Keish- April 13, 2005

April 13, 2005

Dear Arri,
We’ve had Brooksby arrange a schedule of when Caden is Here, and when he is merely here.  It seemed the only way to keep it all straight.
And naturally this means I have to make adjustments to the little glamours that have kept people from noticing his comings and goings.
He is to make his first report tonight.
“What do I tell them?” he whined.
I rolled my eyes.  It was at least the fifth time he’d asked.
“They can’t expect you to have learned much yet,” Jace put in sensibly.  “Some simple piece of information should be enough.”
“You can tell them I commune with water sprites at every quarter moon for all I care,” I responded, a little more sharply than I’d intended.
I find I am already tired of this situation, which does not bode well for the coming weeks.
“Now, Keisha,” Jace said soothingly, “you know he’ll have to take them reports that at least seem useful, or they’ll change tactics.”
I sighed.  Jace was right, of course.  I closed my eyes and tried to think of something innocuous that the Gresteans could see as helpful.
As often happens when trying to clear one’s mind, random thoughts crop up relentlessly and after a moment I found myself half-consciously trying another calling spell to reach Imato.
Of course it didn’t work, but it did give me an idea.
“Tell them I’m frustrated my spells won’t work to reach Imato.  Make them think I’m giving up.  Maybe we can lure someone into a false security and the magical protection around Imato will ease up enough for me to get through.”
Both Jace and Caden thought this a worthwhile idea, so we were agreed.

I think Master Byra, excuse me Sir Byra (King Menion has made him a full member of the King’s Council-- he tried to make him a lord so that his proper title would be Lord of Education, but Sir Byra insisted that an old palace tutor was certainly not a lord) anyway, I think he is starting to feel run ragged.  He’s brought in another teacher to take over his classes as he’s in administrative meetings all day.
When he pointed out yesterday that this is all my fault I replied that it couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.
Better him than me.
Cass has begun training Meg, our other student who lost her position some weeks ago for refusing to give up her classes.  She’s been doing whatever random tasks Marta has set for her, but she has just turned 17 and has become out first “graduate” having taken our skills test.  Cass has decided Meg is just the person to take over most of her own duties since she will not have time for everything if she is to teach full time next year.

Keaton continues to be fascinated by his chicks, though Thor lost interest when it became obvious that a) he was not allowed to chase them and b) they don’t do much of anything anyway.

Caden told Tish all about how you healed your father and she’s anxious to discuss it with you when everything with Imato is settled.  She doesn’t want you to be distracted by letters from her under the present circumstances but hopes to hear from you once things are resolved.

April 14th
I have your letter.
My first thought was that Mendel being taken seriously about dragons was very concerning.
Then I decided that thought was too hasty-- Liop and dragons was clearly the far more worrisome combination.
Does Uncle W. know that Liop has taken to carrying iridium about with him?  I hope he just had it with him for the quest-- the idea of his pockets being constantly lined with the stuff is somewhat terrifying.
Is it normal for Great Greens to be so near Rousha?  And a gomorph?  It seems strange to have encountered either so near the city.  I guess Mendel got his dragons, though.
Maybe now he’s learned to be careful what he wishes for.
Naturally you handled Nuicui with your usual talent and skill.  I’m often grateful that it is you that gets into these situations and not me.  I would never know what to say.

If Gretel, who survived all of Vanessa’s wedding plans and even wore that horrid dress with a perfectly sanguine attitude, doesn’t think her nerves can handle Vanessa’s current condition how does she think I feel?!  She came here to tea earlier to make her own divination request.  It took a lot to convince her that I could do my best to divine the date, and possibly find out if it is a boy or girl in the process, but all of the details she wanted were simply too much to ask of anyone.
I keep praying King Menion will find some nice estate for Euan somewhere… preferably far far far from Adya.
As to any divination regarding Gretel’s child, Imato can ask all he wants but I won’t do it unless the request is from the mother.  Besides, an angry Gretel is far more worrisome to me than an angry Imato.  Imato angry stopped scaring me years ago.

Caden agrees with your father that his task is not as useful as he had hoped.  “I wish I could find out about H’ma for Sir Quin,” he lamented the evening.
“And so you shall,” Jace said confidently, an amused glint in his eyes.
“It’s not as though I can just ask,” Caden responded, frowning.  “I suppose I can do some research to see if the man was ever caught.  Macario keeps track of those kinds of things.  But if he hasn’t, what good can I do?”
I rolled my eyes.  “Nothing simpler.  You tell them I divined the name and see what you can learn from their reactions and what they’re willing to tell you.  Honestly, what good is pretending to spy on me if we can’t use my divination to learn whatever we wish?”  I frowned.  “Are we certain H’ma is a man, though?  Arri doesn’t specify.”
Caden shrugged.  “Aren’t spies usually?”
I stuck my tongue out at him.
Jace laughed.  “Maybe we only think that because the women don’t get caught.”

“Was White a Narl, do you think?” Jace asked as we pondered your father’s theory.
I shrugged.  “It’s possible, though it seems equally possible that others have used the same spell.  There are certainly enough horrid people in the world who aren’t Narls.”
“That’s true.  I wish we could ask him, but the last report didn’t indicate that he’d been found.”
“Perhaps Caden will have something new when he returns from interrogating Macario about Grestean spies.”

I am sorry if my attempt to feed memories into your father made him lose some others.  I didn’t think of that.  Now, though, I can give him whatever he wants.  Birthdays, weddings.  Perhaps a few memories that will help him understand the current family dynamics.  After all, some of those are bound to amuse him.  We should let him read our letters too, if he wants.

