Letters From Armin: Ella's Courtship

Selected Letters of Armin R. Tolor, No. 5

This is Selected Letters of Armin R. Tolor, a serial which will release every three weeks. To catch up on past letters, see The Index. For information on the illustrations, see the footnote¹.

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Dear Mary,

I can’t tell you how happy it made me to receive your letter. Your family thinks of you often and your absence is felt quite acutely—yet we know you are happy and living the life of your choosing. I promise to visit—I will deliver this letter in person! It will be good to see you, even if the cloister walls divide us.

What news of the family may I share? Ella appears to be courting a junior son of the Duke—which has quite confounded Father. I am told that when Ella travelled to County Zaelland, this gentleman was there at the same time. Ella complained of weather and delayed her return home—I suspect there was no cause for delay, aside from Ella’s own romance or ambition. It’s hard to tell which of the two is the real motivation.

Nevertheless, Ella’s proximity to the Duke has vexed father and he complains loudly of Ella putting her own ambition above the good of House Tolor. Ella was invited—Ella alone, no accompanying family—to the Ducal Demesne of South Legrange. A long way from home, a far cry from Father’s scheming influence. I will say, Ella does seem happy and seems to receive a letter from this mysterious gentleman every other day. She floats about the house, her face blushing red, giggling like a schoolgirl. I wonder how much of this is an act for Father’s benefit. I am sad to be so cynical about my own sister, but I can’t forget her coldness towards you. I fantasize about saying the same thing to her when she inevitably receives an offer of marriage and is whisked away to the Ducal palace: “Why should I care how you decide to throw away your life?”

Forgive me for indulging in such an uncharitable fantasy. Our family feels like it is spiraling out of control.

Lars—poor, simple Lars. He has our Fathers name, will one day carry our Fathers title, and yet he does not seem to have the capacity to grasp the machinations and schemes which come so naturally to Father and to Ella. Father has been including him in his council meetings and trying to train him in statecraft, yet Lars always seems confounded by it all. I think Father is searching for a suitably advantageous bride for him, and Lars seems perfectly willing to be strung along. It is very difficult to imagine him as Count Weyand. Someone may have said that about Father once, too—perhaps authority and responsibility will change him, and he will rise to the occasion.

My goodness, it is very difficult to speak charitably about our family. One sees their faults all too easily, and discounts their virtues. Please forgive me.

I had been in frequent touch with Jason—do you remember our old friend Jason? But he hasn’t sent a letter in some weeks due to his deployment in this whole Maristo affair. Please pray for him—he is my oldest friend, second to yourself. It seems so much life is being wasted at the hands of an irresponsible Duke and inept diplomacy.

Please, send me good news, share your thoughts such as you can. I hope this letter is received with all the loving spirit I intend, though the words feel colored by bitterness.

We miss you dearly.

Your loving brother,

-Armin

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1. Illustrations were created on commission by

The Chronicler

. If you are interested in commissioning The Chronicler to create artwork for your own project, see this page HERE.