My Dear Friend,
I've just mailed off a letter and the next day I receive
yours! My heart weeps for you, dear sister. I can't imagine
what it's like to love, as I've never experienced it myself, but I know
if it were Papa in danger then I'd fly to his side and even Legion's minions
could not help the one who tried to harm him! I think to myself,
if I increase this feeling ten fold, then that is how you must feel
right now. Would that I could rush to your aid! Take heart
in knowing that I pray for you each night and that my thoughts are with
you. And please be careful with those objects that you mentioned.
It seems to me that they'd be unreliable if not dangerous.
Freiburg has been most interesting, to say the least.
Were you aware that your cousin Lucas is involved with a traitorous Ochoa?
I was most shocked and dismayed! I've become rather fond of your
cousin, as he's always the first to rush to my defense when dangerous situations
arise. I'm afraid that when his paramour sent the wine to him as
a gift I had our manservant, Armind, place it just outside his door.
He'll have that bruise on his shin for a time I think, but I was most perturbed
and had to express it in some manner. At least Father Ramon will be happy
to see me. Theus help me, I just can't control my temper at times.
For instance, I was most frustrated a few days ago
and dragged a poor frightened coachman halfway across the city while he
babbled at me in Montaigne. You see, I'd been working at cleaning
up my clinic and was locking up for the eve when I heard a commotion in
the street. I went to investigate and there were some ruffians attempting
to rob the poor people. I sent them off about their business and
told the driver that the area wasn't safe. That's how I discovered
he spoke neither Castillian nor Eisen. So while he tried desperately
to throw money at me, I led the carriage back to the Embassy and called
for Lucas. As his paramour is Montaigne I figured he might speak
the language. Unfortunately he had been imbibing fine wine for a
good part of the afternoon and was feeling the effects. He also thought
my attempts to communicate were most amusing. Thank Theus for Armind!
I discovered that he speaks Montaigne fluently and was able to speak to
the driver on my behalf. It turns out that the passengers were a
music teacher, Monsieur Prévoye, and his daughter Madeleine.
Armind gave them directions to the inn they sought and as they left, the
good Signor gave me his card. We checked on them the next morn to
make sure that they made it to their inn safely and were invited to his
daughter's recital in less than a week's time.
After our visit, we went to the apothecary shop on
an errand for Ferdinand. It seems he wished to purchase a potion
or two and as I needed to replenish my surgical supplies I agreed to go
as translator. Lucas and Vlad came along as well, having nothing
better to do. And I must tell you, I thought of the bruise that I
had been the cause of and smiled. It was almost shameful the way
Lucas was acting toward the woman who owned the shop! I was terribly
embarrassed! Admittedly, she did not seem to mind and your dear cousin
never did come home that eve. I would have liked to think that he would
be more tactful than that or at least a trifle more discretion.
I did invite Logan Sieger to accompany us to the recital.
He seems so lonely! He replied that he would be happy to join us,
but on the night of the recital he never arrived. Being worried that
he would show up and not be allowed in, I sent word to him that I would
leave an invitation for him in the receiving area. We arrived dressed
in our best at the recital hall and mingled with the other guests and sipped
our wine as the hour grew later and later. Noticing our good music
instructor Monsieur Prévoye talking agitatedly with the city administrator,
Wilma Probst, I walked over and asked if something was wrong. There
was. His daughter had gone backstage and had never come out.
I immediately rounded up Lucas, Vlad, and Ferdinand – your
cousin Juan was absent again – and we went
in search.
Luckily, her dress had a trim of feathers, which seemed
to leave a convenient trail for us to follow. Unluckily, this trail
led to the sewers. Never had I experienced such a stench! And
as we crept along the narrow passage with water up to our calves, yes,
sewer water, Vlad disappeared beneath the dark murky mass. There
must have been some sort of hole and Ferdinand dived in to help him.
What a mess! And I wasn't feeling too well. Actually I felt
decidedly odd. And then we came upon the chamber. It was filled
with cobwebs and I knew that spiders would be nearby, so I refused to enter.
Vlad and Ferdinand burned the webs and Lucas tried to talk me in to moving
forward but you know how spiders frighten me! Vlad and Ferdinand
moved further into the room and were set upon by weisen, which are
people who have lost their minds. They wander about the countryside
and are barely aware of their surroundings. It's most tragic.
With a slight frown, Lucas moved from my side and into the room and helped
the others dispatch their assailants. Seeing spiders on the ceiling
I started to run back the way we came, but that would have been futile.
It was dark and I had no lantern of my own and being in the dark with the
spiders? I finally ran across the room, hoping to make it across
freely and in doing so was bitten by a spider that dropped from above.
