Zen
Wistal Castle
Wistal, Clarines Kingdom
March 28, XX06
Dear Zen,
I hope this letter finds you well. Honestly, I just hope it finds you. Grandpa said the symbol from your ring should help with that, but I'm still a little nervous. I've never sent a letter as far as Clarines before. But anyway, I hope you got home safe! Grandpa and I made it home just a couple of days after we said goodbye. Grandmother was really happy to see us. We'd been gone longer than usual and she was starting to get worried. I imagine your brother must have been worried, too. I hope he wasn't mad at you?
Anyway, I'm happy to be back in Tanbarun. Clarines is beautiful, but it's easier for me to find herbs here. I guess it might just be because I know it better, though. How are things in Clarines? I want to hear everything.
Your friend,
Shirayuki
P.S. Be sure to write me back! I included my address on a separate sheet of paper.
P.P.S. I realized after you left that I still have your dagger. Should I try to send it in the mail?
.oOo.
Shirayuki
The Rose and Crown Tavern
Shenazard, Tanbarun
April 8, XX06
Dear Shirayuki,
I'm happy to report that I did in fact receive your letter! I'm actually quite relieved myself, but for different reasons. My brother has me on house arrest (don't worry; the reason doesn't have anything to do with you) so being able to write to you is a welcome break. It's really helped get my mind off of things.
Mitsuhide and I made it safely home a few days after we left the inn. I think my brother was relieved to see me safe. He actually gave me a hug. First time in a few years that's happened. But that didn't stop him from grounding me. I guess I can appreciate his consistency, though, and I probably could use the time to rest and think through some things anyway. The journey back tired me out a lot. Is that normal after recovering from… whatever sickness I had?
Speaking of, the Chief Herbalist here, Garack, had very positive things to say about your work. She said you're welcome to study here when you're looking to improve your skills. Also, she'd like more details about the medicines you used on my injuries, as well as any other observations you may have had about my condition? She said to think of it as part of your herbalist training, since if you do become a professional herbalist you'll want to keep detailed patient notes. I understand if you don't remember much, though. It'll be about three weeks since we met by the time you get this, after all. That's a strange thought, isn't it? It doesn't feel like it's been nearly that long.
Anyway, Clarines is beautiful this time of year. I'm sure you already know this after traveling with your grandfather, but everything is just so green after the snows recede. Do you get much snow in Tanbarun? We get quite a bit here in the winter, and it usually lasts through February and sometimes March. The gardens in the castle are beautiful, too. There's even a forested area on the grounds. I like to go there in the summer, when I can just sit and listen to the wind.
Sorry, I feel like I'm rambling. But anyway, I hope to hear from you again soon.
Your friend,
Zen
P.S. I don't think the local post is equipped to handle weapon deliveries, so just hold onto it. It can be my excuse to my brother to visit you some day.
.oOo.
April 20, XX06
Dear Zen,
Well, now I can tell you that your letter made it, too! It is strange to think that it's already been three weeks, and by the time this reaches you, it will have been over a month. I hope you're doing okay despite being grounded, and that you're not too bored. What have you been doing to stay busy? And what is it that's been on your mind so much?
First, for Chief Herbalist Garack, I included a note with the list of herbs that were in the salves I used, as well as the instructions for preparing them. My observations of you are included there as well. You can read them too, if you like, but it's nothing terribly interesting.
To answer your question though, I did a little research and the condition you had, hypothermia, can cause persistent fatigue. As long as you've been resting, eating well, and trying to keep warm, you should be over it by the time you get this.
Anyway, I didn't feel like you were rambling at all. I love reading about Clarines through your eyes, Zen. I think it sounds like a very charming country. Maybe someday I will accept your Chief Herbalist's offer so that that I can spend a little more time there. Actually, what exactly does that mean to be a 'Chief Herbalist'? Where is that title applied? Hm, actually I don't think I'm asking that very well. Is 'Chief Herbalist' a title specific to the Castle, or is that the term for the head of every pharmacy or medicine shop?
Your brother sounds… interesting. It also sounds like he doesn't show affection very often. Could you describe what he looks like, so I can get a clear picture in my head? How old is he? What sort of work does he do? Would you ever want to follow in his footsteps, or do you have some other line of work in mind? Do you get to see him very often?
Tanbarun is a lovely place as well. It does snow up in the mountains, and a little in the city, but it's usually gone by January, and I'm told that there is less of it than in Clarines. Still, it's my home, and it would take a lot to get me to leave. What is Wistal like? Is it a large city? What are the people like? What sort of trade is there? What is your favorite place to eat, and who are your favorite people to visit? Where is the best view of the landscape?
