Dear prince,
I hope it is not odd for me to have contacted you. I know it is out of the blue, and that we are not very close, but I think I would like to be. Just between us, every time we bump shoulders or catch eyes when you visit with your father and sister... I become curious about what type of person you are. I have never visited runic, what is it like there?
Sincerely,
Princess Izabela Halphas
Dear your majesty,
I was surprised to get this letter from you. We hadn't spent much time together before, so it's nice to know that I wasn't the only one taking note. Your smile is very beautiful, you should wear it more.
Runic this time of year is getting very cold. Usually the wind off the borealin sea isn't so bad, but the lightning storms make the wind pick up and even some of our oldest, strongest trees sway. The cities in the mountains get a strong draft, but the deeper you go the warmer it gets. Perhaps you can ask your mother to allow you to visit sometime, if we get to know each other better. If you don't mind me asking, why did you choose to talk to me, over everyone else?
Sincerely,
Prince Mephisto Nagendra
Dear prince,
It sounds very beautiful. We don't get many storms in the capital, I wonder what it's like to live somewhere so unpredictable. My mother keeps the weather in check with her magic to keep the capital to her liking, but I've always liked a bit of organized chaos. Not that I like chaos or anything! That sounds so weird.
As for your question, there's a few parts to it. My mother doesn't let many royals and nobles stick around or get too close to me. She says she wants to raise me the way she was raised, but if I'm being honest with you I'd rather have friends. I don't have many of those here, and you've always been kind to me. If my sending letters bothers you, though, I can stop.
Sincerely,
Princess Izabela Halphas
Dear your majesty,
I didn't mean to imply that I wasn't grateful for them, I was just curious. You seemed pretty reserved when we last met, so I must have assumed you didn't like me very much. I'm very happy to know that my assumption was wrong, though, I think we can become very close.
The castle in the capital always did feel very empty, if you ask me. I'm sure when you are queen you will breathe some life into those halls. Have you thought much about what you want to do in the future?
Sincerely,
Prince Mephisto Nagendra
Dear prince,
You know, in the past it was considered treason against the queen to ask about the heir's plans...
But as the heiress, I suppose I have no reason to tell anyone about this. Just between us, I see a lot of walls between the capital and the rest of Ephedia that have no business being there. It's difficult to get into the castle, and I've never liked that. Shouldn't the castle be open to its people, not hidden away and locked up?
I apologize, that might sound treasonous in its own right. Please keep these letters just between us, alright?
Sincerely,
Princess Izabela Halphas
Dear your majesty,
I thank you for not turning me in, in runic and calix we are much more free with our language, especially regarding royalty. I don't say that just as a prince, but as a citizen. We've always been surrounded by the people we may one day lead, father made sure of that.
I think your vision for the capital is more in reach than you think. When you take the throne, however long the stretch of time may be, and bless the queen, I'm sure you will be able to make Ephedia what you want to see. If we continue this rapport. I could even help as your friend and advisor, if you saw fit.
Yours,
Prince Mephisto Nagendra
Dear prince,
'Yours'? 'Friend and advisor'? My, that almost sounds like a proposal, if I'm not mistaken. I do like the sound of that, however. I haven't gotten to have a close friend before, my mother kept others distant. I am glad that we have an opportunity to become friends, though, you understand where I'm coming from and will hopefully not expect too much from me. It's a learning process, and I'm glad that you didn't ignore my first letter.
Sincerely yours,
Princess Izabela Halphas
Dear your majesty,
Are all proposals a bad thing? And on that note, wasn't your first letter a proposal in its own right? A proposal to be friends, a proposal to begin a correspondence. Who would I be to ignore a proposal that big from the crown princess, the heiress to the planet on which I live? And I'll admit, I was curious to your intention and curious what drove you to choose me. After the last few letters we've had, I've found myself enjoying talking to you. I hope you find my company, these strokes on gerra petals, as comforting as I find yours.
Yours,
Prince Mephisto Nagendra
Dear prince,
You make it sound so noble to receive a letter, really it's just a letter. And now it's a correspondence between friends. I suppose my original letter was a proposal, so now we're even? I put myself out there to begin, and you put yourself out there next. Very honorable, your highness, very honorable.
