Nasty few months has passed, from Nalokha's captivity to the stead in which I grew.
So here I am, stuck in thought on the dusty road, I received a letter from Snowbourne, The grave news that my ol' aunt was in bed, stricken with fever, she raised me, and my brother and sister, Gallius & Annastaysia, she was on my fathers side, but not his sister, a cousin I believe, but it was a nice place to be raised, on her stead, She actually made me feel like I could have fun, my father ensured my training, classes were all completed but she would let me go out and play, with my siblings, and the other children....
She had a staff of about six and ten Rohir folk, mostly farmers, two hand maidens, she was good to them too... I thought on bringing Annastaysia with me, but I have other business here, and it puts my mind at ease to know she is with my sons, and my lady... And she has to make a career for herself now... I fell into this spot, this.. paternal placement, Most say they do not notice the transition, but I did, one day I was their older brother, all of them, Gallius, Anna, Lucren and Savela...
Though paths split, Savela, the charming little miss, She may not handle a blade like her siblings, but may her beauty and innocence keep her on a good path, as it always has.
Gallius grew to lose his path, its been near a year since hearing from him, he was such a great lad, we may not have shared a mother but we shared much mischief in this town... May perhaps he one day find his way back, I will still be the brother he could depend on, maybe it was me who drove him away...
Lucren, heart of gold, I envy his ideals, I remember a time I saw the world through his eyes, seeing only good, only aiming to correct injustice, We train when I can, but he is growing, soon he will not need my financial support, and not long after, his path will be his own...
And Annastaysia, I have always neglected my sister, but not out of hate, out of respect, me and her share much in the way of demeanor, over-confidence at times for sure, but of late, I have seen different sides to my little sister, she seems lost, perhaps I should not have thought her so independent, perhaps it is hard to draw a line between Independence and loneliness...
They are all my blood, and will always have me to lean on, perhaps soon, I will need them...
And so I enter the old stead of my Aunt, I did not confess but I kept an eye for my Father, rumors travel on the wind that he rides the Sutcrofts once again.
I was lead to her bedside, where she lay, her hair was wispy, scalp balding, her ice white, papery thin face gazed up at me, her once fierce green eyes had turned glossy, a murky shade now... but, despite the vast determination, she smiled, I took a knee as my hand found her own, she run a finger over my scarred knuckles... her voice a damaged little whisper, "How you have grown my boy... she said..." I could only smile... we exchanged tales of recent years , she was so proud to hear of her family, she spoke of how she never found the right man, she never had her own children, but that we were all she needed then, but I saw regret in her eyes, I thought of Annastaysia...
I stayed the night, she told me that she wanted the stead to fall into Anna's ownership, and also Gallius' should he return, I nodded, I understood, I was destined to my fate, and I casted a tall shadow she told me...
She passed in the night, in peace, in her home... may she find that rider she never chased in the life beyond this...