Shenazard is in the middle of a valley, and I think it's fairly large. At least, it's the largest city I've been in personally, and there are lots of inns and taverns. It's usually pretty clean, and a lot of the buildings are two stories tall. There's a really nice market that I like to go to every Saturday, too. There are people from all sorts of places and they sell all kinds of things, from food to cloth to jewelry. But on other days, I like going to the herbalist's shop across town and watching him work. He's getting old now, but he's still so good at what he does and he knows so much. Sometimes he'll tell me about the medicines he's making or let me borrow his books. Sometimes, if I arrive early enough, he'll let me go herb-hunting with him in the hills around Shenazard. That's where you can get the best view of the city, too, right where the brook leaves the trees and the forest opens up to a clear hillside. If you ever visit Tanbarun, I'll have to take you there.
Speaking of traveling… Zen, I understand if you don't want to tell me what happened to you before we met, but I keep thinking about the night before you woke up. I mentioned this in my report to the herbalist, so if you read it then you may already know, but you had a nightmare. I don't really know what it was about, but I do know that you kept asking me not to leave you alone. I keep wondering… well, I guess I'm just worried about you. Are you doing okay? Is there anything I can do if you're not?
Grandmother is calling me to help in the kitchen, so I'll close for now. I hope to hear from you soon!
Your friend,
Shirayuki
P.S. Okay, I'll keep it safe for you. I look forward to that visit.
.oOo.
May 2, XX06
Dear Shirayuki,
First of all, I must make a confession. When I first read all of your questions about Wistal and what it's like, I had the sudden realization that I haven't actually travelled through the city very much. So, as soon as my house arrest was over, I made Mitsuhide show me around a bit. It turns out that the best place to eat in Wistal (at least according to him) is a tavern called the Black Swan. I have to say their roast was absolutely delicious, but I can't speak for everything on their menu, so I'll have to go back a few times before I can tell you if it's my favorite. (Oh, and don't think I didn't notice that you didn't mention where your favorite place to eat is. I expect a lengthy description in your next letter.)
I'm learning that the people of Clarines are much more diverse than I'd realized. My country is so big, and every region has its own customs and peoples. Just yesterday, at the tavern I mentioned, I met a man from a small island far to the South. He had a strange blue bird with him, and he treated it like it was his best friend. I can't say that I quite understand why, but it was obvious that the bird was important to him, and that alone made me want to learn why. I want to learn all there is to know about Clarines, travel every inch of it and meet all its people. That's probably too ambitious for now, though, so I'll start with traveling Wistal and answering your questions.
Wistal is a large city, situated in the South of the country. The castle is on a hill that overlooks the sea, which has a pretty big port. As a result, Wistal is a major trading center for Clarines, with goods from many different countries. Come to think of it, that's probably part of why the community is so diverse, even here in the castle.
Thus far, the best view of town that I've found is from the rooftop garden of the castle. If you ever come to Clarines, I'll have to show it to you. The air is so clean and bright and I bet you would love the flowers that grow up there. I bet you could name every single one of them, too.
Now about your last question. Honestly, things are rather tense at the castle right now. I don't know everything, but… Well actually, I should probably answer your questions about my brother, first. His name is Izana, and he's six years older than me. I suppose we look somewhat alike. My hair is lighter than his, and shorter, but we both have blue eyes. He's a good man, but I often have a hard time telling what he's thinking, and he tends to push boundaries to see how people will react. I think he does it to determine the true character of a person, but again, it's hard to tell what's going through his head. I mentioned before that he works at the castle. Well, more specifically, he works in a government post, so we brush shoulders with the Clarines nobility quite often. I'm still not really sure if I want to follow in his footsteps, but everyone expects me to, and I feel like I have a responsibility to do so.
Anyway, because of my brother's position, we're kind of in the thick of some intense political conflict between the capital and a region in the North of the country. I was caught up in that conflict in a literal way when you and I met. Bandits associated with the North attacked the group Mitsuhide and I were traveling with. I was injured and knocked into the river, and one of my friends was killed. Since coming home, there's been a lot of concern that they may not be the only ones, and that we're on the brink of a complete revolt or even civil war. My brother doesn't think it'll get to that point, but the court in general is still very worried. As for me, I don't really know what to think. I hope things won't escalate from here, but there's really no way to know anything for certain. I have been having nightmares, about the attack and my friend, but I think I'll be okay, at least eventually. Mitsuhide's been almost annoyingly attentive, but I'm glad he's here.
I'm sorry I didn't tell you about any of this before. I just didn't want to drag you into things any more than I already had, and I didn't want to accidentally put you in danger. You don't need to worry though. I'll be fine here, it just might take some time.
By the way, I don't remember if I said this before, so just in case, thank you for saving me, Shirayuki. I'm glad I met you.
Your friend,
Zen