Letters
Dear Jowy,
I'm writing to you because I miss you terribly. It has been a few months since you last visited. I know this letter cannot reach you but I hope I can send it to you soon. It would be the greatest if I could deliver this to you in person, but right now I cannot make any predictions.
I know you are adventurous. You are probably sharing many good times with your old friends as you travel across the world. I am slightly envious of you for being so worry-less, but I do not have an urge to travel. If I did, I would have joined you at the beginning.
Anyway, Pilika and I are waiting for you in our home. Yes, it is your home too if you come back, my dear husband. I have a dinner waiting for you and a bed for you to sleep in when you return. The sheets will be all dusty if you take too long.
Your wife,
Jillia
Dear Jowy,
I don't know how long it has been since the last letter. I cannot express how much I want to see you again. Do you really have to be gone for so long? Surely this home is on the way to somewhere, some destination? Pardon me for being so crass. I just am worried. Pilika misses you too and she asks about you every day. I keep cooking dinners for three people before I realize that you aren't home yet. Every night before bed I tell myself that you will come back.
You will come back, won't you? I know you probably don't love me, but I love you anyway. You don't hate me, right? Please come back and visit. I'm not asking to see you for more than a day. You can bring your friends over too. The more company the merrier.
Your wife,
Jillia.
Dear Jowy,
I think it has been two years already. Or is it three? I have become so redundant without any event to mark in my calendar. I want to know what you are doing, what is going on in your life. You know the address, right? You could always write to me, no matter where you are. Or did you forget? I have no clue where you are. You could have settled down somewhere near or far. Oh, if it was close by, I would go and visit you!
Pilika is growing up just fine. She is so much taller than when you last saw her, and very beautiful. She still has horrible scars from the war and doesn't talk much, but she loves nature and picking flowers. She recently gave me a flower necklace. Our house is decorated with a multitude of flowers. If you could only come here and see it all…
Maybe I am angry at you. I have forced myself not to write too many letters in your absence because I believed that you would come back any day. Three letters in two years is not a lot. Surely you believed me when I said you were welcome home any time, whatever your condition. I hope…
I am embarrassed to say this, but I feel like you've found someone else. Some woman that you want to marry, and to marry her you must forget about me. Oh, I would do anything to be her! I would be the best wife I could possibly be. Oh, Jowy, I miss you so much. Even if you don't love me, you could visit. I could just be the old friend; you wouldn't have to tell her about us. Besides, the marriage was only for convenience, and I knew that all along.
Jowy, I beg you once again, please come back. I think I have suffered enough time without you, and all I need is to see you in person again. Please consider me, and if not me, please think of Pilika.
Yours truly,
Jillia
Pilika folded up the three letters that she found and sealed them in an envelope. On the outside she scribbled "To North Window Castle". She found a mailman and paid him 500 potch to deliver it.
After a week it reached Shu's desk at North Window castle. Shu opened it and was surprised to see Jillia's neat cursive. He immediately resealed the letter and sent a messenger to Kyaro. Another day passed before the messenger knocked at the door to Riou's home. Nanami answered the door immediately.
"Hello there…oh, is this for me?" she asked the messenger. The man shook his head. "Is Jowy Atreides present? This is for him."
Nanami jumped. "Jowy? Oh, I'll get him." She ran to Riou's bedroom and woke up both Riou and Jowy. "Hey, Jowy, wake up!"
Riou glared at his sister, awakened by the noise. "You woke me up too!"
Nanami laughed. "Oh, you needed to wake up too. Jowy, there's a man at the door. There's something for you."
Jowy looked a bit surprised as he walked to the entrance. "Hello, I'm Jowy Atreides," he said.
The messenger dropped the envelope into his hand. "This was sent to North Window Castle a day ago. It has traveled far, though the address was not written on the envelope."
Jowy thanked the man before shutting the door and opening the envelope. It looked like someone opened it before. He first noticed a letter from Shu.
Dear Jowy,
Sorry for opening this package which was meant for you. I did not read the contents. No one else looked at this.
Jowy wondered what exactly was written in the next few letters. He recognized Jillia's beautiful script and his eyes widened. He read all three of her letters before he returned back to his room.
"Jowy? What was in the package?" Nanami wondered.
Jowy shifted on his feet. "Nanami, if you don't mind…" He told her about the letters. Nanami scolded him for leaving Jillia alone for all this time. "I'm going to leave here, probably permanently. I hope you don't mind."
Nanami laughed. "Mind? I was going to kick you out if you had decided to stay here. You can visit, of course, but you can't stay too long. She needs you. Now say farewell to Riou before you go."
Jowy smiled. "Thanks so much." He gave Nanami a tight hug before telling Riou everything he told Nanami. They parted with a less-tight hug. With a small knapsack with provisions, Jowy headed out towards Harmonia.
Maybe two or so weeks after sending the letter, Pilika heard someone knocking on the door. Surprised at how late the person was calling, she cautiously opened the door. She immediately ran up to him and embraced him once she recognized the caller. "Jowy," she murmured. He tried to lift her up like before, but laughed when she proved to be much heavier than before.
"Pilika, I missed you. Where's Jillia?" he asked. Pilika ran back and dragged a tired Jillia out of her bed.
"Pilika? Who is this…Jowy? Is that really you?" she rambled. Jowy dropped his knapsack and went to embrace her.
"Jillia, I…" Jillia silenced him. After a long embrace, she dragged him to his dusty room and tucked him into bed.
"Tell me tomorrow. I'm glad you came back," she said.
Jowy smiled back, fighting the urge to fall asleep. "I'm glad too."
Jillia pulled the covers over him and kissed his forehead before leaving the room. She hoped he was there to stay.