Armand’s First Letter. Amelia’s First Letter.
26 August 1019,
13 Norwich Street, Yorke
Mon cher Marc,
Amelie and the girls and I have arrived safely in Yorke, and are comfortably settled in Norwich Street with my dear Mama.
I am bursting with news! But let me begin with matters of business.
I have spoken with the Courier’s Guild here in Yorke; they are eager to buy more of our packets, as it seems that during the current troubles in Provençe they lost several of the packets that normally travel from Cumbria to Toulouse and other Provençese cities.
“Taken by the rebels, I’ve no doubt, and used for their own communications,” Jennings, the guild-master, told me. “Or possibly simply destroyed. But they never came home, and I do not expect to see them again.” The guild is not yet prepared to re-establish regular service with Provençe, not until things settle, but it is only a matter of time.
I have therefore enclosed an order for three new packets, to be delivered to the Courier’s Guild representative in Mont-Havre. They particularly want to fit them with our destination binnacle, and will pay for the travel required to produce the destination blocks for a number of locations included in the order.
And this leads me to the second point. I am in no danger from the Shipwright’s Guild at this time, thanks to the past efforts of Lord Doncaster and others; but that guild still has great influence. They have been unable to bar the use of our packets in Cumbria, but they have been able to block construction of any similar craft in this land—at least until they are in a position to build them themselves.
I do believe they are trying; but as John Netherington-Coates has forbidden any guild former to participate in such endeavors without what he calls “proper recompense”—which recompense includes a great deal of gold per new-style vessel and an apology to myself—it seems that it will be some time before we have any serious competition here in Cumbria.
The precise wording of the Act of Parliament is interesting; it forbids the construction of any vessel of more than a particular size, capable of crossing the Abyss or of attaining an altitude of more than 100 feet above ground level, in Cumbria, save under the auspices of the Shipwright’s Guild.
The size was chosen, of course, to prevent us from manufacturing packets here in Cumbria, as was the phrase “capable of crossing the abyss.” That was short-sighted of them, as it gives us a monopoly, at least until the former’s guilds in other countries figure out what we are doing. The limit on attaining a height of 100 feet was added by Lord Doncaster’s supporters, precisely with the aim of allowing the Cumbrian Former’s Guild a free hand.
Thus, sky-chairs and sky-wagons (whether pulled by beasts of burden or otherwise) do not come under this restriction due to size; and neither do caravans like my cousin Amelia’s provided that we prevent them from ascending too high. I have some thoughts about how to ensure that.
We had previously decided to leave the Cumbria market to the Former’s Guild here; but I’ve been thinking on my original sky chair, into which Jacques Pôquerie put all his skills as a cabinet maker. Our wagons and other products have so far been built for heavy but humble use; perhaps we might hire Jacques and begin thinking about the carriage trade? It would be quite expensive to ship carriages abroad…but I have a notion that some of the well-to-do here might find it worthwhile.
In personal news, Grand-Master Netherington-Coates has finally proposed to my dear Mama; they will be wed on the 19th of September, just three days after my presentation to His Royal Majesty. I am too happy for words.
With great joy,
Armand
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Photo by Sebastian Unrau on Unsplash
Zymurgia House 