April 15th
Today proved very interesting, Arri, and I wish I could send this letter as soon as I have recorded the events of the day, but as Caden is off to meet his Grestean friends and won’t return until extremely late, it seems silly to send this off without hearing how they react to the name H’ma.
So I shall be brutal-- I will write what happened today and go straight to bed.
After my classes and dinner, I decided to attempt to call Imato again.  I didn’t have much hope of success, but I figure I may as well keep making the attempt every couple of days.
Interestingly, while I could not reach Imato I did feel an odd sort of tugging, pulling at my spell.
When I focused on that, I suddenly saw Queran Aoweir.
“Sir Queran?!” I said in surprise.
“Lady Keish, thank goodness.  I’ve been trying to find a way to call you all day, but my talent is in hearing calls, not casting them.  I finally managed a spell to listen for you to call Imato and hoped fervently you would try to do so.”
“An ingenious solution,” I responded, “and one with interesting uses, I imagine.”
“Yes, Imato and I played with the idea of intercepting calling spells, but the important thing now is to relay what I must before we lose this connection.  I have great faith in your ability to sustain it, but less in my own.”
“Very well then.  What has happened?”
“We found White.  He was in a small cave near here, restrained and rather worse for wear when we got to him, I’m afraid, but food and a little rest brought him around.  This morning I was able to speak with him at length.
“It appears that he was lured out near the camp by a note, supposedly from Imato, asking to meet him.  Imato, I believe had had a similar note, supposedly from White.
“When White arrived, however, he was held immobile by a spell, and layers of magic were stripped from his mind.  At least, that’s how he describes it.  He claims it was similar to what your friend Darius did in trying to help him but that these Gresteans seemed to know exactly what they were looking for and how to find it.”
“And so he remembers his past now, is that what you’re telling me?”
“In part only.  He knows he’s Yugliv.  Some of what he says I would like you to test for yourself.  Can you use a scrying spell to see him here with me?  And can you feel and find magic using such a spell?” Queran asked.
I nodded absently, momentarily forgetting that he could not see me.  “Yes, I should be able to do that.  Give me just a moment to make the adjustments.”
I called Jace into my study as I rearranged my mirror slightly.  When I was satisfied I told Queran that I was casting the scrying spell.
“White is right here with me,” he responded.
I cast my spell and was startled by what I saw.  “But White has no magic!” I exclaimed.
White apparently could not hear me (which made perfect sense) because he didn’t react.
Queran answered.  “Apparently the same spell that took his memory and left him wandering alone also wrapped up his magic and kept it entirely hidden.  He says it isn’t much magic though.”
I was studying White.  “No, it isn’t.  And it’s very specific.”
Queran nodded.  “One of the older soldiers here knows a bit about Yuglicov.  He says they don’t have innate magic the way you or I do, but rather magic is endowed from objects bit by bit at various stages of training.  Part of that magic will always depend on the object, but some becomes an integral part of the person.”
“And the nature of the magic follows the nature of the training.”
“Exactly.  All White remembers is that before Greste attacked Yuglicov he was in his early stages of apprenticeship-- to be a healer.”
“T’ay,” I breathed.
Queran nodded again.  “White does not remember precisely, but it seems likely.  It would explain what the Gresteans want with him.  Apparently they were supposed to take him also, but he says his master gave them quite a bit more trouble than they were expecting, even though they managed to distract him and block his magic before he could cast a ward.”
This last was said somewhat smugly.  I think Queran is rather proud that his son-in-law gave them a fight.
“But why leave White?  Or why not return for him?”
“When Imato didn’t return within the hour, I had patrols out searching.  I think we prevented them from coming back for White.  He says it wasn’t a large enough party to grab them both with Imato struggling so much.”
I pondered this a moment.  “And he’s telling the truth?”  I felt inclined to believe White’s story, but knew I had to be sure, if only for Gretel’s sake.
Queran was silent for several seconds before responding.  “I feel he is.  One aspect of aural magic is often an ability to sort out a lie.  It’s been very helpful in my profession on many occasions.  I feel no lie in White.  I’d like more qualified magicians to see what they make of his magic and such, of course, but for now I’m ready to believe him.  He wishes to remain in the camp until Imato can be rescued.  I’m assigning a man to keep an eye on him, but I’ve granted that request.”
“Thank you for this,” I told Queran.  “It puts my mind at ease on that score, if nothing else.”
He smiled briefly.  “I’ll write to Gretel, of course, but you can get the information to them so much more quickly.  I hope you’ll do so.”
I promised to send a letter off to you as soon as I could and we let the spell fade.
Jace is glad to hear that White is not likely a villain or traitor after all.  I hope Gretel will feel at ease now too.
“Do you suppose the Gresteans took White along with T’ay?” Jace asked.
“I don’t know.  It’s certainly possible.  If they used a similar spell to that of the Narls it would all make sense.  When they lost T’ay they would no longer have found him useful.  Either they turned him loose or were lax about keeping him under their control and Darius ended up finding him.”
“We may never know the whole story.”
I shrugged.  “Perhaps not.  Though Arri has made several breakthroughs in that area of healing-- perhaps she’ll be the one to restore White as well.”
Jace smiled broadly.  “We should tell her to put aside the idea of clearing people’s lungs as a job and set her to fixing fading memories instead.”
What an interesting thought.

There, now that I’ve related the whole of it and of course there’s no sign of Caden, I’m going to bed as I’d promised.  I shall bully an account out of Caden first thing in the morning and then send this off directly thereafter.

April 16th
The reactions to Caden’s report, I think, are very interesting, and I’m glad I waited to send this letter because I’m anxious to hear everyone’s opinion.
When Caden introduced the name H’ma, he was greeted with laughter.
Of the six other people in the room, five found it hilarious that my divination was chasing “a ghost”.
When Caden asked whatever they could mean he was told that H’ma wasn’t a real spy, but rather a story that had kept Elcaran authorities busy for months, taking their attention away from the “real spies” at work.
In short, they explained, H’ma does not exist and never has.
At this point in Caden’s retelling I was ready to scream.
Jace was paying more attention.  “And what did the other person have to say?” he asked shrewdly.
Caden grinned.  “Nothing at all.  Cobbles just watched me carefully as though trying to judge whether or not I was believing what everyone else was saying.  He certainly didn’t laugh, but rather seemed thoughtful that the name had come to my attention.”
“So he didn’t confirm that H’ma is a ghost?” Jace asked.
Caden shook his head.  “Telling, isn’t it?”
After some discussion, Jace and I are in agreement with Caden that the reaction of Martin Cobbles is the most telling.  He’s the highest ranking Grestean here, after all, so if there were more to the story he would know before the others.  Caden hopes to gain his trust as time goes on and learn more.
As I said, though, we’re anxious to see what you all think, and so I will close and send this off with all speed.

Love Always,
Keish

PS Any other names or details your father remembers would be appreciated-- after all, I must keep “divining” things for Caden to report on.