But enough talk about intentions and proposals and politics, tell me something interesting. I'm bored to death of these walls, these tall towers. Any free moment I have is spent wandering and longing for the next letter from you and anything, anything at all, to happen. The other day I found myself delighted because I noticed a new shipment of voltan draperies and curtains. Drapes! I ran my hands over them for most of the morning and my smile just wouldn't budge. In retrospect I'm embarrassed, it must have been such a pathetic sight. So tell me something interesting! Spare no details, good prince, for I anxiously await your response.
Yours,
Princess Izabela Halphas
Dear your majesty,
If it was a pathetic sight to see you fawning over those voltan drapes, then I must be a pathetic person to wish I could have seen it. Someone excited by little things is someone who is honest and trustworthy, someone I wish to keep in my life.
As for your request... my, the pressure it has put on myself. I racked my brain for hours thinking of what to tell you, while looking out the window and feeling guilty I couldn't think of something sooner. I don't intend to make you feel bad, it's an interesting request and a great opportunity to look back at my life recently and consider things. What I wanted to share, how I wanted you to think of me, if anyone else (namely, Praxina) would throw a fit over the crown princess knowing it. Finally, however, I feel I found a story that may interest you:
Before the air grew staticky with the changing of seasons, I lost a bet to my sister. I don't remember what the bet was, but the result was that I had to raise some caddas for her. I went up to Yanijro and followed the rope bridges until I found a seller who wasn't shy, and sat down with tea and learned everything about the creatures. Everything, mind you, took until late, late in the evening. Finally we traded, my money and warm (but tired) smile for a breathable sack of three caddas pups. Now, the seller forgot to tell me three very important things, which I will tell you, and then you can tell me how you think the story continued...
1... caddas pups are very wet. Slimy. They secrete mucus at a rate I had never known possible, and consume a lot of water to keep their bodies hydrated.
2... caddas are more active at night.
3... caddas pups have a very deep croak, not unlike a grown man calling "what" directly into your ear.
Until next time,
Prince Mephisto Nagendra
(Additionally, you may call me Mephisto if you wish, your majesty.)
Dear Mephisto,
I can already imagine so much. I write this letter just moments after I've read yours, and I must say that I cannot wait for the end of the tale! Hurry, hurry, and may your crystal be steady, for I absolutely must know the end of the tale.
Yours,
Princess Izabela Halphas
(If you like, you may call me Izabela or Iris. The latter is a nickname my father gave me, but I understand if you prefer not to use it. A silly borealin nickname from a silly borealin man, after all)
Dear your majesty,
I was intending to simply continue my story, but I'm afraid I must heighten the suspense. Your majesty, Izabela, I am touched. I expected nothing in return when I offered use of my first name, and being allowed to use yours... I will not make you regret this, Izabela. If you don't mind, may I find my own nicknames for you? I enjoy talking to you so much that surely I will find something soon.
Yours,
Prince Mephisto Nagendra
Dear Mephisto,
You may call me anything you like, so long as that story gets finished, your highness.
Yours,
Princess Izabela Halphas
Dear Izabela,
You're right. Let me continue,
So, you now know more than I did about the pups. I was about halfway home when they became restless, starting to wriggle and whine softly. I hurried my pace, thinking that would help, but then I heard it... "What" directly in my ear. No sooner had the first happened then the other two pups joined in. I had them on my back, and I absolutely lost my mind. I believed I was being followed. I started to sprint, the bridges swinging dangerously under me. The bridges in runic are made of woven vines, then sealed. They are very sturdy, do not get me wrong, but in this case... they did not exactly feel steady under my feet, if you can imagine.
I made it out of the city, heading for the castle, the voices getting louder in my ear as the pups grew more distressed and as I moved faster to try and escape the perceived threat.
There is a bridge between Yanijro and the castle, as Yanijro is very close to my home. This bridge is as wide across as ten men, wound tight between the edge of the city and the edge of the road to the castle. I ran and ran and ran, and just my luck... I tripped.
Until next time,
Prince Mephisto Nagendra
Dear Mephisto,
You ended the story there! Your descriptors make me want to wander Yanijro on a crisp day with static in the air and a feeling of organized chaos afoot. How I long to visit, and long to visit soon. The knowledge about caddas pups is also providing quite the suspense... I wait on the edge of my seat for your next letter, for the next time I get to read your lovely penmanship.
Yours,
Princess Izabela Halphas
Dear Izabela,
I greatly enjoy knowing that you like my story and how I am telling it. Praxina cuffed me upside the head, pulled a pup into her lap, and cuddled it, not minding the slime or the croak or the wriggling. I also long for the day you are allowed to visit, there is much I would like to show you of my home and even more that I would love to discover for the first time with you.
