Down From The Hill

Down From The Hill

Postby channe » Sun Jan 05, 2020 6:43 am

The River widow comes down the hill once a year, at best.

One of these days, Catch will be gone. One of these days, her face will be forgotten. And if neither of these things occur, one of these days she'll be powerful enough to make it happen.

Her daughter is older, now, and goes to the market alone. Seven or eight, wearing homespun -- there are so many of those dirty peasant children these days that another one goes unremarked. This one runs to the teahouse and the Calomel farm and the baker by the bridge and the blacksmith's, where Kaczmareks live and work. She buys buns and tea and delivers messages and flits on back home after playing ball in the alley with some of the other kids, and that's how the River widow functions. Sometimes there are sachets delivered to other widows. Sometimes there's the touch of foreign magic following her feet, but only a very few might see it. This kind of magic hasn't been seen since the paladin Aleksei River died, which might as well have been a hundred years ago.

After one of these visits, Petronela Kaczmarek appears at the door of her teahouse, dressed to the nines as she always is -- in that very particular Myrken way the women have taken to since the Lady. Not onstentatious, but layered. Moneyed. Delivers a letter to the place where Glenn Burnie is staying.

Burnie, it says,

Welcome back to town. You and your beloved are always welcome at my teahouse, of course. We have some new leaves from the Lost Seas, delivered through a connection in Orvere. It was so expensive to procure that you and she may be the only ones in this hilarious town who can purchase it.

I have heard from Agnieszka, who is upon Istota Gora still. She expresses her disappointment that you sacrificed a brand-new life in a better place to return, and asks me to inform you that she will not see you.

She says it's the magic, but frankly, I think it is because she's gained a little weight.

Petronela Kaczmarek Martel
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channe
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Re: Down From The Hill

Postby Glenn » Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:48 am

Dear Petronela,

I am just returned to Myrken Wood. Yours is the first letter I've received as it predated my arrival. I expect more tomorrow. As we have not been in close communication, I applaud your resourcefulness in anticipating the timing so thoroughly. Were this a different time, I would have a job offer for you accordingly. Though I do not define you relative to your sister, that would have stuck quite the burr down Agnieszka's shirt. Let us be glad we avoided such wrath.

When we last corresponded, I was in a far earlier stage of recovery. I am not particularly worried that my letter caused you any great confusion, but I do apologize if it did. I understand far better certain circumstances that led you to where you are now. For the sake of this letter, just assume that I came across certain journals of the Lady Olwak's from that time of my imprisonment (we can only use so many euphemisms here, despite our desire to keep things polite and pleasant), and I am far less concerned than I once was about the current state of your health. Note that I have both more and less regard accordingly.

I wonder who you think of as my beloved. I thoroughly enjoy Lady Egris' company and have returned to Myrken with her, but that is far too extreme a phrase. Regardless, I am sure that you would be quite pleased to have royalty, even tangential, grace your Teahouse. I do not think she would be interested. I will visit, however, if only to keep your books clean. At least some business has to take place downstairs, after all, to justify what happens upstairs.

As for Agnie, three points, of which you can share or add to your ever-growing hoard of delicate secrets: first, there are few things in this world that I can truly love and she is one of them; second, that while I would like to see her, and would certainly not respect her ridiculous wishes otherwise, I am hesitant to meet her child; third, soon enough I will send her a letter full of answers to questions she does not care to ask. It needs to be sent but it would be best for all if she does not read it. Warn her or not.

I look forward to your grace and company. I will bring a gift from Razasan when I visit the Teahouse as is proper.

Glenn Burnie
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