house pirian

Too much time had passed since Val and herself had spent time together in Dornoch, learning about one another and slowly coming to an understanding that what was between them was no ordinary friendship. That news reached them as soon as they were to leave to return home to Vel Anir, a union...

VEL NUMERA "I wish your help in finding a suitor." And so there it was, out at last. Many restless nights had led up to it, now that Kristen lacked the terrible immediacy of war to distract her. Indeed, upon her return to Vel Numera, it was one of the first things to come to mind, wrestling...

Dearest Uncle, Do forgive the abruptness, or what may seem to be abruptness, of this letter and its entreaty. My return from the war in Cortos to my duties as Lady of Vel Numera has given me some time to think—to think, as it were, on the things which I have, and more directly, on the things...

Kristen Pirian , Hope this letter finds you safe and sound. You wouldn’t believe what I had to do to get this letter out of the Academy and into the post. Anyways, I heard you ended up getting transferred to the 44th. I reckon that’s not what you wanted, but I hope all is well there. Even if...

CORTOSI BORDER WAR CAMP AT FORT ETRICH The Lord Banick had a devil's luck. For Garron had not himself planned to have impeccable timing, yet it fell into his lap anyway. Fortune, it would seem, eloped often with the wicked. * * * * * Kristen Pirian went about the camp with a demeanor of...

VEL NUMERA "Mayor Caspian." "My Lady," said the same, bowing before her. "You summoned me?" Kristen sat presently in the office chambers of the Pirian Manor. And though she now was the Lady of Vel Numera, some heavy memories accompanied this very room, this very seat. Ill memories. Her...

(Art Credit) No brighter sun, no fairer sky, could Kristen ask for on this day of fateful return. The country air was refreshing, cool to the skin and invigorating to the heart. Sparse clouds gave large deference to the sun, and they marred little the sea of afternoon blue in their drifting...

THE ACADEMY "This is the last time I want to see you, Pirian," said Proctor Magomo. It sounded harsh, from his tone to the words themselves, but to Kristen's trained ear this, from Magomo, was high praise. "Yes, Proctor," she said. Though she maintained her military bearing, standing rigidly...

Kristen sat in the infirmary of the Academy. Her arms she had held together, helplessly staring at their symmetry. Symmetry, that was, until it came to the wrist of her right arm, where the hand above was no more. Bandages concealed the stump. Yet underneath, she knew, there lay a most horrid...