Dear Mother,

I went to the doctor today. They tell me that I could have broken my nose and skull, but both remained intact despite the head trauma Jibril dealt me. I do have a fairly serious concussion, however, and I am quite anxious for my punishment.

There has only been one time in which I have been in physical danger because of how society views me. When I was eighteen, I was on my way to class and some fool blocked my way with a protection spell, trapping me behind one of the enormous gaia trees, and planned to beat me. He failed because I had learned self-defense, and by the moons' grace I made out unscathed, save a few bruises.

Afterward, Norwyn gave me a knife to wear beneath my clothes, but he did not punish the boy. Ever since, no one has dared lift a finger against me, partially due to the knife and partially because that was the day I learned I was on my own. Norwyn would not defend me as a father should, so I developed a stubborn and borderline bullying demeanor to take care of myself.

I hate my weaker self, the soft young woman who was afraid of some silly teenager, though that same soft young woman ended up falling in love with an equally soft young man. (I suppose there were sacrifices both of us had to make to become strong.) Now I no longer use the knife, for people stopped seeing me as a scared young girl and see me now as a strong, bitter, and dangerous woman. I am unsure which is a worse public image.

Now I fear for my safety again. None of the Guild members have ever attempted physical assault on me, but that may change. Norwyn seems to think they might strike me, but to no one's surprise, he conveniently scurried away and left Micah to do the work defending me. I have commanded him to remain silent, but I know he won't listen to me - not out of foolish bravery, but out of love. It's one of the many reasons I would do, with no limits, anything for him.

Your daughter,

Alura