December 1488 PD

Sweetest Lia,

I know I did something awful to you. But I'm begging for you to let me explain, why I left, why I've stayed away, everything.

I'll begin with my arraigned engagement. You know most of the story there, and were against it with me, my ally. Berdolt (3) is not the nicest of men, as you know, and he was in no way someone I could even think of coming to love. But there was another man I did love, one I love with all my heart and magic. His name is Randy.

I met Randy about a year before I left. Remember that visit into Stargate (42), where I was separated from you and the guards, and then turned up at the inn that evening? You were all a fret, worried sick. I'm still very sorry about that, by the way, it was really just me stopping to look at something, only to look up and everyone was gone! But you see, I was helped in the unfamiliar streets by an oddly fascinating man. Randy. Before taking me back, he showed me around a while, completely unaware I was a royal, treating me as if I was no more than a nicely-dressed merchant's daughter (which were the reason we purchased those clothes, if you recall). It was almost like a date, in the end, the kind common girls who don't have to worry about arranged marriages get to have. I must apologize for not telling you the truth back then, but I wanted to keep it to myself. It was special, and entirely mine. Not something attached to my royal duties or responsibilities. Not a choice someone made for me. Not a time where you and I slipped into the castle town, where all the places were familiar and the people know us. It gave me what the idea of being free was, and I wanted to guard it as my own personal secret.

It was a few months until I saw Randy again, this time in town. Two nights before your sixteenth birthday (41), and I went into town (47) secretly, without telling you. I wanted to get your birthday present, see, and couldn't exactly give you any suspicions. I left in the evening, after we supposedly retired to our individual chambers for the night. I slipped out my window and down the trellis, sneaking out of the castle through a servants entrance, one we normally avoided when we go together during the day time. The servants were retired for the day so it was a faster route than our usual one.

This was the first time I had snuck out without you or Wil with me, and the first time I had been out in the evening instead of the day. I was a little scared, but I had made sure to bring the knife Wil had gotten me for our last birthday, concealed in the waistband of the trousers I had nicked from his room. With my chest bound and the shirt of Wil's I was wearing—in addition to my hair being tucked up under a pageboy hat I had Wil's squire, Ethan, procure for me (I was very thankful that my hair had just been trimmed a few inches only a few days before)—I looked very like a lad on the cusp of manhood. Ethan was very helpful, from the hat to the shoes he lent me, particularly when I told him I was trying to get you a present. Remember how he had that adorable little crush on you, before he found his now-wife? Anywho, I was in town. At night. By myself.

Streets that were so familiar in the day were warped at night, and a very different kind of aura was there. It was mostly in my head, as I later realized on other nighttime treks I made. Just different, not necessarily scary. I ended up running into Randy, making a total fool of myself and falling over (I wasn't used to the shoes, which, despite two pairs of socks and being tightly tied, were still slightly too big), knocking my hat off. After very kindly helping me up, Randy, who is a very intelligent man (I'm convinced he's genius-level, though he normally tries to downplay it!), recognized me. He asked what I was doing out so late, night in the streets not being safe for "such a lovely woman" to be out on her own.

You know I'm not much of one to make a fool of myself because a man flirts with me, but Randy wasn't exactly flirting. He was being incredibly genuine. He never says anything, I've learned, unless he believes it to be completely true, at least when it comes to others—as I said earlier, he's incredibly modest (and doesn't even realize he acts that way!).

Skies above! I'm off topic again. Back to the matter at hand:

I told him I was getting my sister a gift for her sixteenth, and he offered to escort me, to "protect" me. It was incredibly sweet how earnest he was, and that combined with how much I had enjoyed his company the last time we were together led me to agree to his coming. He ended up telling me how he had moved into Dragonsilde to work in the library (24), repairing books and such. I was thrilled, though I didn't let on then. This absolutely fascinating man whom I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with was close enough to regularly visit yet simultaneously keep as a secret. Someone just for me. I wasn't the official Princess Aurora Twilight Gedonelune with him—just 18-year-old Aurora, a woman with a bit of magic and a newfound crush.

So that was my second time seeing him, as he accompanied me while I searched for the perfect present for my little sister, you, dear Lia—it was this lovely little pair of emerald earrings, do you remember? You wore them nearly every day, from what I can recall. Do you still have them?

