Letter From Home
From Lady Oribel Ygrayne, the Outer Marches, Rebma
Ula,
A Baron is undisputably better than a mere Lord. What in the name of the Deeps do you think you are doing? A Weir Lord? I raised my daughter better than to lie down with wolves and wake up with fleas! If the Baron has any interest in you, you should play upon it - though if he does, he's less sense and more fool than he ought to.
If he is a relatively young Baron, perhaps you can entice his attention, though you never were any good at getting men to notice you. Still, men in Amber are rather tedious - you should be able to gain some headway, at least.
I doubt very much that you will make any lasting headway in this foolish trade business, but just remember when you come crying back home that I warned you of what would happen if you failed. You won't find me very sympathetic - of that you may be quite assured. Do not expect me to speak on your behalf to the Marchioness; I've half a mind to insist to her that you return, or that I come to take you in hand directly. Still, she seems oddly inclined to give you this chance, possibly because she's gone half-mad. Don't waste it.
I do not understand why you insist in associating with wrong-headed young idiots such as Prince Dylan. The only thing I can say is he is marginally better than you associating with wrong-headed OLD idiots like that Ambassador fellow. If Lord Servalle should happen to mention anything at all to you about me, be quite certain he's a liar and foul to boot. If Prince Dylan makes the slightest motion to lead you on, you may as well know he's quite thoroughly in that camp and you'll only find yourself hurt and friendless at the end.
I daresay you'll end up hurt and friendless anyway; you always were a dull, uninspired child, and you seem to have grown insipid and banal as you've aged. You've only a rather quiet, mousy sort of look to you, so you needn't think you can coast along on personality like some. Try and cultivate a meek and submissive personality, Ula; you'll not win people over by charm or appearance, and certainly not by wit. If you had the backbone of a sardine, you'd have done something meaningful with your life by now.
Ruadh sends his regards. I'm sure he'd say more, but I've got him running some errands for me just now.
Wishing you only what you deserve,
Mother
Ula,
A Baron is undisputably better than a mere Lord. What in the name of the Deeps do you think you are doing? A Weir Lord? I raised my daughter better than to lie down with wolves and wake up with fleas! If the Baron has any interest in you, you should play upon it - though if he does, he's less sense and more fool than he ought to.
If he is a relatively young Baron, perhaps you can entice his attention, though you never were any good at getting men to notice you. Still, men in Amber are rather tedious - you should be able to gain some headway, at least.
I doubt very much that you will make any lasting headway in this foolish trade business, but just remember when you come crying back home that I warned you of what would happen if you failed. You won't find me very sympathetic - of that you may be quite assured. Do not expect me to speak on your behalf to the Marchioness; I've half a mind to insist to her that you return, or that I come to take you in hand directly. Still, she seems oddly inclined to give you this chance, possibly because she's gone half-mad. Don't waste it.
I do not understand why you insist in associating with wrong-headed young idiots such as Prince Dylan. The only thing I can say is he is marginally better than you associating with wrong-headed OLD idiots like that Ambassador fellow. If Lord Servalle should happen to mention anything at all to you about me, be quite certain he's a liar and foul to boot. If Prince Dylan makes the slightest motion to lead you on, you may as well know he's quite thoroughly in that camp and you'll only find yourself hurt and friendless at the end.
I daresay you'll end up hurt and friendless anyway; you always were a dull, uninspired child, and you seem to have grown insipid and banal as you've aged. You've only a rather quiet, mousy sort of look to you, so you needn't think you can coast along on personality like some. Try and cultivate a meek and submissive personality, Ula; you'll not win people over by charm or appearance, and certainly not by wit. If you had the backbone of a sardine, you'd have done something meaningful with your life by now.
Ruadh sends his regards. I'm sure he'd say more, but I've got him running some errands for me just now.
Wishing you only what you deserve,
Mother