A collection of letters between Keelath and Mirium. This would take place before Patch 8.2 and the ingame roleplay that took place on that day.
Author’s Note
Dear Mirium,
As promised, I write to you.
I think there is not much I can tell you of the fighting here, in case my letters get intercepted, or I upset you. I can tell you it is always dark here now, and so when I write to you, I do it by candlelight.
That is about it. I only wanted you to know I was thinking of you. I hope you are well, and Tyrric and the rest of the family.
Sincerely,
Keelath
Dear Keelath,
Why do you believe I would be upset? I’m glad for your letter, short as it is. I’m sorry I haven’t been very forthcoming myself lately. I have been on the road a lot, and it doesn’t leave me much time to think and write. Thank you for the letter, though.
Keep in touch,
Mirium
Dear Mirium,
Why do I believe I might upset you? Whenever I make mention of the war, I can’t help but notice the unease. The war is an unpopular one, and I don’t think the family understands why I support it, and why it is necessary, at least for me. You, I don’t know, but there are things that go on here that are not kind to living sensibilities. Can we leave it at that?
From,
Keelath
Dear Keelath,
I guess I can understand. I don’t mean to offend you. I try to stay out of politics where I can, and it’s no skin off my back to keep doing so.
I can tell you instead of events here, perhaps? Maybe it would cheer you up.
Tyrric offered me the job of managing the stables, and I accepted. He somehow managed to procure much of our old stock that we had to sell off during the Second and Third Wars. He has been very nice to me—I would almost say he was courting me if I did not know any better! But don’t worry, I have yet to start dating again… In all honesty, I think he is just nesting.
Alelsa seems as erratic as ever, but it might set you at rest to know the only demonsI have seen have been her felguard. No one bothers him and he doesn’t bother anyone, as far as I can tell.
Will you come home soon?
Mirium
Dear Mirium,
No, I think it best I stay here on the front. Tyrric and I argue frequently, and I am more suited to combat than domestic affairs now.
We are between battles, so I don’t have the time or candlelight to spare to write more now. Maybe later.
Faithfully,
Keelath
Dear Keelath,
I’m sorry to hear about your fights with your brother. Perhaps he is only worried about his wife? You do seem to misunderstand each other a lot—more than when you were living. You have very different needs now.
The nights have been very long, for me, at least. I have a room apart from the squires. I often worry about Evelos. No news is tentatively good news, or I suppose, but I wish I knew for sure, either way, his fate.
Be safe yourself, and fight well,
Mirium
Dear Mirium,
I have not heard word from Evelos or his lover, either, but I would not expect to. I do not think she likes me, and we are at war with Stormwind. It’s best not to dwell.
From,
Keelath
Dear Keelath,
Your words are cold comfort, at best..
I know things are strained between us, and everything is different with your “condition”, but I still find myself missing you—missing our connection. I don’t know if you remember, but we used to talk—lay together and watch the stars go by and just talk. You often worried about Evelos while he was growing up, and sometimes about Tyrric. We would laugh at their antics and cry sometimes about their hurts—or ours. You would hold me when I felt wretched and somehow always seemed to know what to say to make things better. Not always, probably, but it felt that way. Maybe just because I’m feeling a little lost right now.
Look, I won’t bore you or embarrass you anymore in case someone else reads this. I hear some letters are confisticated now by the Forsaken, and there’s been rumor of rebellion since whatever happened to Baine. Please be careful. And maybe we’d better not speak of children for the time being.
Love,
Mirium
Dear Mirium,
Maybe not, regarding children.
I don’t remember these talks. I’m sorry. My memory is failing faster. Most of my living existence is a mystery to me again. I tell this to inform you, not to hurt you, yet it feels odd writing intimate thoughts to you. I feel I should be able to trust you, knowing we shared such a past, yet it’s also–unsettling? How you seem to know all about me, and I nothing of you or me. In all honesty, I don’t relish the feeling.
I don’t thinking growing closer is a good idea, Mirium. I suppose counsel is another matter… I will still provide that, as you wish. And I will write, whatever the good it may do us.
From,
Keelath
Dear Keelath,
That bad, that soon? Tyrric told me you had been restored…
I’m a bit shattered by the news, to be honest. I feel I’ve gone and missed a small chance at knowing you—like we used to. Because I wasn’t ready. And maybe just a bit selfish.
You will keep writing, won’t you? I know it can’t bring the past back…but it has been a comfort hearing from you. Knowing you’re well.
That you still care…
With love,
Mirium
Dear Mirium,
I will be honest; I am not sure of your purpose keeping contact open, but yes, I will write.
