Moonmount Castle - LGBT, manXman - ON HOLD

22

The letter felt heavier than it should, despite being a fairly long one.

I settled down at the table, overlooking the front garden, to read Lodareth's letter.

My Faithful Servant,

I enjoyed reading your letters. I'm so pleased you have managed to find somewhere to settle. I know you will enjoy working for yourself, and I know you will be able to run a good business.

Please, if you need any more help, write to me. I know you don't want my money, but if it can help you then I want you to have it.

My father returned a few weeks after you left Moonmount. He has decided to marry again; I spent the morning today greeting all of the guests. Lady Mirande – his betrothed – and her daughters, Thea and Luande, arrived at Moonmount a few days after Father returned home.

Lady Mirande seems nice enough, although I don't know her too well; she spends most of her time with my father, or with her daughters in their sitting room, playing music or sewing or painting.

Thea and Luande like to ride and hunt, so we have things to talk about, but again, we aren't especially close. Jakke detests their lapdogs, and he causes trouble every time he sees them; I don't think Thea and Luande are very impressed with him, but he is much more useful than their dogs, so they can't really complain.

My father has designs on my marriage to one of them, though; he told me on the morning that they arrived at Moonmount. I have another couple of years before my twenty fifth birthday, so he hasn't put too much pressure on me yet.

The castle is quiet without you. I miss having someone who disagrees with me at times. I've been teaching Cassius to read and write, as you requested, and although he is making progress, he isn't as fast at learning as you were.

He comes up to the castle regularly, and plays chess with me in the evenings, or reads to me. I think he feels a little isolated from the other grooms now; they know he was very friendly with you, and after the business with Beth, I think they wonder about their relationship, and his friendship with you.

I spoke to him this morning, and suggested that he might want to visit you. I assured him his job would still be open for him when, and if, he came back to Moonmount. Assuming he decides to visit you, I imagine you should expect to see him about two weeks after receiving this letter.

I wish I could visit you myself, but my father cannot spare me from the castle. The chaplain has predicted a poor winter ahead, so he and I and the Reeve are busy inspecting the castle properties for damage, ensuring they will endure the bad weather.

Our tenant farmers have had a meagre year this year, with the cattle disease, the wildfires and the low prices some of them have suffered at the fairs, and we can't afford for them to lose any more property or livestock in the winter.

I don't think I have much more news. Once my father is married, I suppose he will look at moving to a smaller house with Lade Mirande. I hope he will stay close to Moonmount, though. I am sure I will need his help with running the castle; there is so much more to do than I ever really understood. I learnt that while father was away.

About the end of your last letter; you know I love you too, Coda. That is why I cannot forget you, however much I may have tried over the past weeks. I know the distance between us now is great, but I hope that one day things may change for us.

Father did bring back a rumour that King Benedict is considering abdicating after his next birthday, and passing the crown to his son. If that is the case, then perhaps the Illegal Laws will be repealed.