I have not touched this work for quote some. One, because, I wrote a few chapters and it's with my beta now. And two, I'm quote busy with the end of the year work deadlines.
I also missed the chance to find a cheap airfare to go back home to my own country and spend Christmas. And now, because I do not wish to be stuck in my rental apartment staring at the same old boring walls, I decided to do a staycation and booked myself some two nights in a fancy, schmancy hotel. I am imagining myself like Macaulay Culkin from Home Alone 2 and spending Christmas at The Plaza Hotel (one I wish to visit someday).
Title: Two Letters
Inspired by: Chapter 49 of the Manga Akagami no Shirayukihime
Character: Izana Wistalia
Rating: General
Status: Beta-ed chapter by RyuuNoOkaasan. Please check out her profile and support her works
My eyes darted from left to right.
The letter to the left bore the outline of a direwolf, a gold circlet around its forehead.
The other letter on the right bore a royal crown with linings and the motto at the bottom:
Nemo me impune lacessit.
No one touches me with impunity.
I waved the two letters away. The servant took the tray and placed them on the table not far from my reach. I dipped the eagle quill I was holding and continued to sign papers in front of me, occasionally crossing out some lines and discarding some pages to be revised.
In the afternoon, Maruko followed behind me as I inspected the next batch of troops that will be assigned to the checkpoints and borders all over Clarines. They have spent almost a year in final training within the castle grounds. The lieutenants assigned to them pronounced them ready, and my inspection serves as a form of graduation rites before they leave to their assigned posts in the next two days.
When I returned back to my own apartments after a full day's work, I prepped for bed before I remembered the letters.
Maruko had them brought back to my rooms, and the tray stood waiting on one of the side tables.
I can no longer ignore them.
I lifted the first letter with crown seal and broke the wax, eyes skimming down at the contents. My brain barely registered the words before my attention was caught by the second letter.
The direwolf glared back at me as I broke the seal and unrolled the parchment.
There was only one line on both letters. The first read:
Her Majesty, The Queen, will travel to Wistal on the fifth cycle of the moon, to transfer the Royal Crown to His Royal Highness, Prince Izana of Wistalia.
The second letter read:
The House of Allulion humbly accepts thy offer of marriage. May the Gods bless thy Royal house a hundredfold for the honor bestowed.
I barely noticed the letters fluttering to the floor. I was too busy wiping the single tear falling down my cheek.
Notes:
Please refer to Chapter 129 for the notes on the royal seal and heraldry which I discussed at length.