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Arri- April 12, 2005

April 12, 2005
Dear Keish,

The morning was clear and crisp, the sun still a good half hour from breaking the dense line of the forest on the southwestern side of Rousha. We met just out of sight of the main road to Green Lake, avoiding the early passage of peddlers and journeymen. Nysa has still not come to terms with cold weather, having never experienced it in the land of the fairies. She shivered and Father worried about her health which caused her much embarrassment.
“She was not so delicate as a fairy,” Father commented to me later, his voice thoughtful, “I do wish your mother could look at her.”
“She survived weeks on her own in the Arrellan forest when she first left the fairy ring,” I responded, feeling that Nysa needed some defense, “It’s more that she doesn’t like cold than that she can’t handle it.”
Mendel had arrived before us as was waiting with the two horses. I noticed traveler’s saddlebags. From the top of the one on Tattheus rose the hilt of a short sword, which surprised me. I didn’t know Mendel owned a sword. He had a saddle basket for Lexie, but at that moment the half-grown pup was prancing around the horses’ legs with a large bone in her mouth. Mendel offered Father his pick of the two horses. However, much to my surprise Father turned down the offer and insisted again on riding Sprigs.
“I know Sprigs,” Father said simply, “He hasn’t changed nearly as much in five years as the rest of you.”
We said our goodbyes. Father reminded each of us of the tasks we had been assigned, making sure that we were each impressed with our own importance.
“This part of the quest is only to find Nuicui,” Father reminded us, “After that we will reconvene in Rousha to determine our next step. Winthrop, I have no intention of taking my children across the Grestian border if I can help it.”
Uncle W. hadn’t said much, but Father’s lecture seemed to make an impression and his attitude was less surly than it had been the previous day.
“Master Mendel,” said Father turning to him, “I’m very grateful for your assistance in this part of the quest. I understand that your skills are invaluable. I’d like very much to compensate you. Arri mentioned that you are attending the university. Is there anything I can do in that direction in your service? Or if you have another suggestion, I’d be happy to hear it.”
“Compensation?” asked Mendel, “For a quest?” His smile widened, “I get to choose my compensation in advance?”
“Yes,” said Father, confusion flickering across his face, “I usually agree upon the terms before the quest. Are you accustomed to the opposite?”
“It’s much more practical, Sir,” said Mendel. Uncle W. groaned—we all, except Father, could hear a joke coming.
Mendel waved us aside and made a great show of considering. Father’s confusion turned to a frown.
“So far,” said Mendel, “My quests with Arri have involved leaping griffons, winged lions, and angry fairies. Adequate compensation, you’ll agree, but somewhat lacking in the kind of ferocity adventurers such as myself crave—no offense, Banquo. For my compensation on this quest, I believe I am entitled to a dragon—one of the larger species, if you please, Captain Etautca.”
Father’s eyebrows shot up, and he considered Mendel.
“That can be arranged,” he said seriously.
Mendel’s smile widened. “Brilliant,” he said.
Liop’s delight at discovering he was to ride Banquo—since obtaining a horse so late at night without attracting attention would have been nearly impossible—could hardly be contained. Banquo was very humble and patient about the whole situation and I think it helped that Liop could talk to him directly. Still, it seemed advisable to get Liop a pony at the next possible opportunity.
Finally, we were on our way. Banquo cast a detecting spell so that we could follow the road for a while without concern for encountering anyone. Mendel led the way on the tall chestnut Tattheus with Liop and Banquo at his side. It still amazes me that the horses are not afraid of Banquo. I remember from my childhood that the horses were never afraid of Noralt, but still it seems incredible. Winged lions are so much larger than ordinary lions. I asked Banquo about it, but his response through Liop was: “I’m not hunting horses. They have nothing to fear.” Next I had Liop ask the horses why they weren’t afraid of the lion. They responded that the winged lion was not hunting. They could not, however, communicate how they knew this. I suppose I should just be satisfied.
Father and I on the gray-dappled Sprigs and more evenly gray Asus made up the rear of the party. Father didn’t seem to mind. It gave him an opportunity to ask me questions about everything that had happened in the last five years. I told him about going to live with Uncle Winthrop. I told about Uncle W.’s disappearance, the griffon trap, and going to rescue Uncle W. I told about your journey to the Solutun Mountains and the caves. I told about Gessair and the other Narls. It was a good thing Father was riding Sprigs, because he paid very little attention to the road. Sprigs knew to follow Tattheus. Asus, although unafraid, was not so content to simply follow Banquo. I had to pay attention or Asus would have tried to move me to the front of the group.
“The first thing I really noticed, Arri,” said Father, “that made me realize how much had changed, was when I saw you handling the doctor’s mare. You were always good with animals as a child, but your handling of that nervous, fidgety mare was flawless.”
“Well,” I said slowly, “I’ve had a lot of practice.”
“So have I,” said Father, “but I’ve never been as confident as you are, and I had formal training as a boy.”
I shrugged, unsure of my response.
“Tell about Aegolius and the reflection makers!” shouted Liop from ahead of us.
“You know Aegolius?” asked Father, smiling, “Is there anyone left that I know and you don’t?”
“Not likely,” said Mendel, “Arri is at the center of every intellectual circle in Rousha.”
I reddened and shook my head. Father looked amused.
“Dragons!” Liop shouted.
We all turned to him. He and Banquo had come to a halt, their eyes on the west.
“Where?” asked Father.
Liop pointed. We all looked, but the sky was empty.
“Banquo can sense them,” Liop told us, “He says there are several, heading right for us.”
Father grumbled something, shaking his head.
“What species?” he asked aloud.
“Great greens,” said Liop promptly.
“I can see them now!” said Mendel, pointing.
Several dark blots could be seen in the distance.
“Arri,” said Father, “Take Liop up on Asus and move deeper into the forest. Can you cast a warding spell?”
“Liop can,” I responded.
“Cast it, Liop.”
“On everyone? While we’re moving?” asked Liop, sounding worried.
“I’m sure you can do it,” said Father, “Master Mendel, how good are you with that sword?”
“I’m brilliant against a dummy,” said Mendel.
“Good, follow Arri into the forest. Keep between them and the dragons at all times.”
“Yes, Captian,” Mendel responded seriously. Lexie was already in her basket, having grown too tired to walk after the first couple of hours. Mendel closed the lid and latched it.
I pulled Liop up behind me and urged Asus into the trees. Mendel followed. We picked our way reluctantly, looking back. I felt Liop cast the warding spell. It flickered uncertainly and then strengthened as he added iridium. A few minutes passed and a dragon roared. Asus bolted, nearly unseating Liop. I brought the horse under control, but not before we had travelled a few hundred feet. Liop’s ward wavered.
“It’s getting too thin,” he said, “It wasn’t meant to cover so much space.”
“Do you have it around the Captain and Banquo too?” asked Mendel.
“And Sprigs and all of us,” said Liop, “I’ve never projected something so large that has to move.”
“I’ll help,” said Mendel. He spoke a few words and I felt a second spell go up around us. It flickered much worse than Liop’s.
“You’re right,” said Mendel, “this is much harder to hold than a stationary ward.”
“I don’t want to leave Father,” said Liop.
Another dragon roared. They were getting much closer. Suddenly, Liop slipped out of the saddle.
“I know! I can talk to dragons! I can tell them to leave us alone!” he shouted, darting away from me and back toward the road.
“No, Liop!” I dropped off Asus and chased after Liop. From the corner of my eye I saw Mendel do the same. The forest was dense and dark, even in bright daylight. Liop didn’t want to be followed. I heard a noise and veered after it. I felt Mendel’s ward quiver and die.
“Liop!”
I was back at the road. In the sky dragons were closing in. Banquo rose to meet them, roaring. I looked around. I couldn’t see Liop or Mendel anywhere. How many dragons were there? They moved so quickly they were impossible to count. It seemed like a dozen, but rationally, that number was too high. I wanted to help but didn’t have the slightest idea what to do.
One of the dragons flew strait towards Father. Keish, have you ever seen a great green up close? Even the zoos won’t keep them. It was at least as tall as the Pren’s townhouse and round: great greens are not long and skinny like desert dragons. Father raised his sword to strike, but it seemed more likely that the dragon would crush him. And then suddenly, there was Mendel. Darting across the dragon’s path. Distracted the dragon turned. Father did not lose the opportunity. The head of the first dragon fell without a sound. It skidded across the ground straight into Mendel, who stumbled, dropped his sword, and kept on running, disappearing into the trees.
Where was Liop? I looked all around, but couldn’t see him. Instead, I saw Mendel creeping back along the trees’ edge. One of the dragons blazed and the trees caught fire. Mendel cast a spell at one, putting out the flames, but on other trees the fire spread.
I had been motionless, frozen in shock, but seeing the trees on fire had a kind of familiar feel to it. I had dealt with this problem before. I used the only spell I could think of: the one I use to put out the fire in the oven. It worked. Together, Mendel and I put out all the fires, although Mendel was too busy keeping track of the dragons to notice me.
I was still pretty well hidden, but a dragon noticed Mendel. It charged toward him. Mendel jumped sideways at the last moment and the beast flew past him. Father was shouting something, but the roaring of the lions was too loud. I couldn’t tell what he was saying. Mendel rolled over and cast another spell aiming it at the dragon. It slowed. I could feel each burst of magic as Mendel cast his spells. Each burst slowed the dragon further until finally it stopped entirely and Father killed it. It screamed as it died.
I felt helpless, and Liop was still missing. It occurred to me that he wasn’t in the road where the fighting was. I backed further into the trees and crept along the road, calling him.
“Err-rri?” The sound was muffled, but it seemed like Liop’s voice.
“Liop?” I could hear something moving just beyond me, out of sight among the undergrowth. I pushed toward it. The voice repeated, still muffled, a little further on. Whatever I was following kept barely out of sight. I heard the dragons roaring and realized I was going away from the road. I stopped and turned back. Then I heard more rustling in the bushes. I knew I should ignore it, but something muddled my brain. I couldn’t tell what direction to go. The dragons were roaring. Then one of them screamed, another victory for Father, Banquo, and Mendel. Liop was not likely to be this far into the trees. I tried to head back toward the road, but something stopped me, a kind of mew like a frightened kitten. I turned toward it.
It was a strange sensation. Part of my brain knew that my priorities were all mixed up, that I was looking for Liop and not a lost kitten. But the mewing was indescribably compelling. I followed the sound. I think I had been half-running for a few minutes when the spell faltered and my foggy brain woke up just enough to realize what was happening. I froze.
It was a kitten. I could see it now, emerging from behind a tree, a little gray kitten, wonderfully sweet with green eyes.
It was not a kitten. Some part of my brain was still rational. I could feel the spell around me, trying to penetrate further into my head. I tried to look away, to step backward, anything to break the illusion.
The kitten mewed. I knew if I didn’t pick it up and take it with me, it would starve or be eaten by some terrible beast.
The kitten was the beast, and it would eat me the moment I got within biting distance. I froze, the rational part of my brain screaming for retreat, but the part of me under the spell wanting desperately to touch the kitten.
We had reached an impasse. My magical resilience was strong enough to prevent me from chasing the gomorph any further, but not strong enough to break me entirely from its grip. It mewed piteously. I closed my eyes, blocking out the illusion with memories of book illustrations showing a small monster with sharp teeth and mottled gray skin. I wondered what would happen when the gomorph encountered Liop’s iridium ward. I wondered which of us would prove to have the more powerful magic. I’m not sure how long we stood there.
I heard a soft sound directly behind me and the gomorph’s spell burst like a bubble. A little disoriented, my first thought was that word needed to be sent to the Master Forrester of Elcaro that a gomorph had been discovered in the forest. They would need to hunt it down within the week before it regained enough strength to perform its illusion again. That, however, was not really my most pressing problem. I opened my eyes to the sound of the monster scrambling away through the underbrush making much more noise than the kitten had. I did not get a glimpse of its true form and was glad of it. In the distance behind me came another dragon’s scream of death. Then the sky flashed blue, a soldier’s victory sign. Father and the others had defeated the dragons. Relief coursed through me.
I turned towards the dragon sounds and came face-to-face with a lioness. Our eyes met and she froze, blue eyes wide in a face so pale it was almost white. Then she darted away like a startled deer.
"Nuicui!" I called, "Please don't go! It's only Arrietta, Jezreel's daughter."
I strained my ears for the sound of breaking branches or rustling leaves, but there was silence. Perhaps she had not gone far. I pushed my way through the bush where I had seen her and into a dense patch of young trees. I looked around, but there was no sign of her. I stepped out into a small clear space. I turned to go back the way I came when a glint of light caught my eye. I looked at the ground. At my feet lay a large cut gemstone, emerald green.
Ta'y.
I picked it up and felt magic course through me. The stone almost vibrated with magic. I put it in my pocket where it sagged heavily, and looked around.
"Nuicui?" I asked.
Silence.
"Please, Nuicui," I pleaded, "You don't have to die to prove yourself."
I crossed through another thicket, calling for Nuicui. She had to be close, watching me. I imagined a young, fragile lioness coming all the way to Rousha, but stopping not quite there, afraid. I remembered what it was like when the griffon left me in the desert mountains, not knowing what to do next. Nuicui had it all wrong. She couldn't prove herself by giving up.
I pulled Ta'y back out of my pocket and hurled it from me as far as it would go, watching it flash through the trees.
"My father gave this to you!" I shouted, "He wanted you to live! I want you to live!"
I turned my back on the stone just as a roar exploded around me. It was so close that the air around me vibrated and I fell to my knees, where I stayed, stunned, in the growing darkness. When I gathered my senses and looked around, I saw the blue eyes of a lioness watching me from the brush.
"Nuicui?" I asked.
She ducked her head in shame. In her mouth was the green gemstone.
"Nuicui, I'm sorry," I said.
She looked very much as if she wanted to say something, but instead she crept slowly closer and set Ta'y at my feet. Then she sat back and looked at it sadly.
"We didn't come to take it from you," I said.
She nodded understanding.
"You came to bring it to us, though, didn't you?"
Another nod, looking away.
"All this time you've been here on the edge of Rousha?"
She turned her eyes back to the stone.
"I think you're very brave, Nuicui," I said.
She shook her head sadly. I thought about that. I didn't know what to say.
In the tree-dappled moonlight, Nuicui looked almost like an angel, her white wings shimmering around her like a halo. She was as beautiful as Banquo had described her. I thought about Banquo, what he would look like at her side: black wings, deep golden fur. They would be like sunset and morning.
"Did you know that Banquo loves you?" I asked, startling her out of her reverie.
Nuicui looked at me with wide eyes and shook her head.
"He's loved you all his life," I said, "He needs you."
Nuicui closed her eyes and lifted her chin. She seemed to be concentrating on something. I felt a surge of magic.
"But what could I do for Banquo?" Her words in my head startled me.
I thought about her question.
"You can support him."
She cocked her head to one side, waiting for me to explain.
"He loves the way you care for the little cubs," I said, "Your gentleness. He just wants to be part of that, to be with you."
A tear started in the corner of Nuicui's eye and rolled partway down her cheek where it soaked into her pale fur.
"I never knew this," she said in my head, and I felt the magic surge around me again.
"He isn't proven," I said, "He didn't feel he could tell you."
She concentrated. It took a few minutes for her to build enough magic for another sentence: "He thought he had to prove himself for me, a lioness who cannot prove herself?"
"Perhaps he thinks you already have."
Nuicui shook her head. She closed her eyes and the magic started to build, but this time the spell failed, so I could not understand what she said next. She lay down on the ground and put her head on her paws. I had a small knife and some of Uncle W.’s fireworks stored in the belt pocket under my skirt. I pulled one firework out and shot it into the sky. Nuicui lifted her head and watched its small red flame rise and fall.
"Now they can come to us," I said.
She nodded slightly and tucked her head into her chest. I sat down next to her. I didn’t really sleep, exhausted as I was from resisting the gomorph. I wanted to look for Liop and Mendel and only the fact that I would probably only get more lost prevented me from doing so. I think maybe an hour passed when Nuicui’s head shot up and I heard the sound of horses.
“We’re here!” I shouted, getting up on my feet. Nuicui slipped away and into the trees.
“Arri?” It was Mendel, “how did you get this far out? You missed everything! Captain Etautca must be the best dragon fighter in the world. And Banquo! How is it that fighting dragons doesn’t count with lions for proving themselves?”
“What about Liop?” I asked.
“Oh, I got him,” said Mendel, “I used a restraining spell—actually, Liop’s the one that showed it to me. He was pretty mad, but we both had a good view of the fighting.”
He rode into view on Tattheus, picking his way carefully through the underbrush. Asus followed on a lead. Excited as he was, Mendel’s eyes were overly large and his face pale, strained and tired. From her basket, Lexie whined unhappily.
“So where’s Nuicui?” Mendel added casually, looking around, “Both of your tracking spells end here.”
I looked around too, wondering if she had fled. I still had the stone in my pocket.
“Nuicui?” I asked.
A pale head poked around the trunk of a tree.
“Nuicui?” asked Mendel. He rose up in his stirrups so that he could bow deeply to her. Her head dropped.
“She’s going to help us,” I said, “but let’s find Banquo and Father and Liop.”
“Arri,” said Mendel solemnly, “you’re as good a tracker as I am.”

