Chapter 11: The Letter
Jade stared at the pool of moonlight on her floor. The moonlight fell across her stomach and legs as she lied in her bed. In her hand she twirled the envelope that Dorothy had given her. Trieze had written this to her before his death in the final battle of the OZ war. Her back leaned against the headboard and her smooth legs crossed each other. Her shoulder length hair curled around her neck. She slowly exhaled and opened the envelope. The sound of tearing paper echoed into the dark room. Jade held the letter out in front of her and read out loud the contents of the note.
"My Dearest Desert Rose, I've had time to write a book about the way you act and look. I haven't got a paragraph. I fear you will never forgive, rather you will try to forget everything that you and I shared. I saw the anger inside of you when I first touched you. That first time I gently placed my fingertips on your shoulders. You turned around and backhanded me. I can still hear the words you told me. You shouted, 'Don't ever touch me again.' I was arrogant and I thought that I could have anyone I wanted. With that slap and your forceful words, you brought me down, and showed me a side of humanity that I had never saw before." Jade exhaled, inhaled, and continued. "But I wanted you. You had beauty that I had never known before. You were a dying soul trying to live. But I questioned to myself why you were trying to live when you had nothing to live for. You were a simple slave. Then, I saw the loyalty that you showed towards the other slave when you asked me to buy her. You were willing to humiliate yourself in front of me, for her life. While I write I remember the look on your face when I told you what you would have to do to convince me to buy her. It was the same look on your face when you kneeled in front of me and pleaded in an angry tone 'master Trieze I press upon you to buy this woman. Please, I beg of you, buy her life.' I felt ashamed at what I had done. I looked at the Oriental girl, who was sedated from the pain that she was in from her injuries. You didn't even hesitate to kneel down to save her life. You didn't think twice about humiliating yourself for her sake. Then, when we brought her to the mansion, you nursed her. I realized, watching you with her one night that you had something to live for. You didn't consider yourself a slave. You considered yourself a prisoner of war. She was your comrade. You had someone and something to believe in. During this time, I commanded you to dance for me. There was nothing else I wanted when I was home, than to watch you dance until your body broke. Then, you would stumble out of my room and I would spend the rest of the night watching you in my mind. I couldn't take it anymore. I beg of you forgive me for what I did, but I couldn't take it anymore. I am ashamed at what I did. I held Woo's life over your head. I gave you no other alternative than to share my bed. But there's where things went awry. I thought that I was in control. I wasn't. You have to believe me that what I share with you that night and the nights after wasn't anything I had ever done before. You were unlike any other woman I had ever met. At such a young age, you knew the difference between love and lust. And when you shared my bed, you loved me. Afterwards, you would lie next to me, smoothly sweaty, your body broken; I would kiss your skin, tasting the salt that lingered from your body. I would wake up to your arm thrown over my torso and your head lying on my shoulder. I remember how some nights I wouldn't enjoy your body. I would simply lie with you on my bed, holding you, while you asked me questions about my life, my principals, my values. It was through your questions I was able to discover just how much I truly valued my soldiers and life. It was when I had you in my arms that I thought maybe war wouldn't always go on. Strangely enough it was as I was falling in love with you, that Woo fell in love with me. I kissed her. You saw. But although you were angry and confused you still loved me in bed. You still gave yourself to me wholeheartedly. I couldn't understand. Unfortunately, I knew that what I shared with you couldn't last forever. Jade, I know you loved me, but never enough to truly be mine. It was simply in your nature to love. You, Jade, are lovely and loving. You gave your body to me and showed me something that you had always known deep inside yourself. You shared that with me. I realize now that I loved you. And now I share that same love with Lady Une. Please, allow me to remember you lying in my arms beautiful, strong, and weak. You will find your way, no matter what happens. I have no worries. I have no fears. Good-bye forever my first love. Good-bye."
Jade woke up the next morning with the letter in her hand and tears on her pillow. She shook the sleep from her head and took a long look at the letter. She folded it back up and placed it on her nightstand and went to get ready to upgrade Starlight.
*And there you have it folks. This letter is a little out of character for Trieze, but I was trying to reach for his softer side. You know the side where he loved Lady Une and remembered all of his soldiers' names. I hope it wasn't too cheesy that you couldn't swallow it. Thank you Lady Star*