But, moving on: that was the second of many, many meetings. We would meet up, initially, once a week, usually during the day. But then we grew closer, and I started "visiting" the library more, just to see him. We set times to meet up at night, so we could go get dinner somewhere and just talk. We rendezvoused more and more frequently.

But then Father publicly announced my engagement to Berdolt, and that we would be wed within a year. As you know, I didn't know of it myself until the announcement. When I ran out of the room in tears, it wasn't just because I had absolutely no say in the matter and didn't like the Duke, as I told you when you followed to comfort me. It was those things, yes, but it was mostly because that's when it really hit me just how much I had come to love Randy.

Later, I learned he felt the same towards me for far longer than I had realized my own love for him. But he had said nothing, because he didn't want it to change anything between us for the worse, which is what he feared more than anything. The fact that he stayed silent for as long as he needed to, until I figured out just how I felt for him, said more than his telling me, directly, that he loved me.

When I sent you away that night, it was because I had to tell him. I had to tell Randy I loved him and wanted no one but him. I had to tell him who I was, and what was to happen. I wouldn't leave behind this thing unspoken, untold, a huge regretful "what if" for the rest of my days. So, once you left, I told the guard outside my door that I wanted no company tonight, then locked the door, locking all of the palace out.

And I slipped outside onto my balcony, hurrying down the trellis and to the town. I had to find Randy. He was at his lodgings, as we weren't to meet that evening, but the next one. I practically broke down his door with my knocking, and when he opened it, I broke down in his arms. He held me until I could pull myself together enough to tell him everything. Who I was, what was happening. How much I didn't want it to happen. He sat there, quietly listening, until I was done. He hugged me tighter and whispered these words, which I will never forget:

"Run away, with me? I know somewhere we could go where they'll never find us. But only if you wish to leave with me. If you do, I promise I will do all in my power to take care of you and make you happy. You will be my queen, not because of your bloodline, but because I love you more than anything."

I was surprised. I hadn't even thought of it, not one bit. And suddenly, it seemed the best option. The only option where I wouldn't end up miserable. So I very confidently replied that it sounded like a wonderful idea, and when could we leave? He gave me advice on what to take and what not to take. He said that he would get me clothing that would allow me to blend in with our destination, so I'd only need to take things of personal value, and that we would be able to leave at the end of the week. So we set up a time and place to meet, in the forest. He was talented with transportation magic, so he would magically take us there. Impossible to trace, even better. I'm not one for rash decisions, you know, but this ordeal could be considered something akin to rash. But it was worth it and I don't regret it for a moment.

If you'll remember those few days before I left, I was acting as if I was in shock. Father suspected nothing, Wil was worried (of course, he worries far more than he should in general, but I suppose he was right to be worried this time), and you were desperately trying to cheer me up. When the night came, I met him at the place we agreed upon. He had a few bags, but I only had one. Among its contents was that beautiful hair comb that was Mother's—the one Father gave her, back when they were engaged, with the lily made of little blue diamonds. I also have the necklace you gave me for my birthday a few years ago, the silver one with the moonstones, and Wil's gift, the knife. Something connected (7) to everyone in my family, the one I was leaving behind. The rest of what was within was things I felt would help us live, jewels that had been presents I didn't ever use or want, as well as a few of my favorite books on magic (4).

And so Randy and I went to a new world. Remember those stories that Master Teseck (28) would tell us? The ones about the world where the great wizard Merlin (29) opened a huge portal to so all the magical beings could live safely until the time of persecution against magic was over in Myula? Hear, they refer to their world as "Earth," but this Earth is the same Terra we grew up hearing stories about. And while magic is much more difficult to use here, as there is no natural magic here to draw energy from, the people here have thrived without magic! Trains, which are a very new thing in Myula, and are only found in the better-off countries like Gedonelune, have been around for just under two centuries! They have these horseless carriages (21) that run off of non-magical fuel that can take people most anywhere on land! They've even found ways to fly, Lia, in these great bird-like metal contraptions (2)! I'm not sure I would be able to bring myself to ride on them, but Randy really want to be able to at some point. This world has so much more technology than Myula does, and it's all without magic! It's really quite amazing, Lia, and I wish I could show it all to you.

