Year 160, Early Spring
Herr Hotakainen,
It is with great regret that I announce the passing of Emil Västerström, my grandfather. It has fallen to me to handle/“wrap up” his remaining un-official correspondence. Your letter (which I have enclosed, unopened) reached us about a week after it happened.
If I may add a personal note, I would like to thank you for being Grandfather’s chief correspondent through his final years. I know for a fact that he always brightened considerably when he saw that there was a new letter from you in his mail.
Yours Most Respectfully,
Emil Reynir Mikkel Lalli Västerström
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Year 160, Late Spring
Fröken Hotakainen,
I thank you for your kind words about my grandfather’s passing.
I was never permitted to read any of your father’s letters, nor any of my grandfather’s responses, though he would occasionally ask me if a certain word fit the role in a sentence that he intended for it. Sometimes, though, my father would tell me silly stories Grandfather had read to him from your Cousin Tuuri’s letters when he and my uncles were boys. The one that I remember best is the one about Onni and the Cursed Machine. I would very much enjoy learning more about your kin, if you would be so kind.
About my family: you have heard of my grandfather from your father, of course. My eldest uncle, Aku, has been called “the Swede Alaxander”, and “Gustavus Adolphus Reborn”, as his Cleansing campaigns liberated the old Counties of Västernorrland, Gävleborg, and the eastern quarter of Västerbotten for Sweden between 130-135. My other uncle, Esko, is perhaps the most famous doctor in Sweden, having saved many hundreds of lives through treatments he invented or rediscovered. Most Swedes know my father’s voice (or, more properly, voices) better than most others, as he has been one of Mora Radio’s “Thousand Voices Men” since their inception.
My six brothers are all Skalds or Cleansers, aside from Ulf, the third youngest of us, who’s another of the “Thousand Voices Men”. As for myself, I am the youngest son of the youngest son of the man I was named for, whose un-official secretary I became when I left school, and there is not much else to say about me.
Yours Most Respectfully,
Emil R.M.L. Västerström
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Year 160, Early Summer
Fröken Aino,
I heard a bird singing this morning, and I wondered, “What kind of birds live in and around Keuruu?” Of course, this set me to wondering about all the various Finn flora and (non-Beast) fauna, and I could hardly wait to ask you. I don’t know how I’ll survive the suspense of awaiting your response.
Here on the Isle of Sollerön, we have the ordinary complement of domestic stocks: poultry, pigs, cattle and horses, as well as dogs and the ubiquitous felines, one of whom is trying to sabotage this letter by demanding my immediate attentions. Thus, I must end.
Yours Most Respectfully,
Emil R.M.L. Västerström
*
Year 160, Late Summer
Aino,
Pursuant to your request, I have gathered all the “Lalli stuff”, as he used to refer to it, for your examination. As it is quite a substantial amount of... well, stuff, I propose to bring it to you at Keuruu at the beginning of Fall, if that is permissible.
I look forward to finally meeting you face to face.
Yours Most Respectfully,
Emil R.M.L. Västerström
*
Year 161, Winter
Emil,
Your mother and I hope you and your new bride (Aino, is it?) are doing well over in Keuruu; for ourselves, work is a bit slow as my voice is still recovering from the bad throat cold I had early in the year, but we do well enough aside from that.
Of course we do not disapprove (it’s not as if you were acting dishonorably by marrying her); we simply wish you’d waited a bit that we might meet your bride, and possibly her family, as I have always had a curiosity about the Hotakainens. On that note, we intend to take the first spring ship out to Keuruu for a visit. I know you dislike “being babied”, but we are your parents. When the gods bless you with children, you’ll understand.
Your story of how the two of you discovered that you share a birthday is amusing. Imagine, the youngest grandson of Emil Västerström and the only daughter of Lalli Hotakainen being born at practically the same time!
If you wish to make your life and home in Finland, instead of the recently liberated Swedish wildlands, we again will not object; we’ll merely request that you visit us at least annually, and let us visit you with the same frequency. No-one in the family wants another Siv Incident.
I remain, and ever shall be,
Your Loving Father
U.E. Mikkel Västerström