We followed Mendel back toward the road and met up with the others before we were even halfway.
“Arri!” shouted Liop, “You should see Father fight! He killed two dragons!”
“The second was immobilized,” said Father, nodding his head in Mendel’s direction, “That was quite a spell.”
“I learned it from Liop,” said Mendel, proudly.
“And I learned it from Keish!” said Liop, “She said it’s very effective on Caden.”
Father started to ask a question, thought better of it, and shook his head. “I’m inclined to think this was too easy,” he concluded.
“Easy?” asked Mendel, staring.
“I’ve been fighting an intangible enemy for five years. It was a relief to sink my sword into something I can understand.”
Mendel rarely looks humble, but he did now.
“I wish I was as skilled with a sword,” he admitted.
Father shook his head, “You’re immobilizing spells were invaluable. Seven dragons is a lot, even for me.”
“The battle was fugacious,” said Liop with a touch of disappointment, “the other dragons flew away when the fourth one fell.”
“Fugacious?” asked Father.
“Short,” Mendel supplied, “fugacious and ostentiferous. Don’t worry, Captain Etautca, being around Liop, your vocabulary will catch up.”
What Banquo and Nuicui said to each other, I don’t know. Nuicui kept her head down and shuffled around Banquo. Whatever she told him, his eyes grew sad. We decided to stop for the night and return in the morning. One reason was the need to clear the dead dragons away from the road. Father doesn’t take trophies from dragons, but Mendel and Liop each collected a horn. We weren’t really all that far away from the city, but we were tired, especially Father, though he wouldn’t admit it.
Liop and I laid out our bedrolls in the center with Father and Mendel on opposite sides of the clearing, Banquo and Nuicui completing the watch. Ta’y was still in my belt pocket.
As he took up his post, Mendel whispered to me: “Arri, if I ever request dragons as part of an adventure again, please knock me on the head. Hard.”