But, to appease your curiousity,
I skidded along the bridge. And the sack came off of my arm. I landed near the railing- a tall thing, for safety and for anyone who may need it- and the sack landed a bit in front of me. I hit my head on the fall and cut my forehead, a scar I would be delighted to share with you, and looked nervously at the sack. I'd already grown attached to the pups when I chose them, so fear struck my heart that some amount of harm had come to them. I reached in front of myself and... the sack was wet. I choked back some noise, believing them dead, and opened the sack.
Enjoying keeping your majesty on the edge of her seat,
Prince Mephisto Nagendra
Dear Mephisto,
Oh! Your suspense is so good. When I asked for a story I had assumed you would tell me it in one go, then I'd have to keep bothering you for more tales. I wish there was something more exciting in the capital, but it truly is frightfully boring. I write this letter laying on my bed, hugging a pillow and reading through your previous letters to try and satisfy myself until I can read the end of the story. When I come to visit you must show me this scar, and this bridge, and this city and this seller and everything else! I am not ordering you, I am asking as a friend.
On the edge of her seat,
Princess Izabela Halphas
Dear Izabela,
I think your majesty would like Yanijro. It's a beautiful city for a beautiful princess, if I may compliment you.
But! I opened the sack, thinking the worst, and the pups all scrambled into my lap, whining and croaking and searching for comfort. When they're young they're still fat and soft, their ridges not yet hardened with age and their metabolisms not yet adjusted. They climbed all over me and nosed into my face and cuddled as close as they could, and it was then I realized how silly I had been before. I went home with one riding on each of my shoulders, and the third nestled into the crook of my arm. I went to Praxina's room first, and it was very late at night, and dropped the pups on her bed, where they immediately began to give her the same treatment they had given me, including little love bites and wriggling to try to get closest to her. And what I said? "You are a mother."
She could have killed me. It was worth it.
Yours,
Prince Mephisto Nagendra
Dear Mephisto,
"You are a mother" is perhaps the funniest end to a story that I can imagine, I rolled around laughing for what felt like forever when I read that. Someone even knocked on my door to check and make sure I was alright, thinking I was choking or something! That was such an enjoyable story, I can't wait to thank you for it in person. And the pups! I would love to meet them, hear their croaks, be cuddled by them. They sound like delightful creatures, and I am saddened that we don't have too many in the capital, don't have any in the castle. They prefer trees and wood cover, the sprawling fields and bustling marketplaces wouldn't suit them. But that's not important, even if they would not enjoy themselves in my home they are content in yours, as I'm sure I will be. How I long for us to meet again, the awkward silence of strangers banished by the comfortable one of friends and the conversations that we will have. I admit I cannot recall your voice, but I look forward to when I can.
I've been doing very well in my studies, especially since we began writing these letters. I think that my mother may budge if I were to ask her to leave for a while... would you have me if she did?
Yours,
Princess Izabela Halphas
Dear Izabela,
If you wish it, there is a festival at the end of the year that I think you would enjoy greatly. There is a whole ten days of festivities, quite long but quite well deserved. It marks the end of the season and the end of the harvest. People all through the kingdom take whatever they have on hand and make white clothing, of whatever sort and style they please, along with colorful pigments. Sand and dust and dyes, of all shades and textures and colors. We get a lot of people visiting, xerins and voltans and borealins and calixians, and everyone parties for the ten days, eating and laughing and drinking and telling stories and painting their skin, their hair, their clothing, their caddas and their homes and everything else they can get their hands on.
Izabela, would you like to attend it with me? It may be short notice, but a month and a half til then, but I would love to get to meet you in person again and share the most beautiful festival of my home with you, the most beautiful friend I have. Write back quickly, I await your response.
Yours,
Prince Mephisto Nagendra
Dear Izabela,
I waited for your letter patiently, but as the days turned to weeks... I grew concerned. Has my offer offended you? I did not mean it that way, I assure you. Please write back soon, if you would like to come to the festival the offer is still open, if you would rather not then that is alright too. It is not required, it was merely an idea I had. Spur of the moment, please write back soon.
Yours,
Prince Mephisto Nagendra
Dear your majesty,
The festival grows near, but the usual excitement I feel is overshadowed by doubt and worry. If I have offended, please tell me so, for the loss of your kind words in my life is something I simply cannot bear. Please write back soon, I miss you.
Yours,
Prince Mephisto Nagendra