his packing.
Jace and I let out matching sighs.  “You know,” Jace said, “I think I’m glad it’s Nysa and Arri that get to deal with that daily.”
I laughed.  “He is nothing if not persistent.”
Good luck with that.

I’m glad I kept both Hermes and Clotho.  This letter is already far too long for just one of them to carry.
Perhaps I should just send them off now.  It’s only midday-- they’ll likely catch you when you stop for the night.
I hope you did enjoy visiting.  I know balls aren’t what you prefer, but you seemed to have at least a little fun.
Have a safe journey.
Love always,

Keish

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