I woke up early the next morning, but not before Father and Mendel. They had their swords out and Father was demonstrating some military maneuver. Still a bit sleepy I watched them from my bedroll. Mendel had a short squire’s sword, very similar to Imato’s. He made several attempts to copy Father’s move, but his motions were awkward. Finally, he muttered something, running his hand along the blade. I caught a whiff of magic. This time his imitation of Father’s movement was near perfect.
“That’s cheating,” I said, sitting up.
Mendel turned very red. “It’s not cheating if it works,” he defended.
“Magic?” asked Father. I nodded. He laughed, then looked sternly at Mendel.
“In a real battle, I see no problem with using magic,” he said, “but during a tournament or when practicing technique, I agree: it’s cheating.”
“Understood, Captain,” said Mendel.
Liop and Banquo were hard to rouse, but eventually we all headed back to Rousha. Mendel and Liop were in high spirits, replaying the battle with the dragons in increasing detail as they rode. Nuicui kept trying to trail behind and Banquo would slow down for her. When we got to the edge of the city Banquo cast a glamour over us so that we could return to Gretel’s townhouse without attracting attention. It was interesting to walk under a glamour, because some people could tell that something was off about what they were seeing, and so would stare at us, but they couldn’t tell what exactly. It made me realize how much more effective the cloaking spell Uncle Winthrop is working on will be.
When we got to the house, we found Gretel and Nysa waiting for us. Uncle W. could not leave his spellwork. Nysa had a town boy waiting at the tree by the gate for her to send him a coded note announcing our arrival.
Gretel’s parlor was simply not designed for two winged lions, five adults and a child. Nuicui crouched out in the hallway and looked in, her eyes nervous. First Mendel and Liop had to be allowed to give their version of the battle. Then Father had to give a corrected version: There were not twenty dragons. We only killed four. The entire forest did not burn to the ground, only the tops of a few trees were lost. The whole thing took place in less than half an hour.
Really, I thought the real version was impressive enough without the embellishments.
Then I had to tell about meeting Nuicui, which caused a whole new round of questions, mostly from Father because I hadn’t mentioned the gomorph till that point. Then I showed everyone the stone from T’ay and how Nuicui had been bringing it to us all along. Here Nuicui growled at me and I was forced to admit that she was nervous about giving it to us, but I stuck to my version about how she intended to give it to us. I did not tell them about what I said to Nuicui to get her to come with us. It seemed like too much.
Finally it was Gretel and Nysa’s turn to tell about their adventure.
“Did you find Sir Raporty?” asked Father.
“Yes, Sir,” said Gretel, frowning, “and he has agreed to help us.”
“Excellent,” Father nodded, “anything else?”
“Are you sure we can trust him?” asked Gretel.
“He owes me,” said Father, “and Sir Raporty pays his debts, the honorable ones at least.”
“He charges for debt repayment?” asked Nysa, skeptically.
“What did he ask for?” asked Father.
Gretel reddened, glancing at me, “He wants Jezreel’s ruby necklace.”
“He can have it,” I said at the same time Father said, “Part of Arri’s dowery.”
“I couldn’t talk him into money,” said Gretel.
“We might be able to pass off a copy on him,” said Father, “However, that’s a lot less than I expected. He is indeed taking this debt seriously.”
Keish, I have no idea what that means.
 “Are you aware of Sir Raporty’s collection of illegal Grestian weapons?” asked Gretel suddenly.
“Yes,” said Father.
We all looked startled.
“There’s a great deal to Sir Raporty’s history which we do not have time to go into today. A lot of pain and healing is bound up in those weapons. We reached a compromise years ago in which Sir Raporty agreed to a very powerful anti-theft spell which would likely destroy the weapons if it were triggered. For his part, he agreed to let us destroy the weapons at his funeral.”
None of us quite knew what to say to this.
 “There’s more news,” said Nysa, “Sir Stoddart has taken a band of elite soldiers. They left for Greste this morning with the goal of rescuing Imato themselves.”
“Good man, Sir Trogan,” said Father, “Anything else?”
“That’s all, Captain,” said Gretel.
“Good work,” said Father, “Now we need to plan the next stage of our quest. I’d like speak to Winthrop. Arri, would you make our guests the Lions comfortable? Master Mendel, I thank you very much for your help this weekend. I’d like to include you in my next council.”
“Do I get to request compensation in advance again?” asked Mendel brightly.
Father paused, smiling. “No,” he said, “I think I’ll choose my own wild beast encounters from now on.”
Mendel laughed. “How about a note of excuse for my professors?”
“That I will arrange,” said Father, “although I don’t want word of my recovery to spread yet. I’m sure I can get the King’s name on one for you when I see him this evening.”
“An airtight excuse, sir,” said Mendel, “See you tomorrow, Arri.” He bowed deeply, slipped around Nuicui and disappeared down the hallway.
After that we all tried to go about our business. Father, Liop, and Nysa went to see Uncle W. Gretel collapsed on a couch and tried to interest herself in her quilt blocks. I took Banquo and Nuicui out to the stable since Winged Lions don’t much like houses. Then I sat down and began writing out this letter.
It was a strange afternoon. Father came back in a couple of hours and shut himself into the parlor for privacy. He came back out an hour later and left in disguise to reveal himself to King Trunsle. Uncle Winthrop went with him. By the time they came back Hermes and Clotho had arrived with your letter. We all—Father, Uncle W., Nysa, Liop, Gretel, Banquo, and Nuicui gathered for me to read it out loud.
Liop is quite certain the whole chicken project will fail without roosters. Banquo, however, thinks that you are quite right in not wanting to be woken up at dawn.
Gretel said the one good thing about no longer living in the Adya tower is that she is going to miss Vanessa being pregnant entirely, which she doesn’t think her nerves could handle.
This caused Father to ask if you have divined Gretel’s due date yet, which you haven’t. Gretel is still a bit sensitive about me finding out before she did, so I’m not sure she intends to ask you, but I’m sure Imato will ask you as soon as he gets a chance, regardless of Gretel, so you can do what you want with that.
Next we had to pause and explain to Father about the girls’ schools in Adya. He is very impressed and offers you his congratulations. (And also belated congratulations on your marriage to Jace.)
Father says we must all have a reflection made, a family portrait, when we are all together.
You are right about Gretel not taking the news about the stable master well, although she admits she hardly knew him. He was hired only a few years ago. Emily is still staying with the Rothes. Gretel sent them all an apology and promised they would still get their wages, but she’s frightened to ask them back.
“I’ll interview them, individually,” said Father, after some thought, “I’d like to do it anyway. They might be helpful.”
“Thank you,” said Gretel.

Uncle W. thought Caden’s assignment to befriend you very funny. Father, after hearing some explanation was amused, but disappointed that the assignment was not more “useful”. He would like to know the names of all the spies and traitors that Caden uncovers, particularly if there is one by the name of H’ma, whom the Elcaran army lost track of several years ago. Of course, Father’s information is outdated, and that spy may already have been caught.
We are all very surprised by the news about White, that he was recommended by Darius. Again Father required some explanation, so he could be surprised too. None of us are quite sure what to make of it. We were quiet for a long time.
“Could he be a Narl?” asked Father.
“What do you mean?” asked Nysa and Uncle W. at once.
“From what you’ve told me of Gessair and the Narls, they were in the habit of controlling people magically, wiping their memories when the spell ended. When Gessair’s power was broken, numerous men were found wandering around with no memory of where they had been.”
“Yes,” said Uncle W., “but White was found thirteen-fourteen years ago.”
“Controlling spells are incredibly hard to maintain. It seems likely that the Narls had a victim escape from time to time over the years.”
We all considered that.
“Of course there’s no evidence,” said Uncle W.
“You’re right,” said Father, “but it bears thinking about. When we find White, he must be interrogated and examined by the palace magicians. Thoroughly.”
“I want to talk to him first,” said Gretel, and even Father looked a little intimidated.
The news that Imato is in Aitero did not surprise Father too much. He said that it would make a surprise rescue more difficult to pull off.
Father wanted to know about Dr. Kondamuri. It seemed like bad timing for that topic though, so I said it had something to do with Mendel and college and he let it go, although he didn’t look entirely convinced.
Gretel doesn’t lace her boots anymore. She just gets help. She says you’ll understand one day. She says that it is very frustrating to study magical theory when she really wants to practice. Father echoed this sentiment.
I deflected Father’s question about Moonstone too.