I'm ashamed to admit I was crying rather hysterically. I fear father
would be ashamed of me.
Lucas was trying to calm me when Juan showed up.
He ran off in the direction of the music that we could hear drifting down
the corridor, with Ferdinand hard at his heels. Vlad, Lucas and I
followed after I used my wrap to make a sling for my arm. My hand
had gone numb from the spider bite and I'd lost the use of it. Thank
Theus it was my left hand and not my right!
We came upon a large cavernous room and over Lucas'
shoulder, I could see a strange purple globe in the center on a pedestal
that pulsed in time to the music. There were three score men in the
room and when we arrived, Ferdinand and Juan had engaged them, much to
their detriment. Vlad rushed to the attack. Lucas hesitated
a moment, glancing between me and his embattled cousin and I knew that
I must be brave. With a gentle push, I urged him forward, promising
that I should be fine. He hesitated still, but I drew my sword and
gave him a reassuring smile and with a sharp nod he charged into the room.
Juan tried to attack the strange globe in the center
of the room and he was suffused in purple fire for a moment and I saw him
fall. Vlad shoved his way forward and engaged one of the two men
who guarded the musician. Just then Ferdinand also fell, taking several
men with him and all the while the woman played on, the music rising to
a crescendo. Vlad seemed to concentrate for a moment and his outline
blurred and shifted, taking the shape of a very large boar. But even
with those tusks, he wasn't a match for the strange wild looking man that
he faced. Breaking my word to your cousin, I had also entered the
fray. Juan was able to stand again and began to move toward the woman.
I think he was trying to sing something. It was most odd. Just
then, the music reached its peak and then the woman collapsed as from the
door behind her a creature of Legion stepped forth! It was huge and
ugly and had a collar about its neck with purple gems that shone the same
eerie light as the globe. It attacked Juan and he fell again, dropping
some sort of strange box he had pulled from the sleeve of the unconscious
woman. The creature grabbed Vlad and began to squeeze the life from
him, finally dropping him and turning toward us. Its dead eyes stared
at me and then it attacked, slashing my arm and I ran screaming down the
corridor. When I finally gathered courage to return, Ferdinand was
throwing something to Lucas, and shouting something about putting the gem
in the collar. Then he attacked the creature, drawing its attention
to himself and away from Lucas. With a leap that would rival that
of the legendary El Vago, Lucas landed on the creature's back. Quite
a feat as the thing was nearly nine feet tall. As the horrible thing
ripped Ferdinand's head from his shoulders, Lucas put the strange box against
its collar and the thing crumbled to dust.
It was most horrible and I shan't tell you how much
I wished I were far from this place. But I realized that with both
Vlad and Juan unconscious and Ferdinand dead, that Lucas needed me to be
strong and so I did my best. We managed to get the girl back to her father
and put Juan and Vlad to bed. Ferdinand was laid out in state, as
befitted his bravery. We cleaned up and sat in the small study drinking
wine, Lucas and I. And now I tell you something that makes my cheeks
burn with shame. Earlier in the evening, one of Ferdinand's
'potions' had found its way into my drink and that is my only excuse.
I all but threw myself at your cousin and my only desire was to be in his
arms. I give thanks to Theus that he's a gentleman, and ignored my
poor behavior. Truly, I've misjudged him and I'll endeavor to make
amends.
In the morning, I heard Juan ringing the bell I'd placed
by his bedside in case he needed any assistance. He was gravely injured
in the fight and could not move of his own accord. I walked into
his room and the smile froze upon my face, for there by his bed knelt Ferdinand.
I fled to Lucas' room and pounded upon the door. He opened it and I pushed
past him, telling him frantically that Legion had invaded his household.
For, you see, Ferdinand wore the collar that had brought that undead creature
to life. We returned to rescue Juan but it seems that Ferdinand means
no harm. He told us that St. Gregor himself brought him back to atone
for those he had wronged. We took him to the Church to see what the
good Father said about the situation as we wouldn't wish to be accused
of harboring Legion's minions. Ferdinand and Juan spoke to the Father
and Ferdinand was given full pardon, but I must admit, he makes me nervous
and I don't wish to be alone with him. He's different now.
Lucas, too, is wary of him and asked that he reside elsewhere, although
he is still welcome at the embassy due to his acts of bravery in the sewer.
And he apologized for giving me the potion. Thoughts of what might
have happened?... I don't like that shop. A woman should be
properly courted if a man is interested, not?... not?... I'm sure
you understand.
Take care, my dear friend, and visit me once you have
rescued your love. I have no doubt that you'll accomplish this.
Meli
