A letter to my thirteen-year-old self III
Character: Charlotte Riza Llewellyn (Grumman)
Timeline: when Charlotte is twenty
Dear Charlotte,
Every once in awhile, you should let down your guard and take what life throws at you. You will never be able to prevent everything. There will always be something you didn't see coming.
You are a proud, beautiful young woman with enough self-esteem to force down armies. You are a genius. You aren't born to be nothing but a mother and a housewife. Don't listen to those you are telling you that your place is behind your future husband. You are as much of a strong, smart human as anyone who happens to be male.
Don't take the first offer you will get. Wait for the one who really want to marry before you buy a dress. Marry the one who makes your heart miss a beat. Marry the one who can make your blood boil with a single touch. Marry the one you feel truly complete with. Marry the one who sees you as the woman you want to be seen as.
Don't marry anyone who thinks that it is a good idea to marry the Fuhrer's daughter. Don't marry anyone you don't feel comfortable with because this decision will haunt you forever.
Marry someone who respects you as an equal, someone who supports you, no matter how crazy and insane your idea is. Marry the guy you can beat at chess. Marry the guy who makes you laugh. Marry the one who can always tell when you are feeling bad. Marry the smart guy with the glasses instead of a good-looking fool who is probably just interested in your money. Marry the guy who is not afraid of a strong woman. Marry the guy who loves you for what you are – and not for what you could have been but will never be.
Mrs Charlotte Riza Llewellyn (Grumman)
PS: there is a reason why he reminds you of a rat, darling.
AN: Charlotte's father was Fuhrer before Bradley and she had trouble with her self-esteem when she was around 13 because her attitude often got her in trouble with the society. (Best example for her attitude: she refused to take her husband's name when she got married and she continued to serve in the army.) So this letter is supposed to cheer her up a little when she doubts herself.
and the PS ... yes ... she means Bradley
AN2 (for Olivier's letter): Her grandfather died when she was 11 and she took it really hard. I chose this age for her to lose her grandfather because I had the same age when I came close to leaving my grandmother, so I can related to her feelings the best when she is 11
And yes, she writes this letter after her break-up with Miles, so I wouldn't be disappointed at all when someone would spy a hint of Olivier/Bendix
AN3 (for Phil's letter): he really, really loves his sister but sometimes he felt left out when he was 13, so he wished she wasn't there. Ironically; the same year, she was kidnapped and he still suffers from guilt because, well, he wished that she would be gone