(The following letter is written in a hasty, almost reckless script, with unsteady lines and small mistakes here and there.)

To my dearest sister Arlais,
I, Argider de Roldan, send greeting from the north:

I am sorry this letter arrives so late, Arlais.  More than two months since my last, I think?  Sometimes, I can hardly keep the days in order; they all seem to meld together in a jumble of tasks that never end.  But I am getting ahead of myself.  Here, I shall help you to understand:  recently, I began an apprenticeship with Commander Amira Khalid, a fellow Fariner and veteran of the Front.  I had been wanting to improve my skills around the forge, in the hopes that I might be of better use to the Knights, but much to my surprise, the Commander also offered to put me in charge her shop, Edessan Blades.  Needless to say, I accepted the position.  I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to learn more about the requirements of owning and managing a business.  Well, I can now tell you, managing a shop is a great deal more work than I had anticipated, and it has given me far more of an appreciation for Harith’s accomplishments.  And though it has been a good lesson, I confess that it has also been an exhausting one.

There is another apprentice with whom I must share the forge, and I cannot say it pleases me very much.  Something about that man irks me deeply, and I do not trust him.  He comes into the shop in the sort of hooded cloak that only unsavory people wear, and whenever he speaks to me, it’s as if he’s merely putting on a show.  Do you know what I mean?  I get the impression that he only tells me what he thinks I want to hear.  And what’s more, I have not been able to pursue my investigation into Sir Sabin de Guiscard’s death as I had originally planned.  Whenever I set out to do so, it seems as though another of my responsibilities gets in the way.

I was, however, able to escape my responsibilities for a short while earlier this month.  Under the auspices of survival training, I ventured beyond the city and its environs for the first time since my arrival in Decembris of last year.  I spent nearly a week out-of-doors, and oh, Arlais, it was glorious!  I felt more alive than in all my days in the city combined.  I climbed the mountain peaks west of Lithmore, so high I could see all the city spread out before me down below, and I swam in serene Harmon Lake, the water so cold I thought it would freeze my bones.  I saw waterfalls, fields of wildflowers, all manner of game, old ruins… I even stumbled upon a bear cave!  If you promise not to become upset, I’ll even tell you that the bear itself was home when I entered.  I must have disturbed it, for it rose upon its hind legs and roared at me angrily.  I made a quick exit, of course, but Mirza and I traveled a bit more cautiously after that day.  It reminded me so much of my journeys with uncle Theo…

But, something more than responsibility called me back to Lithmore, and so I made my way through the hills and along the northern road, until I was within the high stone walls once more.  While out there in the wilds, I was allowed some time for reflection, and I came to realize that there are things that I have done in my life that can never be undone–secrets, I admit, that I haven’t told even you about, Arlais–but I wonder if it is time, perhaps, to unshackled myself from those mistakes.  Not to forget them or to leave them behind, but to embrace them as an essential part of myself.  I hope that this makes some sense?  You know I do not have your same way with words.  But importantly, if she can accept those flaws, well, then there is hope for me yet, don’t you think?  I don’t know if I shall ever be a good man, but sometimes, I begin to hope that I might be just good enough.  For that reason, I will endeavor to work even harder than before.

And on that matter, I should finish this letter and drop it off at the post, before I am late to my next training session.  If you hear from Harith, do let me know?  I shall eagerly await your next missive and any news from the South.  Give your husband and the boys my best…

By my hand this morning of Lunisda, Quintilis 10,
In the year of Our Lord 357,

A_____ de R______

To my dear sister Arlais,
I, Argider de Roldan, send greeting from Lithmore:

Your letter arrived just yesterday. I was very glad to hear that you and the unborn babe are in good health and that your husband has returned safely from his recent business travels.  How is the weather in Talfore this time of year?  It has been raining a great deal here in Lithmore, enough to make a simple Fariner wonder if the world might be coming to an end.  If the boys are anything like I was at their age, I imagine they are outside playing in puddles despite your having told them otherwise.  Did raising me prepare you for this life of yours? Sometimes I think it must have.

To answer your question, Miss Shaylei’s canine companion is well-behaved, though, yes, I do think the animal quite capable of protecting its mistress.  I have no reason to think Athene would harm me personally, however. Not unless I gave her good reason, and I can’t imagine why I ever would. Miss Shaylei has proven herself a good and loyal friend to me. When I injured my hand earlier this year, she saw to my wound without complaint. Now, she has joined the Knights Lithmorran as a physician. Sometimes I wonder if she did so simply to make sure she would be near should I manage to injure myself again. I admit, I do not get as much rest as I should, which has made it more difficult to focus on the tasks at hand. Often, I wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, after experiencing unpleasant, sometimes even disturbing dreams. I wish I could tell you why. But please do not worry, dear sister.  Miss Shaylei has provided me with concoctions to aid me in my sleep.

