[Leslie might not have a seal, but she did close the envelope with sealing wax. The space where a seal might normally be is just blank, suggesting she just pressed it in with an undecorated cylinder of some kind.
The letter inside is handwritten, but you'd be forgiven for thinking it was produced by a printing press at first glance. Leslie's cursive certainly isn't perfect, with enough flaws to recognize it as a human's work, but it's way neater than one might expect from a child. Each letter is a very close copy of all others like it and her lines of text are almost straight despite being written on unlined paper. One major flaw, though, is that there are a couple of faint food stains on one corner.
This is her first attempt at a letter and she's nervous about it, so it might be a little dry as she tries to imitate what little she knows about letters.]
Dear Hakunon,
I hope that you are well. I write this on the afternoon of the 16th of Feoveuer. It is a sunny day, as I imagine it is for you as well. [She has yet to learn about the Wilde's weird opposing seasons to within the walls.] I have been entrusted with the care of a small black dog named Cezar, as his owner, Mr. Hector, is accompanying you on this journey. Cezar has been a most energetic companions and I have enjoyed his companionship when walking through the Haven. I am currently at DiplomaTea as I write this letter and have procured tea and cookies. [The identity of the food stain is perhaps discovered.] I do not know if this letter will reach you before the end of the expedition, since it is said that you will be traveling far into the Wilde, but I hope that if it does, it will be a pleasant surprise on your journey to remind you of the city and the friend who awaits your return.
Respectfully yours,
Lissy
The letter inside is handwritten, but you'd be forgiven for thinking it was produced by a printing press at first glance. Leslie's cursive certainly isn't perfect, with enough flaws to recognize it as a human's work, but it's way neater than one might expect from a child. Each letter is a very close copy of all others like it and her lines of text are almost straight despite being written on unlined paper. One major flaw, though, is that there are a couple of faint food stains on one corner.
This is her first attempt at a letter and she's nervous about it, so it might be a little dry as she tries to imitate what little she knows about letters.]
Dear Hakunon,
I hope that you are well. I write this on the afternoon of the 16th of Feoveuer. It is a sunny day, as I imagine it is for you as well. [She has yet to learn about the Wilde's weird opposing seasons to within the walls.] I have been entrusted with the care of a small black dog named Cezar, as his owner, Mr. Hector, is accompanying you on this journey. Cezar has been a most energetic companions and I have enjoyed his companionship when walking through the Haven. I am currently at DiplomaTea as I write this letter and have procured tea and cookies. [The identity of the food stain is perhaps discovered.] I do not know if this letter will reach you before the end of the expedition, since it is said that you will be traveling far into the Wilde, but I hope that if it does, it will be a pleasant surprise on your journey to remind you of the city and the friend who awaits your return.
Respectfully yours,
Lissy
[Hakuno sends her own letter back in the same, slightly edited envelope, with the wax remelted and Hakuno's half of the friendship necklace embossed in it. The paper she writes on appears to have been torn from a notebook or journal due to the ragged edge on one side.]
Dear Lissy,
I am very well, so far. I am familiar with both Hector and his cute Cezar, and hope the two of you are having fun together. I write this letter by the campfire, as we have stopped for the night. I wish I had thought to pack cookies for myself, but I suppose I'll just enjoy them that much more when I return.
The weather isn't what I expected, but I'm enjoying myself, so far. These are some of the things I have seen so far:
[The rest of this side of the page is a collection of sketches, of trees both sickly and healthy, of odd creatures, of Cwyld-ridden flowers and freshly-cut paths.]
This was in fact a very pleasant surprise, and I can't thank you enough for it.
Please take care, until we meet again.
Your friend,
Hakunon
Dear Lissy,
I am very well, so far. I am familiar with both Hector and his cute Cezar, and hope the two of you are having fun together. I write this letter by the campfire, as we have stopped for the night. I wish I had thought to pack cookies for myself, but I suppose I'll just enjoy them that much more when I return.
