Dark Prince & the Doe

Chapter 76: Letters of Great Importance

Chapter 76: Letters of Great Importance

Calden

The paper crinkled as Calden balled it up and tossed it into the growing pile of rejected letter drafts. He had four more days to tell Cezanne the truth. He made this promise to himself, no matter how painful, awkward, or uncomfortable, he would see this through. If the truth died every time he tried to tell her and he didn't have the courage to confess, then he'd approach this issue from a different angle.

A letter wouldn't mess up its words. A letter wouldn't run away. A letter wouldn't find excuses to not do the right thing. He could choose how best to word the truth, explain his concerns, and his fear of how she might react. A mistake of this magnitude would affect both their people. He was trying to capture how sorry he was, but he should have just told her the truth, face to face. This letter was his last resort, he had to make it work.

He knew what he wanted to tell her, but it came out garbled and messy, even written on a page. Explaining how he'd accidently shot Cezanne with an arrow was the easy part, it was a statement of facts. He had thought she was an animal. Any idiot could have made that mistake. It was his curse, its broad connotations, and why he'd continually lied to her, that he struggled to convey.

The truth about Lyrina also stymied him. The thought of his foolish mistake strangled him, he didn't want to dwell on the past. He couldn't change it. But, if Cezanne was to honestly consider him, he needed to tell her all the facts. He bore the scars of the shamed and, if it was ever discovered, he would drag her reputation down by affiliation. It was something she needed to know. He gnawed at the end of his pen, adding more bitemarks to the polished wooden grip.

The scars he bore were something Cezanne would never fully understand the gravity of. She struggled with the concept of Remerian honor and explaining the social implications of why some scars were shameful, and others were badges of honor, was difficult. A Remerian woman would understand without explanation, but no matter how kindhearted the woman, he would never be considered marriageable.

With an Overlander, he might have a chance at love. Cezanne wouldn't be bound by Remerian traditions but she still needed to understand them if she was to choose to be his wife. It was his selfishness that sent him Overland, but never in is wildest dreams did he think he'd have his heart set ablaze. 

He was in love with Cezanne. It was the truth. He loved her. Of course, he fell in love with the one Overlander he shouldn't have! He slammed his head onto the desk and laughed into the crook of his arm. It was madness, but he was going to attempt to court her nonetheless. He chuckled till his chest hurt and his breathing lost its rhythm. He rubbed the dry, burning sensation from his eyes, then slapped his palms on the table. He would claim her heart.

He still had time to write the perfect letter. He balled up another mess of ridiculous ramblings and threw it into the trash pile. With a Quick Flame Enchant, he summoned a single sapphire spark upon his fingertip, and set the pile of wasted paper aflame.

Anne

Anne finally received a letter from Queen Valeria in response to her request for a private meeting. The reply was one sentence of hassled, smeared script, as if the queen had written it standing and couldn't be bothered to wait for the ink to dry before she'd sealed it.

Your request is considered, but at the current time, I must decline.

Sincerely, Queen Valeria

The elders, on the other hand, had sent her an eleven-page letter of response, vaguely outlining how they had absolutely no intention of ever meeting with her. Ever. It made her appreciate Queen Valeria's honest brevity.