Gilpean 14th,

  It has been nigh on a full-week, lying in wait to see the lady once more. Few were the times when the lady was seen once more, and fewer still were the times when Klove came to discuss aught at all with me. Rather, the only servant who was my sole source of company, actively began to avoid me it seemed.

  Limping away whenever approached or otherwise disappearing behind a door, with a hiss of pain it was evident that some great injury had been visited upon him.

  When pressed on one of the few occasions to the origin of his injuries, when he brought me my meal in the library he simply grunted. “Fell.”

  At first I was to believe him, and yet there were oddities that began to occur throughout the castle, so that even this small story was cast in doubt.

  You will excuse me, Sieghild if I express what might seem to you paranoia, as the shadows of this keep are long and the dark whispers perpetual it seems.

  Three days after the lady had left me, I was in the midst of using a small piece of glass to trim my beard, for it had grown over-long by my estimation. It was a sliver that had been brought into the castle by me, for there was no glass within and the Baroness appearing suddenly from behind spoke to me.

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  Startled I cut rather a little more of my beard than intended, so that now it was uneven.

  “I apologize for startling you so my friend, it is only that I should ask of you, if mayhap you might have some knowledge of the youngest and eldest of the lords who are to be at attendance, at the Duke’s court in several months?” The Baroness asked with little more than a curved brow at the newfound uneven cut of my short beard.

  Frustrated, and irritated by this sudden interruption I answered her that I should be able to compile such a list later in the day, if she should so wish it. She nodded quite eagerly, pleased with the offer, only for her to say, “I should very much appreciate the aid, since as you well know I am but a lowly country-bumpkin lady rather than one of the fine ones who lives at court.”

  As she spoke, I risked a glance behind me without her immediately taking notice. It was through this glance that I discovered the most peculiar particularity to the lady; she did not cast any reflection whatsoever.

  Mystified and confused, after the third glance I openly stared at this phenomenon. This time Varcola certainly took notice, so that she stared from the small piece of glass to me.

  It was expected that this might draw ridicule from her, but in place of this she took up such a wrathful mien that could only have belonged on the most belligerent of beasts.

  She moved with such swiftness as to alarm even the most rapid of hunters, her arm darting forth as might a serpent upon its unwary prey. Ere I could question her, she seized the piece of glass in one hand, wherefore she withdrew from my bed-chambers.

  The door flew shut behind her, with enough force to make the door’s hinges quake. Leaving me to wonder how I was to finish trimming my beard, at the same time that I pondered the mystery of how she failed to cast a proper reflection.

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