The weather isn't what I expected, but I'm enjoying myself, so far. These are some of the things I have seen so far:
[The rest of this side of the page is a collection of sketches, of trees both sickly and healthy, of odd creatures, of Cwyld-ridden flowers and freshly-cut paths.]
This was in fact a very pleasant surprise, and I can't thank you enough for it.
Please take care, until we meet again.
Your friend,
Hakunon
[The seal with the friendship necklace charms Leslie very much, so her return letter is sealed similarly. There is also a blank sheet of paper in the envelope since it seems like Hakuno doesn't have as easy access to paper.]
Dear Hakunon,
Thank you very much for the illustrations. I expect that it will be a long before I might even consider entering the Wilde, so this gives me a view of a place I may never see. It is a shame that something so beautiful is doing so much harm to this world.
[Without being able to see the effect the Cwyld is having on the health of the flower, Miss Shadow Lover here thinks that the infected nature looks beautiful with the shadows draped over everything.
There's a doodle in the corner that is difficult to distinguish from an ink splotch. Unlike Leslie's very precise and practiced letters, her drawing skills might correctly show that she's drawn something maybe once or twice in her life, and that years ago. It might be possible to guess that Leslie was attempting to copy Hakuno's drawing of the infected flower if one looks at it very closely.]
It is good to hear that you are doing well. I would send cookies along with the letter if I believed that they would survive the journey.
Since you were pleased to hear from the city, I will describe my more recent activities. I spent a couple of days visiting Sir Lorenz. He is an acquaintance of the people I am living with and offered to be a friend. He has six cats at his house, who are all very cute. I continue to have fun with Cezar, though he took up a lot of my time during the visit to keep him occupied. I think some of Lorenz's cats do not appreciate his attempts to play with them.
I have still been able to spend time with all of the cats, however. The one I know the best is Claude, who was at DiplomaTea's kissing booth, but the others are also very cute. Leonie is a mother, and then there's Ignatz, Raphael, Lysithea, and Hilda.
[There are some vaguely oval blobs drawn below this, labeled with the cat names. It would be difficult to even get an idea of their relative sizes out of this, but she tried.]
It has otherwise been a quiet week. I hope that it is the same case in the Wilde. Please take care, until we meet again.
Your friend,
Lissy
Dear Hakunon,
Thank you very much for the illustrations. I expect that it will be a long before I might even consider entering the Wilde, so this gives me a view of a place I may never see. It is a shame that something so beautiful is doing so much harm to this world.
[Without being able to see the effect the Cwyld is having on the health of the flower, Miss Shadow Lover here thinks that the infected nature looks beautiful with the shadows draped over everything.
There's a doodle in the corner that is difficult to distinguish from an ink splotch. Unlike Leslie's very precise and practiced letters, her drawing skills might correctly show that she's drawn something maybe once or twice in her life, and that years ago. It might be possible to guess that Leslie was attempting to copy Hakuno's drawing of the infected flower if one looks at it very closely.]
It is good to hear that you are doing well. I would send cookies along with the letter if I believed that they would survive the journey.
Since you were pleased to hear from the city, I will describe my more recent activities. I spent a couple of days visiting Sir Lorenz. He is an acquaintance of the people I am living with and offered to be a friend. He has six cats at his house, who are all very cute. I continue to have fun with Cezar, though he took up a lot of my time during the visit to keep him occupied. I think some of Lorenz's cats do not appreciate his attempts to play with them.
I have still been able to spend time with all of the cats, however. The one I know the best is Claude, who was at DiplomaTea's kissing booth, but the others are also very cute. Leonie is a mother, and then there's Ignatz, Raphael, Lysithea, and Hilda.
[There are some vaguely oval blobs drawn below this, labeled with the cat names. It would be difficult to even get an idea of their relative sizes out of this, but she tried.]
It has otherwise been a quiet week. I hope that it is the same case in the Wilde. Please take care, until we meet again.
Your friend,
Lissy
[Leslie you are the best there ever was, and Hakuno resolves to find a new way to spoil you when she gets back.]
