There and Back Again Ch. 171

I stifled the urge to roll my eyes, and looked down at what I held. It took me a minute to understand what I was looking at; it was dated in the year 9:6, and that was the only header. The script was messy, little better than chicken-scratch, and I struggled to read it.

~~~~~

Elissa's condition is unchanged. She neither eats nor voids, yet she does not wither. Her breath is steady, but she doesn't respond to anything we do, nor does she open her eyes. Yet somehow, I would swear, she is growing, a little bit every day.

I have heard of a place where she might be kept safe, far from the scheming nobles who would use our grief against us. An island off the coast of Rivain, where healers care for those with...unusual circumstances. I have written a letter of inquiry, and the response was heartening. Eleanor is loathe to let her go, but she will never be able to move on, to function, if she is caring for and constantly reminded of what we have lost. She has finally, reluctantly agreed that we must do our best for Elissa -- but prioritize Fergus and Aedan. Maker help us both, it's the hardest decision we'll ever be forced to make.

We leave tomorrow. We will stop in Dairsmuid to request an audience with the Seers, but assuming they have nothing to offer, our next step will be Llomerryn -- a pit of sin and villainy, a place I cannot believe I am taking a baby, never mind my wife -- and then onto Lhanbyrde. I don't want to do this, I don't want to let go of my little girl, but I fear what will become of all of us if we don't.

Andraste watch over my baby and keep her safe.

~~~~~

I blinked, then looked up as the world spun around me. I almost felt faint, my ears buzzing in shock. When I finally focused, Fergus was watching me with narrow eyes, his expression almost...smug.

"And then, a few weeks ago, I received this." He handed me a roll of parchment. It had obviously been a letter; the wax seal was still visible, but broken. At his imperious nod, I unrolled it.

There was a letterhead I didn't recognise -- a symbol that looked perhaps like a stylized sun. It was dated two months ago, and addressed to the Teyrn of Highever, with no name specified.

~~~~~

Your Grace,

It has come to our attention that Bryce and Eleanor Cousland, former Teyrn and Teyrna of Highever, have passed to the Maker's side. We have had dealings with them over the years, and continued to hold their trust these past decades, as agreed.

However, we have concerns about the items left in our keeping. We cannot break their trust and release this information to just anyone, but if family of the late Teyrn survived the Blight, we humbly request you ask them to contact us. We will await further instructions from the heir of the Cousland family.

~~~~~

It was signed by someone with a fancy flourish, and I couldn't read it. But the line below stated it was from the Chancellor of Lhanbyrde. I stared at it in complete shock as the papers fell from my frozen fingers.

I didn't get a chance to tell Fergus my response; while I was still sitting, dumbstruck, I heard voices in the hall; the door swung open, and Aedan walked in with Alistair on his heels. Whatever they'd been talking about in the hallway was put on hold: Aedan took one look at the papers in my lap, growled something incomprehensible, and then punched his brother right in the face.