Relationship Status: It's Complicated
WEARING:
TAG:
Aelin Erevos
Gerwald Lechner sat at his grand executive desk, the faint scent of coffee and spiced wood filling the air around him. The desk was cluttered with reports, but it was a quiet space where his thoughts could unfurl. His stylus, gripped firmly in his hand, scratched against the glass surface of the datapad as he paused to gather his words. The glow from a nearby candle cast soft shadows on the walls, and though the night was growing late, he was lost in the rhythm of his writing. Each word seemed to carry a weight of its own, the sentences carefully constructed as if the letter itself held the key to something far more important than he cared to admit.
Aelin,
I hope this finds you well, and that your efforts on Islimore are succeeding. I know the last time we parted I suggested I would not be returning. That may have been more of an accurate statement than I initially thought it might be. Before you think that I left purely to join the Sith Order in full, let me dispel that myth. I am certain there are those in your number which would like for you to believe it.
Naedira is alive.
It is a long story with a simple ending. Srina Talon, the Empress, my mentor, and one of my closest allies, brought her back in a way that I could not. It took more from me than I could have bargained for, but my oath was kept. I now owe my mistress twice over, a debt I am not sure I will ever be able to repay in this lifetime.
I am sorry if you felt I was abandoning you and our species, but in truth, it was clear I did not belong. Perhaps Brynjar was correct in one thing… I would have killed the old ways. How could I have allowed them to remain considering the truth found in Geralt’s journals. The truth is something I have always held close to my heart since the moment I found out my mother had lied to me my entire life. It is a secret I would not have been able to keep from our kind, nor those in your inner circle.
War has found us here. I will tell you more when I am able to. For now, know I am safe, and I am leading. Maybe here I can effect change. Naedira tells me that is a lofty idea and likely impossible, but when have I ever chased the things that were easy to accomplish?
Tell everyone I said hello, especially the missionary. I am certain she may feel as though I am a lost cause, or that she failed because I did not remain.
Win and live!
Sincerely,
Gerwald Lechner
As his hand moved steadily across the page, Gerwald’s brow furrowed slightly. His mind raced through past conversations, decisions, and half-forgotten promises, all while the stylus dutifully obeyed his commands. The letter was not a mere note; it was an attempt to bridge a gap, to restore something that had been lost. The words were chosen with precision, and yet, a part of him hesitated. Could he truly express everything that needed to be said? He signed his name with a flourish at the bottom before hitting send. The weight of the task had not lessened, but for the first time that evening, he felt a strange sense of relief.