Grandfather had been friends with none other than Duke Sepreth!
Sure it wouldn't be the current duke given Grandfather's age, around this time it would have been the current duke's grandfather. Still the North being ruled by savages had been a story that had been told for years. Why did her grandfather willingly meet up with him? Not to mention even going to the North.
This wasn't the information she was looking for! She had to find more! She had to find something she could use to go to the Emperor and beg to cancel her engagement. Then again, many things could have changed over the years, people from distant lands all living together in the North. A town? None of that was known as being the current state of the North.
Rummaging through the diary in search of anything mentioning the decline of the North, grandfather only proceeded to tell about some of the mines the North had and then—nothing. No detailed description of the mines was given. The other days he had seemingly been there had disappeared from the pages. Not even the wedding was described. Grandfather surely would have written about it in great detail, he had been anticipating the event.
It was as if he had skipped the rest of his journey. The next few chapters of his journey told about the lands between the North and Empire about coming across this village. Large plots of farm lands filled with growing crops for the Empire.
Unlike the two next pages that had described that a small random village had had something called central heating. The next not one, not two, but six whole pages about the people. Accompanied by detailed descriptions about the village and even sketches of the houses.
Every other place grandfather had been to in every other dairy had been the same, explicit detail about the lands it's people and sketches of houses, harbors and ships. Yet nothing like this was done about the North, there was no information whatsoever.
The man had written a total of nine diaries and she had gone through all of them as she let out a groan of frustration holding the final one in her hands as she shook it. Wanting to scream at grandfather for skipping the North as a letter dropped out into her lap.
"To: Marquis Atar"
The envelope's seal had been opened as she took out the letter and unfolded the paper, the handwriting it was that of a woman. So much was clear, grandmother? No, that made no sense even if she had never met her fathers mother, grandmother and grandfather had met when they were young she would never have addressed him as Marquis Atar in a letter.
"Dear Marquis Atar,
It saddens me to have to inform you that my father the late Duke — Sepreth has passed away.
I know you and my father have been great friends as you have visited many times over the years, though it has indeed been a while, seeing as the current state of the Empire would not allow you any longer to travel outside its borders.
He had always held you in high regard and if possible I know he would have liked for you to be here for his final goodbyes.
He mentioned that you had gotten the gift of a second granddaughter recently, he mentioned wanting to write to you about it. He even had the blacksmith make this for her. It's a hair clip made of mythril, shaped like a butterfly like the one you and father saw that day you two met.
I hope your granddaughter will flourish over the years and who knows, maybe once the Empire opens up its borders, you and your family can come to visit our lands once more.
My son has been asking for you, he mentioned that on your last visit to us two years ago that you told him about stories out at sea you had seen a creature bigger than a ship itself.
My father's funeral will take place 2 weeks from now.
I know it might be impossible but I will have soldiers waiting for you at the regular place.
Kind Regards,
The Duchess of Sepreth"
It took her a moment to process all the information of the letter she had just read.
This happened around the time she was born. She vaguely remembered that father once told her that grandfather had gone on one final trip after her birth. The hair clip she had been wearing in her hair for all these years had been requested by the late Duke Sepreth before his death as a gift. The same gift that arrived with the news of one of grandfather's seemingly best friends having passed away.
Regular place—
Grandfather had clearly visited the North more than once, yet he had only written about it that one time. Heck, he had most likely gone to the North to go to his friend's funeral. Yet there was no other information, she shook every diary hoping for more letters yet there were none.
"Milady Lysandra!" Her name was being called somewhere downstairs. Looking up through the small window she realised the sun had set.
''Shit–'' she cursed and put the dairy's and letters back into the box. Rushing downstairs into her room as there was a knock on her door.
"Come in!" she called as Daisy opened the door.
"Milady, I have been looking all over for you." Daisy said worriedly. The maid's light brown hair had been all ruffled up, she had probably been looking for her at the stables or the gardens.
"Ah I'm sorry, I was outside reading"
"Reading?" Daisy questioned and shook her head. "His grace has asked for you to join him and her Grace at dinner," she stated and had a good look at Lysandra. "Did you run through a spider web on your way back? You're covered in dust– Let's get you changed."
Daisy clearly wasn't aware yet about the news, still Lysandra being messy wasn't anything out of the ordinary. After having changed into a more casual dress Lysandra headed downstairs to attend dinner.
In the dining hall her mother was already seated at the table. She had always had an easy elegance about her. Sitting in a simple silken house dress she seemed to be deep in thought. Stepping inside to sit besides her, Lysandra softly made her way over.
Their dining table wasn't as grand as that of other families, both her parents preferred to have the family rooms be more intimate, which came with simpler decor. The furniture was of good quality but it lacked the embellishments in favour of being functional.
Her mother had been informed of the engagement. Even if she wasn't showing it sitting at the dinner table, she was clearly devastated. Her eyes were red, from crying most likely. Lysandra resembled her mother in that regard. Dinner had been eerily silent. Neither her mother nor her father nor her wanted to discuss the topic of Lysandra's engagement.
Could her life become any more miserable?