As for the matter of Sir Sabin de Guiscard, I will tell you that I have begun an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his untimely death. I met with his wife, Vivienne, just this past week, and… well, she was not as I expected, despite the fact that she matched his description quite well.  I don’t know what I did expect, but my opinions are of little consequence. The important point is that she seems willing to aid me in my investigation, and for that I am grateful. Making good on her word, she sent a copy of a letter to me that she received after her husband’s passing. Apparently, it was written by the hand of the Rubeus Manus, himself.

Though, as I think on it, why would the Rubeus Manus send a personal letter to a widow, especially the widow of a man who dedicated his life to hunting down and burning Mages?  Why would the Rubeus feel remorse over Sabin de Guiscard’s death?  It seems strange to me. The letter suggests that this Rubeus Manus is an honorable person, and yet, no one who embraces blasphemy and sin so fully could possibly possess honor.  Don’t you agree, Arlais? Perhaps there is more to this letter than I realize. With luck, I will learn more in the coming weeks, as I investigate the matter further.

Until then, may Dav bless you and keep you safe, dear sister.  Please give my regards to your husband and pass on the enclosed gifts to your boys.  With any luck, the toys will keep them out of trouble for a little while.

By my hand this morning of Circadi, Maius 27,
In the year of Our Lord 357,

A_____ de R______

(The following letter is written in a thoughtful, sober hand, though it still bears some of the author’s characteristic lack of finesse.)

To my dearest sister who lives in Talfore,
I, Argider de Roldan, send greeting from the north:

This missive bears sad news, Arlais, for Sir Sabin de Guiscard of the Knights Lithmorran is dead.  I cannot remember if I wrote much about him in my previous letters, but he was my sponsor to join the Knights all those weeks ago.  He was also a good and honorable man, with a loving wife and four children, and it pains me to tell you that his death was evidently brought about by a Mage who had been hiding here among us in the City.  Truly, the whole incident worries me more than I care to admit.  If a seasoned Knight and soldier like Sabin de Guiscard could fall so easily to a Mage right here in Lithmore, then with all my flaws,  what could I ever hope to achieve?  What could any of us?  If I had known I would not have more time to get to know him… well, he is gone now, and Urth is poorer for it.

Those troubles aside, I received a letter from Harith last month.  You must have had an influence on him, because he seemed pleased to hear from me, and especially pleased by the news that I had joined the Merchants Guild, though he still disagrees vehemently with my choice to pursue Knighthood.  He has not given up on his quest to see me settled down and married to a good Farin woman, either.  I admit, it pains me to disappoint him on that matter.  As far as I know, he and his wife are still unable to conceive, and Baqir is east, fighting on the Front.  Do you think that either of those details affect Harith’s opinion of me, in some way?  Even after twenty-and-three sun cycles as his brother, that man is still a mystery in my eyes.  Still, he seems glad that I have taken up the family trade, and so I must thank you for whatever kind words you may have written to him on my behalf.

As for the rest, well, I strive to keep my head above water.  The hours are long and the work is hard, but when I do find a free moment, I am often able to spend it with my friend.  By the tone of your most recent letter, you will never forgive me if I don’t tell you more, and so I shall:  she is called Shaylei le Orban, and she is the cousin to Baron Ariel le Orban, who owns quite an expansive estate just north of Lithmore.  She is staying with him for the time being, while training as a member of the Physicians Guild.  In many ways, Shaylei reminds me of you, Arlais, and I have no doubt that the two of you would get along quite well.  Though, she has a large white hound that follows her everywhere, and I know that you haven’t cared much for dogs since that incident when I was six years old.  Still, I think you would like her, as I do.  Perhaps, one day.

Do give the boys my best, and your husband as well?  This recent tragedy surrounding de Guiscard has been weighing heavily on my soul.  It gives me pause, and yet I feel I must resist this yearning for home.  I do not know how it will change the course of my life here in Lithmore, but somehow, I think it will.  No, I think it must.

May Dav bless you and protect you, dear sister.

By my hand this evening of Arendas, Maius 4,
In the year of Our Lord 357,

A_____ de R______