I really miss the swing at The Shadows. It has such nice memories. And I miss you, Willow.
Love,
Bumpy (Hemmett)
Dear Menders and Eiren,
You were right, all the hazing has stopped and now everybody gets along. I have a new friend, Villison. He’s been here a year more than I have, but is in my class. He’s not one for studying but he’s a good mate. We went out into Erdahn on our rest day and he showed me around. It’s a huge place, and I don’t think that I’ll ever get to know my way around it.
I gave your regards to the Commandant, and he was very pleased. Told me even more stories about you, how you were one of the youngest and smallest boys he’d ever seen come into the academy and how hard you worked to get strong. I told him about how you punch nails into trees with your hands to mark them in the woodlot, and he laughed fit to die. I don’t know what he found so funny. He said he will write to you about how I’m doing.
I’m really glad you worked me as hard as you did, because I’m having no trouble in classes. I still make sure I do every scrap of work, because the time will come when I have to start doing things I haven’t learned yet. I’ve already contacted those tutors you recommended so I can get a head start on the things I’ll need to know in third year. You’ve got me prepared for the first two years, no problem.
Tell Kaymar that several of the fellows would like his recipe for the stink bomb. It would come in handy around here on bath night.
Tell everyone hello and give them my love. Have to get ready for a mathematics quiz tomorrow.
Your friend,
Hemmett
Dear Son Menders,
I just wanted to drop a line to let you know that your protégé, Hemmett Greinholz, is doing very well at the academy. He shows a great deal of enthusiasm and is more than willing to work to overcome his difficulties with formal studies. He excels at military training, and will definitely graduate as an officer.
He is greatly inspired by your past prowess, but shows no interest in or aptitude for Special Services training, so will remain at the Academy in the officers’ training school. I know this has been a matter of some concern for you, so I’m sure this news will come as a relief.
It has been a great pleasure to learn that you are well, as are the graduates of this institution you have given work and hope.
Your affectionate “father”,
Morschal Komroff, Commandant
(38)
An Essay
Eiren looked up from the papers she was grading, and held out a page to Menders.
“Look at this little essay,” she said. “It’s remarkable. I was wondering if you might be able to place the statue the child is writing about.”
Menders took the paper, raising his eyebrows at the truly terrible handwriting that tipped crookedly down the page.
“Not typical of your students,” he said quietly.
“He’s a new boy, an odd little thing. He doesn’t speak much and he struggles with the work. His education has been spotty. The most I’ve gotten out of him is that his family moves frequently, but he’s attended school wherever there is charitable tuition available. Don’t worry about the writing and spelling, read what he says.”
Menders frowned, trying to place the family in his mind. He kept tabs on who came and went from the area, but could not possibly be aware of everyone all the time.
An Importent Moment
When I was verry small about four years old my famly was in a town where my father was lokking for work. We were verry pore and it was raneing hard. My mother and I had no place to get out of the rane and we sheltred under a big stachue. The sides of the stachue had lady heros carved on them and my mother tol me storys about a lady hero who was a quene. The stachue was made of wite stone with green lines and when I lokked close I could see it was all shiney bits very close together. My mother held her cloke over me like a roof and I kept putting my hands on the stachue all wet with rane it was smooth and cold. She told me a pome about stachues where she was a girl called giunts and how they sleep in the ground. That day is my importent moment becuz I was happy and my mother was happy and that wasnt ofen as we were always cold and hungry. I wish I new the name of the stone of the stachue and where it is. My mother died when I was six years old and if I could get back to the stachue I mite rememer her better. I try hard to rememer but it fades away. I dont want her to fade my luvly mother.
“It sounds like the plinth of the statue of Queen Glorantha in Erdahn,” Menders mused, perusing the wavering lines of writing. “It’s the only large statue I know of that has a female hero in the carvings. Has this boy lived there?”
“He hasn’t told me,” Eiren answered, taking back the paper. “But he must have if that’s the statue he saw. I had guessed the stone is marble, from his description. I’ll tell him about the statue in Erdahn. I hadn’t thought of it, but it sounds right.”
“I don’t want her to fade, my lovely mother,” Menders said softly. “That’s haunting.”
“He’s a haunting little boy,” Eiren said with regret.
“I wondered why you were taking such enormous lunches to school lately,” Menders smiled, looking at her. He knew she supplied several of her students with at least one proper meal a day. He could see to it that all people living on The Shadows had adequate food, but the school drew children from the entire district and poverty was rife.
“He’s one of my best customers, though he takes the food away to a corner to eat,” Eiren sighed. “I just hope knowing about the statue will take some of that longing out of his eyes.”
Menders thought of the badly spelled essay and ground his teeth slightly, thinking of a hungry child at the school. He no longer led the art classes. A young tutor on one of the neighboring estates who had taken that over once Menders’ workload at The Shadows became too demanding. He was simply not familiar with many of the schoolchildren now.
“What’s his name?” he asked suddenly.
Eiren looked up from her papers.