But I can't. I can only send you written letters, and for that I am so, so sorry. And I have to beg you not to tell Wil of this. You see, I have a new life here, and it's not one I can leave, or take back. Not only are Randy and I married and settled in this lovely house (20) we've built in Terra, but I have children. Two little boys, Johnathan (because it's a good family name) and Matthias, after Randy's father. I'm also pregnant with a third, another boy. Jonny is just barely three, and Matthias one. This little boy on the way, either Orion or Wilikin, is only a few months from being born.

If you told Wil, he would immediately use the paper to track and find me (because while I've taken as many precautions as I can, Wil, as crown prince, has far more at his disposal than I do). And you can't tell me he wouldn't try and take me back. Wil would probably get along very well with Randy, and I know he would adore my boys, but Father?

Father would probably have them exiled (if not killed!), even my little baby boys, while I would be locked up in the palace, like a criminal. Father would do anything to avoid a scandal, even if it meant causing his daughter to die of grief. And even if Wil knew where to find me, or that he could, and decided not to come, it would kill him. I've heard rumors, even here in Terra (Randy has to travel on occasion into Myula in order to handle some work), of how he's gone half mad trying to find me. It's part of why I've waited almost five years to contact you. I know he will be able to recover eventually, as long as he doesn't have such a burden as knowing where I am. If he thinks I am gone for good, he'll be able to move on.

Don't get me wrong, sister, I love him dearly and my heart aches because I cannot ever contact him again, not safely, for him or I. You, on the other hand, I know will be able to keep the secrets that keep my children and husband safe. I miss you, Lia, so much. And if you're willing, we could start and keep up a contact between us, like penpals. I'm begging you to consider it.

If you wish to send a reply, write it and place the papers in the envelope mine came in, and say these words, focusing on me: Mitte hoc verbum ad quem scriptum est denim (30). Make sure to enunciate well, or it won't work. But don't be discouraged if it takes a few tries, I didn't get it until my fifth try! But the spell does work on making it cross from one world to the next

With all the love in my heart,

Rora

Annotations:

2) Bird-like Mental Contraptions: Refers to aeroplanes, a Terran technology not able to be found in Myula due to its size and expense. They allow for the commercial and private transport of people and goods through air travel.

3) Bertolt: Duke Franklin Bertolt, a wealthy Gedonelunan nobleman, once engaged to Princess Aurora. Referred to in private as "Berdolt" by Princesses Aurora and Aulelia.

4) Books on Magic: The books mentioned here were eventually donated to the Academy library, and can be found in the archives.

7) Connected: The items mentioned, the comb, necklace, and knife, are currently in the possession of Princess Aurora's daughter.

20) Lovely House: Princess Aurora and Randy settled down in Michigan, United States of America, Terra.

21) Horseless Carriages: This refers to automobiles known as "cars," which are just beginning to be used in larger cities in more wealthy countries in Myula. They are commonplace in Terra, but only used by the incredibly wealthy (as the vehicle and its fuel source, gasoline, has to be imported from Terra).

24) Library: The Dragonsilde Library is one of the largest in the world. With the exception Gedonelune Royal and Magic Academy Libraries, it also contains the largest number of book on magic. It is open to the public, and as long as they manage to obtain the proper licensings, they are allowed to borrow-out books that aren't of incredible value.

28) Master Teseck: The tutor of the three royal siblings—Prince Wilikin, Princess Aurora, and Princess Aulelia—when they were growing up. He was also the one who taught Prince Wilikin magic, and also taught magic to his sister's, though in secret. Magic at the time when the Princesses were growing up was considered improper for young ladies to use in exploits other than healing.

29) Merlin: The great wizard Merlin is credited with the transfer of magic from Myula to Terra in the time where magic was being greatly persecuted in Myula. He is also said to have been the one to transfer magic-users back to Myula after persecution there had lessened greatly, as the persecution of magic in Terra was rising. The transfer of magic back to Myula is where the current era, Post Dimensiva, began.

30) Mitte hoc verbum ad quem scriptum est enim: Translates roughly to "Send this message to whom it is written" and it is a spell that was created by Randy and a friend when he was still attending the Academy.

41) Sixteenth Birthday: This is in the year 1484 PD.

42) Stargate: A small but well-known town near to the Academy. It is a popular place for visiting magic-users due to it high content of magic items, mostly because of its close proximity to the Academy. It also features several highly-popular shops and spots for the students to frequent.

47) Town: This refers to castle town, Dragonsild City, which rings Dragonsilde Palace on three sides, the eastern, western, and southern.