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15th Navek, 718TR
My dearest daughter,
We were delighted to receive your letter, dated the 30th of Ilven, 718TR. It proved to us you were hale and hole, something time in the legion does not always assure.
Your gifts arrived safely, and I have sent Alix on the quest of finding Llewellyn. He is due in town sometime in early spring. Alix promises to find the man, when he returns. Thank you for the presents my dear, they are delightful. I wear mine regularly and have already received compliments from friends. It would seem your carving skills have greatly improved since you joined the legion. From what I have heard of your activities, I did not believe you would have time for such.
I have been told you will get a week off at year’s end. Hopefully your extra activities will still allow you to visit us during this time.
Life in the big City continues without you my dear. I still receive occasional clients although your mother is now pressing me to send them elsewhere. The charts are not as clear to my tiring eyes as they once were; and while I’ll not admit it to her – I am getting tired of trying to track the future of every self-possessed senator in the city as well as the occasional trips to Elgin. They are not interested in learning the truth of their proclivities; rather they just wish to be comforted. For that I feel I should send them off to a courtesan, who at least is paid to listen to their worries. I have tried to raise my rates, twice, but I should have realized that, when dealing with Senators, this would not help at all.
Your mother continues to work long hours at the forge. It seems she’s come across some new method of folding metal to make better swords. I fear I cannot explain it well – and when I show interest and ask her, her words do not remain in my mind long enough for me to transcribe them here. It occupies her and leaves the house in my tender care. She is excited over this new discovery of means and method; an excitement I last saw in her when Silvia was born. So I support her in the endeavor by hiring a maid and a cook to keep the house clean and the food … edible.
The maid I did not regret hiring, for it leaves me a bit of leisure time and at long last I am catching up on my reading. The cook however... It was a long ranging debate between Alix, Silvia and Lucia. The girls are busy with their studies; the boys seem to be out all hours courting. Occasionally one of the girls would make a meal, but they showed no interest in tending the house and cooking for the rest of us. My own cooking was grudgingly eaten and never appreciated. I was forced to admit that, as much as I enjoy being in the kitchen, I really have no skill in it.
The cook allows me to help, chopping vegetables and going with her when shopping – and I admit fully that is all I really want to do. Her results are worlds beyond my own meager fair. Hiring her (her name is Susanna by the way) is something I should have done years ago.
Alix continues to practice astrology under my tutelage. As an apprentice he is not that bad, although he often wants to pursue the astrological charts of our lady customers more readily than those of our gentlemen customers. Juwal believes this is an impending sign that we should be more actively searching of a wife for Alix. Personally I would rather see the lad find his own mate. But social interactions for the young are fairly rare in the city, outside of those performed by the Halean church. He has met a few young girls who are immensely suitable as wives, but somehow none have remained to his taste long enough to get past courting. His latest interest, a young scribe by the name of Patricia, is pretty, bright and a very good cook, but he says she is only interested in him for his astrological abilities. He does not like to be thought of as a prophetical device, and so keeps looking for someone who will think of him as a man.
Lerissa continues to study under Gyandy of Elwen. He is a competent physician, the one in fact that tended my broken ankle last fall. Gyandy says Lerissa is greatly improving, although I still wish she had continued her studies with the Cartographers, for she has such a beautiful style when working with colours. Still, she wants to help heal people and the Peonian life is not for her – so this seems to be her best path. Gyandy has promised to train her through her journeymanship and sponsor her for master status, which cannot be many years off by now. I doubt Lerissa will ever find a man to suit her tastes. Those few I’ve tried to introduce to her have been politely met and equally politely forgotten. Lerissa practices yearly with the local archery militia. She’s gotten quite good with a short bow, and asks me if you’ve had much time or inclination to practice with a similar weapon. If so, perhaps on your visit, you would be interested in a little family competition?
Marcus has made noises about wanting to join the legion like his “big sister”. I do hope you can convince the lad otherwise. The local militia should be more than enough. He’s still drawing – although he’s shifted from faces and people to buildings and roadways. Juwal believes he might just become a Fabrica for the legion. She’s been trying to convince me it’s a safe and intelligent option to best suit his skills. Although considering the amount of time he spends playing with that wooden short sword of his, I cannot see him feeling either safe or intelligent doing paperwork all day. Only time will tell. He sends his love. He likes the work with Jorak of Asarn, your third cousin, but Markus is starting to get bored with his apprentiship. Perhaps a stint in the legion would do him good.
Lucia spends her days working with Juwal. Together they form quite a pair, and Lucia is growing to better suit her job at the bellows. Twice this past ten-day she has returned home with bruises and cuts from fights with the other apprentices. Juwal says your younger sister can hold her own in a fight, although I am sorely tempted to go down there with a switch and straighten out these other ruffians. Lucia says I am being too protective and gets angry with me when I offer my solution; so at present I shall do not.
Erkford and Symella are due back here sometime this summer. They promise to be on the Salt Caravan. Do not worry my dearest, if anyone can survive the perils of the Salt Caravan, it will be those two. I shall hold their gifts dear until I see them next.
And that is all the news I have to present.
Be well and write again soon.
Your doting father – Vander.
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