A letter from Lydia

Storm received this letter in Session 33 from princess Lydia Aalderman.

The letter

DEAR STURMZEIT,

It seems you are expanding more than just your dance repertoire on your travels! I’d love to meet your friend with the colourful lexicon someday, they’d be a welcome diversion at court. I couldn’t help but laugh at your recollection at Mr Bakshi’s unfortunate turtle-related incident as well, I pray the poor man will never learn of the lasting impression his moment of embarrassment has left on us.

I will speak plainly… It was with joy and great relief that I received and read your letter. Relief to know you are alive and well, but also relief to know things between us have not changed as I once feared. After all, the last time you were at court it was in the presence of the man Mordecai most suspects in the death of my father, the man you yourself mention in your letter. Eluviel.

I vouched for you when Mordecai questioned your loyalty to our family. I know you respected my father, and I was sure to make that known. Everything I’ve heard of Eluviel tells me he is dangerous, so I'm sure you had your reasons for cooperating with him. Regardless, I am relieved to know you are no longer in contact. I know you to be an honourable soul by the way you call him noble even now, you truly see the best in people, but I urge you to reconsider your allegiance.

In case you weren't aware of his true nature... I hope the following will convince you. I would hate to see you pulled down by association after all, not when you are making such leaps in the honing of your craft, and not when I need your friendship more than ever.

As you are aware, Eluviel is an envoy of Lunaire. He was an advisor to my father and to my grandfather before him until he fell in battle during the war. On father's command, Eluviel turned against the Kharkhori mages - and Lunaire by extension - and brought the battle in the Marred Marches to an end, obliterating much of the retreating fleet in the process.

After the war, he did not join the royal family at the new capital but decided to stay behind at The Perch. Alone. Nathaniel eventually became father's sole religious advisor, as Eluviel became distant and neglectful. He never set foot at court until very recently - shortly after the attack on Lharsam in fact - when Mordecai overheard him having a massive row with my father, and he stormed off into the night.

The next time he was seen in Royal Rosaria was the day my father died, when Eluviel showed up out of the blue to speak to him... And was, by all accounts, the last to see him alive. From what I’ve gathered, Nathaniel found father collapsed in his study and saw Eluviel fleeing the scene. Although he is a formidable cleric, all attempts at resurrection failed, making it clear foul play of a very disturbing nature was involved. As if father’s soul was… gone.

It was Nathaniel who invited Eluviel to father's funeral. I suppose as a devout man of the cloth he is more willing than most to believe in a celestial’s inherent purity of heart, blaming his own failing instead. He must have hoped extending an olive branch would prompt Eluviel to step forwards and explain everything. My brother was not so forgiving, however, and was deeply affronted to see him at the ceremony. He’s the one who called for Eluviel’s arrest.

It's a dreadful matter, but I hope you now understand the somewhat cold reception when we last saw eachother, considering the company you were in. I am glad I made the right call when I told Mordecai to let you pay your respects in peace, rather than setting his guards on you all as soon as the eyes of the public were averted. It pleases me that your feelings regarding father have not changed, and I thank you for your kind words of support.

You asked me in your letter about any hearsay regarding Lharsam, Eluviel, and Mordecai… I take it you mean the rumour that the angel was responsible for what happened to Lharsam, correct? I have indeed thought about it, and I hope you will too, considering what you now know about his character. But… I’m not so sure. It is made more plausible by rapports that he had been sighted there before the cataclysm occurred, but still... No matter how powerful he may be, reducing an entire city to a smoking crater is surely beyond even his capabilities, let alone his ruthlessness. If it really was him, he must have had assistance.

I will not speak on the following with any degree of confidence. My brother keeps me out of his affairs and out of his war room, after all. But… I’m not blind to what goes on inside my kingdom, let alone my own home, and several things have not escaped my notice: Father had many secrets, and one of the things he held close to the vest until the day he died was information on dozens of Kharkhori spies planted across the hammerhead coast. I also know that the arcane academy at Anchorage, the Kharkhori capital, quietly reopened its doors to a new generation of students just a few years ago, the first time since the war. On top of that, it is plain as day even to me that Eluviel’s long absence at court – as well as the lingering anti-mage sentiments after the Kharkhori invasion, have led to a serious decline in the worship of Lunaire all across Rosaria.

I urge you not to take my word on this, but if it is my opinion you are after… Considering all of these facts and the tenacity with which Mordecai has turned on Kharkhorin since father died… I believe the working theory in his war room is that we find ourselves in the early stages of another religious schism. Lunaire may be turning on Rosaria once more with all the fervour of a woman scorned, and they are bringing their strongest back into the fold to do it. I’d be lying if I said that prospect didn’t concern me, but I have faith in the light of Soliman that shines down on our kingdom. We’re not the defenceless farmers and healers we once were… Thalmyria and Breheima are at our side where they belong, our paladins are the bravest and fiercest in the world, and none are braver than my brother. You know Mordecai is a stalwart knight, noble and fearless with a fiery passion to match, but he also knows mercy and restraint. If this is the path he has chosen for us, I believe it is for the best of the kingdom, for that is all he has ever valued.

In any case. I was sad we couldn’t speak face to face at the ceremony, as I had dearly missed your insights and enchanting presence, but it seems we may have another chance soon. I have pleaded with my brother to see reason regarding your good character, and I believe he has well and truly come round. The coronation ceremony should be held soon, hopefully in the coming month or two, and I hope you and your family will grace us with an inspiring performance – if you are ready. I understand you are on the road as part of your Züchtungsreise, so I have enclosed a small piece of messaging paper. When the time comes, you will receive all the necessary information that way.

Take care, and please stay safe on the road in Breheima. I’ve heard that a polecat suspected of treason has been sighted there, a former Thalmyrian spy known to the crown as ‘Santiago De Santa’. I know you to travel with a similarly colourful entourage, so do be careful. I wouldn’t want you to be mistaken for him on the road. In the meantime, I will give your regards to my siblings.

Cordially,

Your friend, Lydia

Attachment

My many thanks for the beautiful gift, so considerate as always. You are nothing shy of a pearl in the desert yourself, Storm, and I hope you too will find your way back to Rosaria before long as your lustrous gift did before you. As you know, your company and conversation would mean more to me than all the pearls in the sea.

I’m afraid I’m not able to return your courtesy with information to help you on your travels, as you had asked. Varian was sent out into the field some time ago. I know he doesn’t have the soul of a warrior, but I believe he wanted to stand by Mordecai and his father in the times to come. He rode out from Royal Rosaria several weeks ago heading east, carrying a letter from his father, although he refused to tell me who it was for.

I fear Nathaniel has not yet given up hope about reaching out to Eluviel, and that he has sent Varian to what remains of the Perch to look for him. His faith in the supposed innate goodness of celestials may be bordering on the naïve at this point, and I hope our friend will not pay the price for it. I pray for Varian’s safety and hope you will too, perhaps you may run into him before I do, if you’re heading north. I’m certain he would be happy to answer any questions you have about religious matters if you do – it’s his field after all.

As for Nathaniel, father’s death came as a deep shock to him, and the events have negatively affected his health. I seldom see him nowadays as brother keeps his few productive hours occupied as part of his war council. I can’t blame him, though. He was almost as much of a mentor to Mordecai as our actual father was, so I understand my brother’s desire to have him by his side.

I do hope you will find the information you seek on your travels. It certainly is an interesting time to focus on religion as a topic for the arts. Perhaps your new insights may be just what we need in the months ahead.

Regards,

Lydia