After reading the last part of your letter we were all silent a long time.
“Sir Quin,” asked Nysa, “do you have any of the memories Keish gave you?”
He shook his head, eyes very wide.
“Why?” she asked.
“His brain couldn’t hold them so long,” I said slowly, reluctantly.
“What do you mean?” asked Father.
“Well,” I said, thinking hard, “there are different kinds of brain cells, and some of them hold memories. And there are different kinds of brain cells that hold memories. I don’t know what they’re called…”
Everyone looked at Liop. He shook his head.
“I found out because of trying to write the spell, and watching my brain cells and comparing them to yours.” I kept my eyes on Father.
“Anyway, some memory-brain-cells hold memories for a long time, and some only hold them for a short time. And the spell was mostly on the long-time memory cells. It locked them up so that you couldn’t get to them at all. The short-time memory cells were only impacted a little. Those cells only had some memories, what you had been thinking about recently, or doing recently.”
“The battle,” said Father.
“Yes,” I said, “And then Keish was feeding memories into you, but they couldn’t go into the long-time cells. They had to go into the short-time cells, but those were already full, so some of them had to be erased. That’s because the memories from the short-time cells couldn’t send anything to the long-time cells.”
Father nodded.
“So some of my memories from the battle must be lost,” he said.
“Yes, it seems likely, probably the most recent ones,” I said, “So Keish kept feeding you memories, but to get them, you had to lose the ones she sent you before, usually the most recent.”
“But what about the Bellington Ward?” Uncle W. interrupted, “You helped Imato with that.”
Father thought about it.
“We had been discussing strategy that morning,” he said, “and I had been thinking how a Bellington ward would come in handy—it was only wishful thinking, really.”
“So you had those thoughts in the short-time memory cells,” I said, “and you could use them to help Imato.”
“So for the last five years, I’ve been reliving the last days of my last battle,” said Father softly, “I must have been…” He stopped. None of us was looking at him.
“Did I hurt anyone?” he asked in a strained voice.
“No,” said Uncle W. firmly, “you saved many lives.”
We all were quiet for a minute.
“Then,” I continued slowly, “when I performed the spell, I broke through to the old memories and together, we pulled one into short term memory.”
“Liop’s birth,” said Father.
“And that erased some of what was already there,” I concluded, “and so now you have none of the memories Keish sent you at all.”
“But she can give them to you again!” said Liop, “That’s what Keish says in her letter.”
We all brightened. Father nodded.
“Yes, I’d like that—the weddings, the birthdays,” he paused, “but not the adventures, please, nothing I might wish I could change.”
“Why?” asked Gretel.
“Jesse could work that spell too,” said Father, “and she fed me one of her adventures from before we met. It drives me crazy, not having been there, to have helped. I could have saved her some pain…” He shook his head. “The adventures I’d like to hear in your words, just as you want to tell them. That will be enough.”
I think I understand.

Eventually, we had discussed everything as much as it could be discussed. Uncle W., Nysa, and Liop left. Gretel went to bed, exhausted, worried, hoping that she could sleep a little. The Lions went down to the stable.
“I’m curious,” said Father, after the door closed behind Banquo, “what are all these intellectual circles you’re in the center of?”
I reddened. “Mendel’s crazy,” I said.
“You’re going to see him tomorrow?” Father was watching me closely. I wasn’t sure I could go any redder.
“Him and Gordo,” I said, “You see with everything I had to learn to make that spell to heal you—it was a lot to learn—and Master Ujifil taught me how to pay proper attention… but what I really needed to know about was cells. Biological cells, I mean. And Uncle W. wanted me to slow down the magic. So it was his idea really—the science. That’s why I enrolled in medical school. Mendel and Gordo are my study group.”
I think I did a better job of introducing the topic to Phyfe.
I suppose it didn’t matter though, because once he processed my long explanation, Father’s reaction was much like Phyfe’s was: consternation. He shook his head in wonder and didn’t answer right away. You know, Keish, it’s funny, but Father had been a lot less surprised the day before when I told him about trapping the griffon.
“You enrolled in medical school so you could help me?”
I nodded.
“And what do you think of it?”
“I like it,” I said, a little awkwardly, “I never knew cells existed before, and they are so fascinating.”
Father smiled.
“I had hoped we would have a scholar in the family,” he said finally, “Arri, I’m very proud of you. Thank you.” Then he gave me a hug.
“What time is your first class tomorrow morning?” he asked.
“Nine,” I said, “but I have a lot of homework to do.”
“I’d better let you get to work then,” said Father. He laughed lightly. “You’re probably already beyond what I studied in the military academy, but if you would like any help, I can try.”
“Thank you,” I said. He hugged me again and I went to my room to study. Although mostly I stared blankly at the wall, thinking to myself how glad I was that Father was home, and hoping the battle with the dragons wouldn’t give me nightmares. Then finally, I gave up on studying and finished this letter, which I’m going to send right away, because even though there will be more news tomorrow, you need to know that we found Nuicui as soon as possible. Tomorrow, I’ll start another letter.

Love,
Arri

Go to NEXT Letter

Keish- April 2, 2005

April 2, 2005
Dear Arri,

This week has felt like a bit of a whirlwind, Arri.
Keaton managed to get his brooder all set up in what must have been record time and dragged Master Zart (and Dylan) off Wednesday to get his chicks-- assuring me that none of them would be roosters.  I appreciate that-- Blaze waking me up at dawn is quite enough without accompanying crowing.
The chicks are nothing more than multi-colored balls of fluff for now, but Keaton seems confident that all four will be excellent laying hens.  Eventually.
King Menion re-instituted the Gazette, with the stipulation that Lord Schieving step down.
So not only is the Gazette being printed again, but Caden is now in charge, at least for the time being.
Heaven help us all.
Last night, after Caden had everything set for today’s grand edition, we had a bonfire burning all of the old paper.  Caden laid in a completely new supply of paper, and convinced me to lay a light charm on all of it protecting the identities of the writers.  I didn’t want to, particularly, but it seemed better to do the enchantment myself and be completely certain what it was.
Today’s Gazette is a special royal announcement-- ALL FIVE young royal couples are expecting.  The number of royal grandchildren will double by the end of the year.
When Caden told Jace and me yesterday, I couldn’t quite stifle a groan.  Thus far I’ve managed to completely avoid one of my mother’s main “duties” at court-- divining royal births-- but given how far my magic has progressed in just the last two years… I didn’t see how I could possibly escape it with FIVE impending births.
Jace gave my hand a sympathetic squeeze.  “Maybe they won’t ask,” he said optimistically.  “And two of them don’t even live at court.”
“Funny you should mention that,” Caden said, handing me an envelope.
I took it quizzically.  “Now you’re interfering with my post?”
He laughed.  “Only when a letter for you is in a package for me.”
Since Caden doesn’t want anyone to know where he’s staying, he’s receiving all of his post at his club.
The letter was from Raquel, which I’d guessed already since it came through Caden.  There was a request for the divination and a glossy lock of dark hair.
I sighed, but since I’d already decided that I quite like the Duchess of Orullian I didn’t really mean it.  “Well, she already has an idea when the baby will be born, but she likes the idea of having me narrow it down.”
Jace cocked his head to one side.  “The moon is waning.  Are you going to wait until full on the 24th?”
I thought about it a moment.  I could perform the divination at any time, of course, but full moon provides the best clarity.  “I think so.”
Caden nodded.  “Maybe everyone will make a request by then and you can do them all in one night,” he said brightly.
I stuck my tongue out at him.

I also met with Master Byra this week-- so far we’ve handed the other Adya schools over to the administrators who are going to work with the boys’ schools they’re attached to in order to standardize a curriculum for graduation.
The palace school is going to have slightly different requirements, due to our need for greater flexibility, and also offer an option to take a reading and skills test to receive a diploma without attending all of the classes.
As of next year, we will also officially be a school for ALL palace servants, boys as well as girls.
This goes hand in hand with King Menion’s new announcement.  Rather than announcing Euan’s Prince Regency, the king announced a series of new educational laws.  Boys’ education is now mandatory until age 14, like in Elcaro, and girls’ education is required up to age 10.  All boys’ schools throughout Arella are now scrambling to accommodate female students as well, and the royal treasury is covering all costs for mandatory education.
I’m thrilled, Arri.  We’ve done so much so quickly!
We’re also altering the courses offered here slightly-- Caden has agreed to teach writing (provided everything he’s doing for the king is settled, of course) and Cass will be taking over some of the more basic classes-- reading and handwriting.  This leaves me with a higher reading course and a literature course and hopefully a little more time for magic, since Ryland and Malia have requested more formal magic instruction.
Jace is going to focus on Elcaran history, while continuing to teach defense with Kaplan, who has agreed to take on the bulk of physical fitness requirements.  Jace has enjoyed teaching astronomy, but it’s not really practical at this level.

