I can not tell you how much your letter has grieved me. It has almost convinced me to return home. It pains me to think what you and others must suffer in my absence. But Mother, think of what it would mean if I were to discover a Tomb of the Stone-kings. The fame alone would secure me any position I wanted. Not to mention what it would do for the family name. What I do, I do for you and father as well as my sisters.
I will speak to Anaris about giving up her frivolous pursuits and coming home. I think having introductions made to this Neras Garini is an excellent idea. In fact, you should do everything in your power to make the match come about. You are so cunning that it will not prove difficult for you. I shall do everything in my power to persuade Anaris that a marriage with Neras Garini is most desirable. One would think she will have no objections when she hears that he is the heir to two large fortunes.
I pray you would hold off on making any arrangements as to my getting married. I believe it would only prove to be a distraction for me to be engaged. To know that there was some young woman hanging all her hopes on my returning would pain me. In fact, the thought sends a pang through my heart at this very moment. It is best I remain as I am. I am still young, and there is still plenty of time to marry and give you grandchildren.
As to what you have to say about Vitherai, I am glad to hear she will do her part to raise our house and carry on some young man’s line and help him spend his large fortune. She is a sweet girl and deserves all the best in life.
Anaris is doing well and seems to have improved in temperament for the moment. I on the other hand have not been well. I had a run in with a Nashbori arrow. I hesitate to tell you about it for fear it will only deepen your disapproval of my journey out North. I was shot in my back between my shoulder blades while fighting off a horde of Nashbori. My fellow adventurer, Tanurendal, stood there by my side fighting with all the courage of a lion. It is him who you have to thank for the life of your son, for there were at least four times I would have been cut down had it not been for his throwing himself in the way to stop the blow. I was able to return the favor though when he was hit by a poisonous arrow. I was able to, with my profound knowledge, make a spicy broth that brought him back from the brink of death.
It happened in this manner. In my last letter I told you of the adventure we had been sent on by a man who had lost four of his amber miners. Well, we set off to find them, and our first stop was in a village called Kor-Ikush. We had been told that some of the family of the lost miners lived there. Though we did not meet any we did meet some interesting people. One of which was a wash-woman whose eyes were set far apart, almost in the sides of her head. Her hands were altered as well, for they were webbed like frog feet. This woman seemed to know everything about all of us, which I found unnerving. She knew all about what we were doing there and where to find who we were looking for.
After long bargaining at the end of which Anaris made a deal with her that I had misgivings about, she told us where to find the lost miners. We set off at once and found everything just as the woman said. We arrived at a fort where we found all the belongings of the four miners, clothes and all, as well as signs of recent Nalshbori activity. But no miners. Oddly enough, there were four stone trees in the ruins of the fortress, and it’s been whispered among the group that those were the four miners turned to trees by some foul play. As we were searching the fort, I came across a bronze tablet that reads as follows:.
Ika-karhala Orrula, Weiksura anyalir ijilan kjanlases ika-amnoxam abla-serthatama abiyauv-inla.
Three of our group decided to go below the fortress and found a Nashbori alter. Anaris also found a silver bowl. Perhaps it will encourage her to set up house now that she has such a nice piece to be displayed.
Tanurendal and I stayed above to keep watch, and we employed our time in setting up a clever trap to alert us of any surprise attacks. Unfortunately, it did not work, for the Nalshbori attack came from the other side of the fortress. We both hid, but Tanurendal was spotted and instantly the object of their attacks. I tried to sneak off to alert the other that there was an attack up above but did not make it very far before I was spotted and shot in the back. I am afraid from that point on I was not much help in the fight. It is very painful to try and raise one’s sword when you have an arrow digging itself further in your back with every movement.
I will spare you the rest of the details of the affair. After the fight, Reiana - a Weixranbori leader, pulled the arrow from my back and did her best to tend to my wound. It was after that that I saved Tanurendal’s life by making the broth. After this, it was decided that the alter below the fortress needed to be destroyed and cleansed. Reiana and Tengelbur Sathneinor went below and disassembled the alter. Then they brought up all the burnable parts and set them ablaze while Tengelbur sang The Last of the Stone-kings. Once this had all been completed, we took the stones and ashes and set off with them to deposit them in a body of water. This was no easy task for me with my back wounded, especially once a Nalsbori warband started chasing us.
Through all that, we all managed to arrive safely at Galal-i-Yalir. There is not much to tell after this. Sir Ralus showed us great hospitality, and I had my wound tended to. The next day we returned to Karet Cheykor.
That is all I have to write for now. I do love you dearly, Mother. Know that I am trying very hard to keep safe and that the cloak you made me has kept me very warm. Do give my love to my three sisters and Father. Tell them I would welcome letters from them, as I am sure Anaris would as well.
Your ever-loving son,
Vanera
P.S. Do continue to send the latest gossip, for I am asked at least three times a day about what news I have from Sencankarr. But everyone here seems to be interested in particular about Neras Garini, so do send along a little more information on him.
[By Hope R.]
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