1629, Fire Season, Harmony Week, Windsday
Context
Even far from home, Kesten stirs deep feelings in Serenelda… Session SA4.16.
Events
Kesten’s first substantive missive reaches her when he has been absent for almost a month. Along with the minimum of endearments it contains a few small gifts from a place called Wilmskirk. He is safely in Sartar, if one can call such a far-North Kingdom safe.
She has to admit that he has spent well on her. Sending eye-shadow is not romantic but the malachite is of very high quality, and the maker was prepared to swear to its provenance. The tiny golden bells have a sweet sound despite their small size, and will do for an anklet. He has also sent some wind chimes for Jilion, painted in bright colours with gold and silver accents, and wired glass to make a dear little display. The covering note, which she helps her darling boy read in person, says that if the colours fade, a father’s feelings never do. There is also a short list of the glass and paints. None of them are so cheap as to be fugitive, even in the sun.
She orders it set up for him, suggesting a lamp or two might go well nearby, and goes to attend to business.
He did not send her wind chimes. She has to console herself with the notes on mercantile possibilities that he put into her package, and the bells, and they do make a rather lovely sound, but a woman likes to be flattered and they had a son together and his father seems to have forgotten that.
