The letter that arrived was special. Everything about it was special- from the crisp envelope and the wax seal, to the name scrawled across the bottom as a signature.
She had reread the note so many times, opened and closed the letter over and over. By now it was no longer crisp, and the seal half gone, and the signature dirtied by dusty fingerprints.
"Dear Miss Lavinia Charity Serre."
Her heart had nearly leaped out of her chest.
The Ithanian girl had packed her things, all of her earthly possessions, into a single suitcase. Two extra dresses, a pair of stockings, and a book. Her letters from her father were hesitantly added as well.
The next morning, she had taken off at dawn, a little pack of food gifted to her by her friend's mother before she left. Her steps were sure as she marched out of town on the path beaten from years of travelers. Now she was one of them.
"I have come to be informed of who you are."
The words of the letter still rattled around her excited mind even late into the day and early into the next. By the time she reached the port city two days after, the excitement had passed and the dread of what could go wrong set in.
"I realize you may be down on your luck, I'll pay you back for your travels in lodging."
The scant amount of coins that Lavinia coughed up were handed over to a man for a ticket for a ship ride the next morning. The rest were passed into the hand of an aging innkeeper, the woman offering the Serre a judgemental look that suggested she thought nothing good of the young woman.
The innkeeper's husband also gave a look to her, but it was different than his wife's and Lavinia chose to ignore it.
That night the woman laid in her nightdress, watching the stars outside the pane-less window, a soft sea breeze rustling the curtains like dancing ghosts. Lavinia heard the sounds of the neighboring brothel that shared a wall with the inn- the noise of ladies of the night. Beneath her, on the floor below, the innkeeper and her husband argued loudly, drowning out the whistles of sailors out on the docks.
The Ithanian ignored it all though and just watched the sky through that open window, thinking of the days to come. She drifted off as the moon crossed halfway over the sky, breathing in the salty bay air.
"Come to Regalia. Send a messenger to fetch me once you enter the city. They will find me."
The next morning, Lavinia took her things and headed off into the brisk morning. She shared a smile with a sailor who helped her on board and spoke briefly to a mother carrying a toddler at the hip and a child at the hand.
Eventually, though, she moved away from the talk and leaned onto the edge of the boat. She watched the water lap against the sides of the ship, the cotton ball clouds above, even the shoreline in the distance that never quite went away on the short voyage
"I cannot wait to meet you."
The call of the city brought all to attention onboard. Lavinia stared off as the grand capital rose on the coastline.
"You're a well welcomed surprise."
The shouts of happiness at arriving spread like a fever over those sailing. Shouts of sailors to dockworkers rung out as the ship neared they port.
"Sincerely."
Lavinia raced down the plank to the docks, breathing in the Regalian air. Realizing where she finally was.
"Your brother,"
Home.
"Leufred du Brierüst."
She had reread the note so many times, opened and closed the letter over and over. By now it was no longer crisp, and the seal half gone, and the signature dirtied by dusty fingerprints.
"Dear Miss Lavinia Charity Serre."
Her heart had nearly leaped out of her chest.
The Ithanian girl had packed her things, all of her earthly possessions, into a single suitcase. Two extra dresses, a pair of stockings, and a book. Her letters from her father were hesitantly added as well.
The next morning, she had taken off at dawn, a little pack of food gifted to her by her friend's mother before she left. Her steps were sure as she marched out of town on the path beaten from years of travelers. Now she was one of them.
"I have come to be informed of who you are."
The words of the letter still rattled around her excited mind even late into the day and early into the next. By the time she reached the port city two days after, the excitement had passed and the dread of what could go wrong set in.
"I realize you may be down on your luck, I'll pay you back for your travels in lodging."
The scant amount of coins that Lavinia coughed up were handed over to a man for a ticket for a ship ride the next morning. The rest were passed into the hand of an aging innkeeper, the woman offering the Serre a judgemental look that suggested she thought nothing good of the young woman.
The innkeeper's husband also gave a look to her, but it was different than his wife's and Lavinia chose to ignore it.
That night the woman laid in her nightdress, watching the stars outside the pane-less window, a soft sea breeze rustling the curtains like dancing ghosts. Lavinia heard the sounds of the neighboring brothel that shared a wall with the inn- the noise of ladies of the night. Beneath her, on the floor below, the innkeeper and her husband argued loudly, drowning out the whistles of sailors out on the docks.
The Ithanian ignored it all though and just watched the sky through that open window, thinking of the days to come. She drifted off as the moon crossed halfway over the sky, breathing in the salty bay air.
"Come to Regalia. Send a messenger to fetch me once you enter the city. They will find me."
The next morning, Lavinia took her things and headed off into the brisk morning. She shared a smile with a sailor who helped her on board and spoke briefly to a mother carrying a toddler at the hip and a child at the hand.
Eventually, though, she moved away from the talk and leaned onto the edge of the boat. She watched the water lap against the sides of the ship, the cotton ball clouds above, even the shoreline in the distance that never quite went away on the short voyage
"I cannot wait to meet you."
The call of the city brought all to attention onboard. Lavinia stared off as the grand capital rose on the coastline.
"You're a well welcomed surprise."
The shouts of happiness at arriving spread like a fever over those sailing. Shouts of sailors to dockworkers rung out as the ship neared they port.
"Sincerely."
Lavinia raced down the plank to the docks, breathing in the Regalian air. Realizing where she finally was.
"Your brother,"
Home.
"Leufred du Brierüst."
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