If it helps lay some of your worries to rest, the loss of my memory is little burden to me. Nor do I think I will forget what has happened since after I became Forsaken. And so I still remember you as my once-wife, Tyrric as my brother, and Evelos as my son. I remember and know you love–loved?–me and that, at least at one point of time, I returned that love.
Now it is harder, yes, I must often remind myself of it to feel it. I might not seem as attached as before, as in truth I am not. It seems this will only bring pain for us both, but yes, I still care and will try to honor our bargains in lieu of that. The bargains I can remember…
I’m sorry if that isn’t enough.
Sincerely,
Keelath
Dear Keelath,
It should be enough for me, and that’s the truth. The truth is it also hurts. You’ve been honest with me, and now it’s my turn.
When we laid together those months ago? I wanted so badly to please you like I had once been able to, to ensure you weren’t just doing this out of charity for me—that was very important. Tyrric put it this way, or not quite this way: that you would do anything for me. And I wanted it to be that you could do it for you, too.
Maybe it’s because Talthan was always so particular, or because of Evelos and how he left us. I realized how often I put the burden on everyone around me to put up with my—with me. It’s the most horrible thing in the world, to suddenly realize how selfish one must have been; how everyone went out of their way to accommodate me, and I wouldn’t have it that way ever again. I wouldn’t do that to you again. That’s why I suggested it would be best if we were apart. Not because–I still love you and want you, but I don’t feel worthy of you. Maybe you’re different now, I don’t know, but you were infinitely patient before, and I’m not sure I really deserved it. Now you just talk of pain if we were to continue this, and maybe that’s so.
Yet I keep missing you, or maybe I miss someone being there. Tyrric is kind but–you wouldn’t remember our history. At one time, we might have wed after your death, but it still hurt too much for me, and I think for him, he would’ve felt like he was betraying you. Now it doesn’t matter; he is married and Alelsa is the jealous sort even if a liason would be at all proper. Sometimes I feel a little left behind, though, or like I was promised something, and it never came to be.
I’m sorry, that was awfully emotional for a letter to the Forsaken front, but I just wanted you to know–instead of this awful dance we both seem to be doing. Maybe you’re right, but I can’t let go, even when I feel like I ought.
From,
Mirium
Dear Mirium,
Left behind, you say–Do you really think I could find better now? I’m impotent and cold and not much fun to lay with or be around, to hear my brother put it.
I meant that in jest, if it wasn’t clear.
I don’t know about our past, so I cannot judge, nor about Tyrric. I am not offended by your affection for him. Perhaps I would’ve been before, but in some ways–many ways–he would have been a better partner for you now, just as he is now the better baron.
You wish to stop dancing? Then I will tell you. As undead, life is slow and my patience must be great… I am awake when others are asleep, and others sleep a very long time to me. I would like to feel useful, but sometimes there is not much use to be had. I would want to please you, to give you more children, to make you feel comfortable and safe when I hold you. But I can’t. Nor could I do that for anyone. Maybe another Forsaken? There would still be no life, and we would still both suffer.
But believe me, you, knowing what I know of Talthan, I think it possible some of this anxiety of yours was put into your head by his lack of compassion. I do not see anything selfish about you now. You are fresh from running for your life, with much new knowledge to adjust to…the corruptions of many of your close kin. You doubt; it is expected.
I guess what I am trying to say is…think no more of worth or selfishness. I do not believe you to be that woman, though of course I do not know for sure… You should know, perhaps, that you have put a new feeling into me, since my death. Knowing honestly what you struggle with—I want the best for you, Mirium. Your happiness. I do not know if that might be love.
Things are different now, and I can’t promise attachment or even warmth, and you seem to crave that. I suppose it most accurate to say things are very complicated for both of us. We can only take each day as it comes. I will still be here on the morrow.
Love,
Keelath
Dear Keelath,
Maybe if we only continue to be honest with each other, and where we are in our heads, then there will be warmth between us again. Of course you suffer, and it seems maybe from not too much of a different thing than I do, as far as the family and feeling powerless is concerned.
But neither of us have to go at it slone, do we? Please, share your worries with me. You have listened to mine, and I’ll remember what you advised, even if I don’t always feel it in my heart. Let me do the same, for you? Understanding, again, that it must be strange for you to pour out your heart to what must seem a stranger… I owe it to you to hear you out, though.
If we must be over-emotional, time-consuming, selfish beings, let us at least do it together.
I love you.
Sincerely,
Mirium
The chain of letters stops here. It seems Mirium’s last letter never gotten to Keelath before he reported in to the front at Nazjatar.
A certain rogue may be in possession of it instead…
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