A Letter From Home
The letter Arion has just received doubles as a subtle indication of the limits of Athelica’s technology – he receives the message as a handwritten note, not from a typewriter or telegram, showing that Athelica hasn’t progressed quite that far yet.
Brandon Peat
Letterer
Hey would it be possible to get this page’s transcript? The letter is a bit small to read on my computer.
Most certainly!
“My dear brother Arion,
“Did I say dear? How strange that I should sound like a learned lady, a lady of society, when speaking with you. And I can only imagine your laughter as I refer to myself as a lady! I do miss the banter of siblings. At times I even miss our days as children, however unpleasant the hunger or the elements. Fate is kindly cruel for giving us places in society in which we have hot food and warm bedding, yet such great distance between us.
“I wonder. In what exotic land are you now? In our last correspondence, you were in the Coldlands in northern Athelica. The war there has long since ended, as I understand; and now they say the army is crossing the Straits of Adrost into foreign lands, where there are no machines or civilization. I know of army secrecy, but if you can you must tell me if you witness the natives using their tricks! How I would love to see such wondrous gifts! Machines are so bland. But, alas, machines are as close as we may come to their race.
“At the moment, I must confess to being rather busy. My studies continue, but my time is largely spent rejecting suitors. How generously they present themselves! With gifts and lovely words. If you were a brother so loving, you would send me a proper husband with your next letter! What of that Bjorn gentleman? You spoke of him. Surely, if he is a friend of yours, he must be a man of quality.
“Yours, Aliyana Nelkan.”