Psellos wrote to a friend over the death of a kouropalates and the care of the children of his adoptive daughter and son-in-law. The death moved Psellos deeply, as it would his friend, who was unprepared and had other problems. The kouropalates died in his prime like Alexander, after becoming a monk. A major tie between Psellos and his friend was gone, so direct links must be tightened by an immediate meeting, especially over the children of the vestarches, Psellos' son-in-law. Only this friend and Michael VII still called Psellos hypertimos