This letter didn’t make it together with Aidan’s, but it arrives a week or so later.

Ravei Raisse astin Brun in Essle to Raissei Cora astin Velain in Turenay. Anshein Hanre, seventh week of Mizran in the year 547 of the kingdom.

Dear Khora,

Many things have been going on since we arrived in Essle five days ago. There are so many people who want to be soldiers, most of them are not however. We need all the ships we can get and then some, all the food, the space and everything really. War, even preparing for it, is a terrible disruption. Aidan has even made the White Whale available for our effort, after it has arrived laden with goods. We are grateful. Though I do not know, I suspect that you two are beyond worrying about money now.

The war side of things is mostly Athal’s concern, though I help him where I can. I have to trust that the good people I know are with him give him the support he needs, but it is not always easy for me to do so. I am glad that his brother is with him through all of this, though I know that you miss him a lot and he misses you.

This does give me the opportunity to do some good while I am here. I think you’ll be glad to know that we will be visiting some of the poorest, most squalid places in Essle, and we will set up schools there. Nothing fancy, but a roof and benches and enough material to teach children to read and write and numbers. With people willing to teach for modest pay after we have left. I hope this works out.

There is something I want to ask you. I acquired some books written in high court Iss-Peranian and though I can read them, I know just enough to see that I’m not getting most of the hidden meanings inside them. I dearly wish to know those and to learn to figure them out for myself. To that end I need someone intimately familiar with the Court in Albetire and the language. Naturally your name came up, but I do not want to ask this of you. I still firmly believe you should concentrate on being the best doctor you can be. I am sure you already are a perfect wife. But then I heard that you have someone in the hospital, someone you trust and therefore someone I could trust that might help with this. I could not discover what unfortunate circumstance made it necessary for this person to stay there. But if this person is suitable and has recovered I would be grateful if you could ask on my behalf if they would be inclined to help interpret it and to teach me how.

I don’t know how this affects you, and you will have probably heard this already, but just in case you haven’t.: Koll Neveshtan passed away last night.

I trust you are well. Your kind and enterprising self. And give my regards to your adopted mother. Let her know that I appreciate her lessons and the principles behind them and that hardly a day goes by that I do not benefit from them in some way.

I wish I could see you soon,

Your sister, Raisse