And then there’s Keaton.
He’s doing well.  Very well.  His magic is progressing… I have no worries about any further flaring.
But I’m not ready to just say he’s done and send him home.
Jace and I have been talking about it a lot lately.  We both feel that Keaton needs another year here with us.  Another year to develop his magic.  Another year to develop his confidence.
I think he just assumes he’ll be returning after the summer.  After all, his hens won’t begin laying until they are around 5 months old.
I have a letter from his parents requesting an update and Jace and I plan to respond tomorrow, requesting another year.  I hope they agree.  Certainly living at the palace is a wonderful thing for his future.
It might be time for the Leilanis to stop ignoring the Adyan court.

April 3rd
Tish ate lunch with us today.  She and Caden attempted to take reflections of cells through the microscope yesterday, along with some other experiments.  She was going to write to you of their results, but asked me to convey her apologies instead, as they learned nothing conclusive of which to write.
“I do not believe it is possible with my equipment,” she said, “but that does not make it impossible.”
“We just need better lenses,” Caden put in.
“And to spend less time making reflections of chickens?” Jace asked with a smile.
Keaton blushed.
Jace laughed.  “I’m teasing, Kea.  The reflections are marvelous.  And your idea of using a spell to keep the chicks still worked perfectly.”
“Yeah, that could catch on,” Caden said with a grin.  “Don’t you think children’s portraits could use that kind of creative thinking, Jace?”
“Just what every parent wants-- a spell forcing their child to sit.” I said it sarcastically, but Tish laughed.
“You might be surprised,” she declared.
I thought about Liop and how much trouble in manages in such short periods of time.  “No, actually I don’t think I would,” I replied.
“Now you’ve given her ideas,” Jace teased.
“Nothing new, I’ve just never thought of using such spells on children,” I shot back.
Caden grimaced, remembering the time I’d used such a spell on him.
His expression made Tish laugh and soon they were off to the drawing room for a writing lesson, with Keaton in tow.

Jace and I sat down to write to Keaton’s parents, but after I had crumpled several sheets of paper into balls (which littered the floor) I gave up and left it to Jace.  He’s better at that sort of thing anyway.

Caden was finally contacted by his “Grestean friends”.  He’s attending another meeting tonight.

April 4th
Caden has met six people at the meetings so far.  The three from the first meeting were joined last night by a valet (to Sir Ceto), a palace footman, and, the apparent leader in Adya-- the stable master for the Aoweirs.  I’m sure that will be hard for Gretel to hear.  We’ve sent a letter to Imato and Queran already, though of course it will take a few days to get to them.  And there’s nothing they can do anyway.
Caden feels confident that he’s met everyone in Adya now.  Last night was mostly introductions, but he’s to meet with the leader, Ma’ile (Martin Cobbles, as the Aoweirs know him), again tonight.  He thinks he’ll be given an assignment.
Hopefully nothing terrible-- or the king will have to intervene before he wanted to.
At the moment, we’re just relieved none of them is a magician.

April 5th
Something feels odd today, Arri.
Perhaps it’s just worry about Caden…. He stayed at his club last night and the only word we’ve had is that he is fine.
Jace is concerned, both about what they may have asked Caden to do and about him missing a sparring session.
I don’t think that’s the source of this strange feeling, though.

April 6th
After spending a second night at his club, Caden paid us a formal call this afternoon.
To say that Jace and I were both astonished is possibly an understatement.
Once the three of us were firmly ensconced in our library, Jace demanded an explanation.
It took Caden no fewer than three false starts before he actually got talking.
By the time he was finished, it was me who was speechless.  I stared at Caden, utterly dumbfounded.  Caden was staring steadfastly at the floor, his ears decidedly pink.
And Jace, my dear mostly-reserved Jace, was laughing.  Heartily.
The gist of the situation is this: Caden has been given the assignment of befriending us to gather information.  The irony was certainly not lost on any of us.
More specifically, however, Caden is to befriend me and use whatever charm is required to learn all he needs to learn.
When I finally regained my ability to form coherent thoughts I demanded, “Am I to understand that you are to seduce me if no other means of gathering information presents itself?”
This made Caden’s pink ears turn red and only made Jace laugh harder.
Finally, Jace put a hand on Caden’s shoulder.  “I wish you all the luck in the world,” he said.  He had stopped laughing, mostly, but still couldn’t keep a straight face.  I think half the laughter was relief that Caden’s assignment is so harmless.
Really, I don’t think we could be more lucky.  They could have asked Caden to do something far worse.
Caden finally chuckled a little.  I’m not sure he completely trusted Jace’s reaction, because when Jace suggested they get some sparring in Caden looked slightly panicked.
I rolled my eyes.  “Jace isn’t going to hold it against you,” I told him.  “You should be more worried about having missed a session.”
Caden still looked skeptical.
Jace clapped him on the back.  “Come now, Caden.  Even if I thought you were serious, it’s Keisha you would want to be afraid of,” he said with a smile.  “I’ll just go change.  Meet me in the drawing room.”
Somehow, Caden did not seem relieved by this bit of information, but he headed out to change anyway.

April 8th
I feel strange again today.  It’s as though something is pulling at me, but I can’t see it…  can’t tell what it is.
It’s driving me completely to distraction which I do NOT need right now.
Caden has another meeting tonight.  I thought I’d enjoy all of this subterfuge, but it’s grating on my nerves.

April 9th
I’ve sent yet another letter to Imato (by pigeon again, though I haven’t gotten a response to my last one yet).  I don’t know what to make of what Caden learned last night, but Imato should at least know.
Caden has learned the identity of Mic’o.  Oh, Arri, it’s White, Imato’s valet.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen Jace look so stunned.  We just stared at each other, eyes wide.
“But… I was the one who engaged him for Imato,” Jace said in a hoarse whisper.
Caden looked confused so I gave him an extremely condensed version of the search for valets.
“Where did you find him?” he asked Jace when I was finished.
I looked at Jace expectantly.  I had never heard the full story behind his hiring of White.  Too much was going on and eventually we all got used to White and forgot to wonder about it.
Jace rubbed one hand across his face.  “After a few days it was pretty clear to me that Imato was never going to be able to choose because none of the valets we’d interviewed were quite right for him, so I had Ryland do some checking.  He found three candidates and I interviewed them.  White had a glowing character from his previous employer, plus a letter of reference that he said he had shown at every interview for more than a decade.  I was the first to ever show interest in it.”
“Well who wrote it?” I prompted when Jace paused.
“Darius.”
I was now even more confused than Caden.  “But White’s not… there’s no sense of magic about him.”
Jace nodded.  “I know.  He’s not like most of the people Darius finds, but Darius found him under similar circumstances.  Not a fairy, but wandering and confused.”
“Did your friend know he was Grestean?” Caden asked softly.
Jace shook his head.  “Darius though he was Yugliv, though White didn’t know so it was just guesswork.  It took Darius more than a year to work with White.  When White was ready, Darius gave him two letters-- one to a friend who could help him find a position and a more general one that White was to keep until he found an employer who showed interest.”
Jace left the room quickly, returning a few minutes later with a worn piece of paper.  He handed it to me.  “I offered it to Imato when I told him how I’d hired White, but he said I should keep it since we are the ones who have actually met Darius.”
I felt the magic before actually touching the paper.  The words on the page were simple enough, nothing special.  “It was the magic Darius expected to attract attention,” I said.
Jace nodded.  “Imato said there was some sort of magic in it.  It caught my attention because of Darius’ name, of course.  I imagine Darius thought that eventually White may find an employer who recognized the magic and could help him recover something of his past.”
I looked at Jace quizzically.  “And should we have, when he was still here?”
Jace shrugged.  “Imato and I asked him” (by which, of course, Jace meant he asked White in Imato’s presence) “but White is content with his life.”
We were silent a moment as we considered the possible ramifications.
“So what does all this mean?” Caden asked softly.
Jace sighed.  “I don’t know.”
We wrote to Imato, as I said.  And of course Caden made a report to King Menion.
What could they want with White?  Darius found him some 13 or 14 years ago-- what could he possibly have to do with what’s happening now?