“Borsen,” she replied.
(39)
Letters From Erdstrom
Dear Petra,
I’m hurrying to write to you so that the letter can make it back on the train. I know you’ve been to Erdstrom before, but it being my first trip, I’m just about to die of excitement. I know I’m driving everyone here crazy gooing over everything, but I didn’t think you’d mind hearing about my great journey!
The hotel we’re staying in, the Metropolitan, is astonishing. I don’t tend to think of The Shadows as grand, partly because it’s home and partly because it’s old-fashioned now, though I love it, but this place! Marble and gilt everywhere, rich wood, gold faucets in the bathrooms! My room is incredible, all pink and gold with pink roses on the carpet and a bed that has a six step stair just to get into it. Gods help me if I fall out. It would probably kill me. Menders says the room is so frilly it makes him itch, but I love it. I could spend the entire two weeks there and not get tired of it.
It has been decided that we are going to present ourselves as a family, so Menders is now my father, Eiren my mother (which means she would have been thirteen when she had me, but Menders says that people usually don’t do the arithmetic) and Kaymar is my uncle. He’s put some dreadful stuff in his hair to make it look black and is wearing dark spectacles like Menders, so he’ll pass for his brother! It’s killing. Hemmett is to be my brother.
Hemmett was already at the hotel and here’s another huge surprise – he’s grown a moustache! I was amazed, but he says the cadets are allowed to have one if they can grow a decent one and keep it within regulations. He looks so much older. But he’s the same old Hemmett under his grandness and uniform, claims he’s so manly now that he has to shave six times a day. Well, his face is scratchy enough, I yelled when he hugged me hello.
Right away Eiren took me to a dressmaker. Everything I have is so tight since my cycles started and everything decided to grow at once. Kaymar calls the woman w
ho owns the place Madame Intimidation but she’s really very kind and understanding under all the grandeur. I’m to have an evening dress to go to the ballet, even though I thought I would just wear my blue and gold Thrun dress. Eiren ordered several more things for me, including all new underwear, and it was all I could do not to want some of everything, all the laces and ribbons, on it. Eiren just laughed and says that’s typical of women in dressmaker’s shops.
Then we went to a shoemaker. The moment he saw how tight my shoes were, he took them off and wouldn’t let me have them back. So I have some new ready-made ones, and four more pairs and a pair of evening slippers are being made for me, including a pair in spring green! I wanted them so much because I am having a spring green dress made, but how practical would shoes like that be when I make soap and weed the carrots? Eiren knew I longed for that color though and ordered the shoes, and gloves to match. I thought it was a terrible waste, since I’m just going home after our two weeks here, but Menders has said we’ll see to it that I get a chance to wear these grand things beyond this trip! That means more jollifications!
We went to lunch after the trip to Madame Intimidation. Petra, you are absolutely coming with us next time, whether your father needs help on the farm or not! The restaurant was so grand – and everyone in it was looking at me, or seemed like. I balked going in because there were so many eyes, but Kaymar, who was escorting me, just whispered that I’d better get used to it, that people tend to look at beautiful women. Me? I know good and well that my mouth is too wide and my nose is far too definite, but Kaymar doesn’t flatter.
I ate everything on the menu and it was so good I was tempted to sneak some back to the hotel in my pocket, but didn’t, of course. While we were eating, Menders told us about his trip to the oculist. Thankfully his eyes are not doing too badly, but he needs new eyeglasses and will have to have both dark and clear pairs and pairs for reading. I told him he’ll rattle when he walks with all those pairs, but he just laughed and said he would get Tomar to make him a special waistcoat with lots of pockets.
Menders is so much more relaxed here. With Kaymar, Ifor, Haakel and Bertel with us, as well as Hemmett and Doctor Franz we have plenty of security, and the hotel has security as well. Nobody knows who I am. So now Menders is laughing more and not looking so serious. I’m having lots of memories of when I was little and he was so young and carried me around everywhere with him and tossed me in the air all the time. Do you remember how he would get down on the floor and play with us in the nursery when you visited, when we were just little things? He laughed so much then! I hate to think that because I’m the Princess he’s gotten so much more somber. I have to find a way to do something about it, because Menders does so much for me, and he should be happier.
I have to close, because Bumpy is going up to the train station to post my letters along with some letters Menders is sending back.
Your friend,
Katrin
Dear Sana,
I wanted to write to you separately from the letter that I’ve sent to the family, to encourage you in your first adventure of teaching the school on your own. I’m proud of you for offering and I’m sure that you’re doing a wonderful job.
I am just back from taking Katrin to the dressmaker. There were the usual spoiled girls there, complete with pouting and tantrums. Katrin was so entranced by everything that she didn’t even notice them, but the blushing mammas contrasting our girl to their brats were many.
So now Katrin has a young lady wardrobe on the way. I’m thankful that I no longer have to pretend not to notice how she was splitting the seams of her old clothing! We didn’t want to tell her about the trip here too soon for fear that it would be necessary to postpone or cancel. Menders has plans to take Katrin to buy her first adult jewelry to go with her new evening dress, so she can wear it to the theatre.
