To His Royal Highness, Prince Xavier of Mordalce, may Almighty God bless and prosper him in all that he does,
I write to you by candlelight, long after supper and evening prayers, for this is the only time that has not been claimed by preparations for the Midsummer's Eve Ball. Perhaps I should be sleeping, but I feel that writing you is more important. My heart is full of gratitude to you for what you and your friend have done for Christelle. If the Duke could have but seen her reaction—I cannot recall when I last saw her so full of joy! Thank you, thank you, a thousand times. I do not know how I can ever repay you for this favor, particularly when I consider all that you have already done for me.
I thank you, also, for your kind regards toward my mother. She seems to be doing fine and is suffering no ill effects from the incident. I have been informed that the responsible parties have responded to us, but not in a manner that completely complied with our demands. I thought that my father wrote to you on the subject, and you should refer to that correspondence for further details. I am not at liberty to write more.
As pertains to our plans to ensure maximum security at the Midsummer's Eve Ball, I cannot under any circumstances even hint at what we have planned in written correspondence. However, I assure you that we have undertaken a variety of measures to keep everyone safe no matter what may happen, and in the event that an opportunity arises for you to ask me this question in person, I will not withhold this information from you. In spite of all we have done here, and all I am certain you have done there, to eliminate spies from any position where they might access our correspondence, I still fear discovery. Consider this practice for our future as rulers, maintaining state secrets. No matter what happens regarding our parents' plans for us, the fact remains that each of us is sole heir to a kingdom, and we must be prepared. The notion of sharing this burden is most appealing, and I hope to discuss that further with you when we meet in person.
I am sorry to cause you more questions than answers in these letters. I know it must be frustrating for you. Please know that all will be revealed when it is safe for revelations to be made.
Yours truly,
Mireille