April 10th
I know why Imato has not answered my letter.
Caden came tearing into our sitting room earlier with the report of Imato’s capture and the ransom demands.  I felt ill and Jace looked like he did too.
“But… how?” Jace asked.
Caden shook his head.  “No one knows anything.”
I was biting my lip in concentration when Jace put his hand on mine.  “Keisha…”
I shook my head sharply to quiet him.  The odd tugging sensation was back and this time Imato’s wards on Jace and I both flickered.
“Imato!” I gasped.  I all but ran for my study, wanting my mirror.
I could hear Caden asking Jace what was going on as they followed me, but I blocked out their conversation and focused on Imato.
“Keish, thank the heavens!” Imato’s voice was muffled and I couldn’t see him well.  “I’ve been trying to use a calling spell to reach you on and off for days.”
There was some kind of shield or ward interfering-- I couldn’t make the connection open properly.
“Imato, what happened?”
His response was almost garbled.  “Misunderstanding… caught off guard… White’s not….”
“Imato!” I yelled aloud, using all my will to restore the calling spell.
“I’m fine for now,” I heard as the spell cleared a little.  “But I’m in Aitero and I think they lied about that.”
“The ransom note said the capital.”
Imato nodded.  I could barely see him.
“I’m losing you!” I cried, fear making my voice tremble slightly.
“Tell Arri not to come.  No one should come.  I’ll find…”
And I lost him.
I tried for hours to call him.  I used every calling spell I knew and a few I’d never tried.  I tried using the wards he left on Jace and I.
I tried everything, Arri, but I can’t reach him.
Caden has offered to get a pigeon to send you this letter immediately, but I want to see your letter first.  If the ransom note was seen in Rousha the 9th then I’m sure I’ll have a letter from you soon.

April 11th
After Hermes took my last letter, I found a feather on my desk and gave it to Keaton.
After spending most of the morning pacing (having sent Cass to cover my classes) I went to borrow it from Keaton and did some divining.
Seeing Hermes and Clotho together and nearing Adya made me both calmer and more impatient.
Finally your letter was in my hands.
I’ve read it several times through now and as no one is home with whom to share it I think I must be mercilessly disciplined in answering everything in order.

Certainly we could all do with fewer distractions, but not going to Marobury has certainly proven to be the wisest course of action.
It is nice to have the garden.  Or it will be nice once it’s completed.  I would think Malia could enter a fairy ring.  I’m sure she would love to see your mother’s garden, as would I.
Caden’s ball was certainly interesting.  I don’t think a ball has ever been so talked of after the fact.  Caden refusing to talk about it has only added to the drama.  (You’ll notice that I’ve said not one word of Euan’s birthday ball.  It was last week and so entirely unworthy of comment that it seems everyone forgot all about it the moment they left the ballroom.)
As Liop hears all about raising chicks over the next several weeks I rather expect his requests will be renewed and get increasingly creative, even if he already has animals enough.  Though perhaps other circumstances will prove distraction enough.
Lord Macario does seem to be Caden’s most likeable immediate relation, though I don’t suppose his other brothers are too terrible.  It seems that nothing he has uncovered for the king so far is anything you don’t already know, though.
I am of the firm opinion that Dr. Kondamuri deserves a personal visit from Queen Elspeth.
Though letting Brynn have at him may provide more entertainment.
Perhaps I’ll just have a word with him myself the next time I’m in Rousha.  Or several.
Possibly of the magical and unpleasant variety.
Of course it’s entirely unfair, the man is clearly a fool.
At least Mendel is a master of distraction-- riding is a perfect diversion.
Gretel’s latest letter includes a full page bemoaning her inability to retrieve anything from the floor.  I’m too afraid to ask how she laces her boots.
Her study of magical theory has been fairly thorough, it seems, based on her response to your partial spells and her letters lately.  I’m glad she has become so interested-- she’s certain to provide excellent advice.
It is probably good though also terrible that you were with Captain Stoddart when the ransom note came.
You have already read how we learned of the matter-- and what Imato himself said.  Of course I won’t tell you not to go-- I don’t know what he was thinking-- but at least you know he says he’s in Aitero.

I would demand a copy of your amazing spell, but somehow I doubt I would understand more than half of it… and I’m certain I couldn’t use it.  Still, you will have to show me next time I see you.
I wish I could make the calling spell work, if only to tell Imato about Moonstone.

Brios are known for making history with magic.  Imato performed a Bellington ward.  Now you have done what no one could-- and done it in a way many would have thought impossible.  But of course, you are a Brio.
I hope you’ve made a detailed account in the Chronicle.
I’m sure if you haven’t you will.
I am so glad you have your father back.  I’m excited to see him when we can.

So the mystery of Ta’y has been resolved.  I’m glad.
I’m baffled, however, at how a healing stone could be used as a weapon.

Gretel must be taking her archery very seriously of late.  It’s not a hobby I ever joined her in.  I felt that if I were going to learn it was certainly not going to be on a little lady’s hobby bow.  I wanted a real bow.
But even Gretel, though good at it, never took it seriously in Adya.

I’m not sure what to make of the information about White, but since I’ve already written about that it seems silly to cover the same ground.  I agree with your father, though-- we should not jump to conclusions.
I don’t think we need to worry about Emily.  She lived here for months, sharing a room with Malia.  If something were amiss, surely we’d have seen it?

While I would never tell anyone not to go on a quest, you do all realize what Imato’s reaction will be if Gretel shows up in Greste?  He’s going to be angry enough about any of the rest of you going.
I’m glad Mendel and Liop aren’t being left behind, though.  It’s high time they were included-- from the beginning and intentionally.

Later
Finally, Jace returned from his classes and I was able to have him read your letter.  (Papa and Caden will have to hear about it at dinner, for I’ve still seen hide nor hair.)
Jace shouted and spun me around when I told him you’d healed your father, then sat to read the entire letter.
When he finished he looked slightly puzzled.  “You spoke with Sir Quin in dreams.  He knew about Gretel, about the wedding.  Why…?”
I shook my head.  “I don’t know how much of that he’ll ever remember.  I had hoped…”
I trailed off.  Not even Jace knew what I had attempted.
“Keisha?” Jace asked.
“I haven’t even mentioned it to Arri,” I said, my voice barely audible.  “I didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up.”
Jace pulled his chair closer so that our knees touched and put his hands on my shoulders.  Anyone with less than Jace’s seemingly inexhaustible reserves of patience would have shaken me until my teeth rattled.  “Tell me,” he said simply.
And so I did, and now I tell you, Arri.
Since Imato’s wedding, I’ve been using magic to enter your father’s dreams the way he has entered mine.  Well, not the same way, exactly.  They haven’t been conversations.
Basically, once every week or two, I use magic to open a connection and feed your father my memories.  Imato’s wedding.  Liop being taken by the fairies and your rescuing him.  My own wedding.  The spell in the cave, that I performed what feels like forever ago.  The spell we all performed in Rousha.  Your birthday.  Liop’s visit.
Little things, big things.
I knew you would find a way to heal him soon, and I wanted to try to give him back some of what he has missed.
I guess it didn’t work, though I suppose those memories could surface as he grows stronger.
I don’t really know.  It was an experiment.
I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.  I should have.
Jace was quiet when I finished my explanation.  He looked at me thoughtfully.  “Even if it didn’t work, you could still do that.”
I furrowed my brow.  “What do you mean?”
Jace seemed excited as he thought more about the possibilities.  “You could sit down with him and open that connection-- show him all those things.”
As I saw what he was saying I felt my face light up.
I could, Arri.  I could give him not only my own memories, but if we were all together I could give him yours.  Liop’s.  Gretel’s.  Imato’s, once we get him back.
Not too many.  Not enough to overwhelm.  But I could do it.

I’m about to go down to dinner, where I’m sure there will be much celebration, as there should be.
I hope you have already told King Trunsle, because I doubt I’ll be able to keep Caden from informing King Menion.
I want to send this now, though.  Wherever you are in your search for Nuicui, I hope Hermes and Clotho find you swiftly.

Love Always,

Keish

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