Katrin is wild to go to the ballet and as you know, in the last two years she’s dreamed of becoming a dancer. I look forward to our theatre evening with mixed emotions – Katrin has grown far too tall to be a dancer, even if her position as Princess would permit such a thing. I fear that what should be a wonderful experience could be a disappointment. She loves dancing and has true talent. Well, I shall not borrow trouble. She is so excited to be here in Erdstrom and enjoys all these new experiences so much that it might ease her realization that dance as a profession is something that will be denied her. If it were possible, Menders would move the planet to make it so. I believe he would even confront the Queen herself if it was something that would be possible – but nothing can make Katrin smaller.
Enough on that gloomy theme. We are all well and having a wonderful time. If you have any urgent questions or problems, send to The Shadows and someone will be dispatched to us immediately.
Your loving sister,
Eiren
Ho, Villison!
Only a short note, as I’m not about to take too much time from jollifications to write to an old wastrel like yourself. Know that while you’re bored to tears on your mamma’s estate, I am having the time of my life here at the Metropolitan, squiring a gorgeous Princess around. She got some proper clothes the first thing, so no longer looks like a country schoolgirl. We get tons of attention when I lead her out to dance at the hotel in my dress uniform. After all, we are a most devastating couple.
So what is happening down there in the southern land? Finding plenty of mischief to keep your mamma in fits? Did they let you pass on to next class, or are you held back again?
Wish I’d thought to get you invited on this junket. Menders has Katrin off buying some jewelry and I’m at loose ends until we go for lunch at one. I could do with some rambling around the shops and a beer or two!
Let me know if we can get together before school starts up again. I’ll write you again when we get back to The Shadows.
Your best mate,
Hemmett
My dearest Mahmay,
Ifor and I are in Erdstrom with the rest of the family – I realized that I hadn’t responded to your latest letter and didn’t want to wait until we were back home, lest you worry that something had happened.
Though we are very preoccupied with providing Cousin Katrin with security, everyone is enjoying this visit to the city. Erdstrom has grown and is now called The Second Capitol, very sophisticated with theatres, many shops and other entertainments.
I hope that when Dorsen and his family come to visit in the summer you will come as well. We have every comfort at The Shadows, now that we’ve survived several summers of construction, sawdust and Cousin Menders having the time of his life amid the chaos. We could take a jaunt to Erdstrom and spoil you with the pleasures of the city!
I would like very much for everyone in the family to get to know Katrin. Though surrounded by loving people, she is, by the very nature of her station, isolated. Menders is an excellent father for her as well as her cousin, and Eiren is very much her mother, but she is curious about her own family.
She has grown close to me over the years and often asks about all of you. I believe you and she would get along famously. It would be good for her to have your influence. Katrin is among men too much because of her situation and needs the guidance and friendship of older women.
And now my dear Mahmay will scold me for calling her an older woman, yes, I know. Fuss, fuss.
Must close, Ifor is pawing the floor with his hoof, wild to get out to the opera. The things I tolerate for love.
Many kisses, your loving son,
Kip
From Katrin’s journal
I couldn’t resist this beautiful little book and I’ve often wondered what it would be like to keep a journal as Menders does – so I shall try.
I have the sapphire set Menders bought for me beside me on the desk and I can’t bear to close the lid of box. It twinkles so and the color is so rich! I nearly fainted when Menders bought it, even though it was the most expensive set in the store. I had no idea when he asked me to choose between five
sets. It was like that night long ago when Tharan-Tul had me choose a strand of gems. I was about to take a more elaborate set, but then I saw the deep green flash in the blue sapphires of the simpler set that I chose. It seemed more “true” if such a thing is possible of stones, just as my grey strand of cloudstones I chose when I was five seemed more “true” than all the brightly colored strands it was jumbled in with.
When I picked the set, the sales clerk went the color of milk and was like to fall down. He muttered something to Menders about the set being the most expensive in the place, that he’d only put it out for comparison, but Menders was most lordly and told him to bring the matching ring. He sent me aside to look at other things, but I listened (Menders taught me how to hear everything years ago, which now comes back on him when he’d rather I was deaf!)
When I heard the price, I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. A fortune. I wore a fortune of stones to the ballet tonight, necklace, earrings, brooch and ring. With my hair fully up and a blue satin evening gown with a train the same color as the stones.
I’m still breathless. The ballet was beautiful and Menders took me backstage afterward so I could meet the dancers.
The moment I saw them I knew I could never be one. They are the size of children and I’m big enough to pick them up! And their feet! I saw the star, Madame Millenvue’s feet when we went to her dressing room to congratulate her. Blisters, bruises, calluses, crooked toes, missing toenails – gods! And Madame said there is always pain, but the dedicated dancer transcends it.
Weaving Man: Book One of The Prophecy Series Page 47
