Letters to my Brother Pt. 2

Dearest Brother,

“Even though I have not been gone long”!  Curse it all, Arad, you took a century off my life with this foolish stunt of yours!  Vanishing in the middle of the night warrants far more than a letter, I believe.  Still, I was filled with relief to receive it last night.  I am further relieved to hear that you are safe.

Were I with you, I would be reprimanding you as much as I dared.  As it is, I will say that you have both a penchant for understatement, and a negligent side that almost had mother send me after you.  Father (about whom you asked), is greatly distressed by your departure, but that’s mostly because of the worry you caused your dear mother.  Mother is most worried, but that is a given.  She feels rather betrayed, I believe, but I will be a smart man and make no judgements about women.

I admit, I am not a warrior such as yourself, or at the very least, did not prepare as much (you aren’t yet a warrior after all), but I have often seen people plagued with a sense of the dark ascension of evil.  I cannot claim to know anything of it, but you sense it, so it must be worthy of fighting.  Perhaps my perennial dabbling in swordplay will finally pay off.

Now, that I am finished telling the news home-front, you should know that I could hardly be more proud that my brother (or half-brother), was selected for Warden training.  Naturally, father is not quite so joyous, but even he has admitted in private that you must have some natural skill to have been picked.  As a bit of a javelin-thrower myself, I understand how complicated the art is.  It will take much training, and strength of will, but I believe you will be able to partake from plenty of both.

Since you insisted on discussing informality, I suppose I could do the same myself.  The weather has not been pleasant, I admit.  It rains lightly most of the time, but father worries about the cumulative effect on the crops.   Personally, it’s a bit too late in the season for much to happen, but since you vanished into the darkness, he worries over everything.  However, if that is not to be worried about, then I know one thing that is: the wolves.  You never seen them as they are now!  I swear, it would not surprise me if they simply went up and attacked the farm one day.  Of course, we can defend ourselves, but something is indeed amiss. . .

Mother seems to have gotten through to father and would have you brought back. However father cannot spare the men or time until the spring. So we shall see what will happen. Until then stay safe and keep yourself busy or you will get into trouble.

So, enjoy your time in Celondim.  It sounds like a beautiful place.

Your brother,

Dullathaen