Dear Lissy,
In my experience, beauty and danger often go hand in hand. Your safety is very important, but I'll do what I can to share what I see with you until it's safe for you to see it on your own, some time.
[Here there's a small, doodled chain of flowers on a vine.]
Thank you for the thought; it's just as sweet as I imagine the cookies must be.
I've never had the good fortune to have a pet before, and so most of what I know about cats and dogs comes from books or stories, but famously they do tend to play at different paces, so to speak. They all sound very, very cute, though, just as you've said, and I'm very happy to hear it sounds like you're having fun with them.
I have been well in the meantime, and will do my best to be careful. Please continue to have plenty of relaxing, cute fun in my stead.
Your friend,
Hakunon
Dear Lissy,
In my experience, beauty and danger often go hand in hand. Your safety is very important, but I'll do what I can to share what I see with you until it's safe for you to see it on your own, some time.
[Here there's a small, doodled chain of flowers on a vine.]
Thank you for the thought; it's just as sweet as I imagine the cookies must be.
I've never had the good fortune to have a pet before, and so most of what I know about cats and dogs comes from books or stories, but famously they do tend to play at different paces, so to speak. They all sound very, very cute, though, just as you've said, and I'm very happy to hear it sounds like you're having fun with them.
I have been well in the meantime, and will do my best to be careful. Please continue to have plenty of relaxing, cute fun in my stead.
Your friend,
Hakunon
I hate when that happens to me — no worries, happens to the best of us!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
foundfamilies
2020-03-06 07:01 am (UTC)(link)
Dear Hakunon,
I have had that experience before, but in Æfenglōm, there are many among the mirrorbound who I expect many would consider beautiful. As an example, Lady Edelgard’s hair is as close to silk as you might imagine on a noble lady with maids at her beck and call, but if she does anything to keep it in that condition, she must do it alone, or perhaps with the help of Marquis Vestra. [The period trails off in a short, squiggly line. She’d left her pen on the paper as she giggled at the mental image of the tall, looming man with the air of a villain standing behind a seated Edelgard to brush out her hair. She feels confident that he would if Edelgard asked and wouldn’t leave out a single detail, but it’s also not the most natural appearance to go with the act.] Our hair might be of similar colour, but the difference in quality is like night and day.
[Leslie is, of course, unintentionally exaggerating (it might have been arguable back when she lived in the Sperado mansion, her hair these days after over a month of proper care her hair isn’t bad and likely has some level of protag power to it), but it is true that Edelgard’s hair is exceptional. Drawn on the page beneath the first paragraph, there is a similar ovalish shape like the kittens of the previous letter, but larger this time, as well as a separate wavy line with a circle near the end of it.]
I never had any pets before I arrived here, but I have been very fortunate to meet many here. I even live with two at the moment. Heidi is Lady Edelgard’s cat and she is very beautiful, but it is far more difficult to play with her or pet her than others I have met. She is very particular and knows what she wants. I get the feeling that she would prefer to sit quietly near me when she spends time with me than do anything even as active as petting. She seems to be very affectionate with Lady Edelgard and I have seen her on Lady Edelgard’s lap many times, even though our schedules do not overlap for a long time. The other pet belongs to Marquis Vestra and serves as his familiar. I have been told that it is venomous, so I have given it more space. It is mostly narrow and black, but it will sometimes unfurl a wider part near its head. I think it means that I am getting too close or something along those lines.
I do not know how to specifically have cute fun, but it has been very relaxing to be back in Lady Edelgard’s house. Sir Lorenz was most kind and gave me my own room for the time I was staying with him, but there is something pleasant about returning to my room here. I believe I have grown accustomed to it. Though Sir Lorenz did tell me that the room in his house would be available to me anytime I might visit and that, too, is comforting in an odd way. I will have to visit him again.
I am glad you continue to be well, but I still hope the expedition will end soon.I miss seeing It will be a relief when everyone has returned safely.
Your friend,
Lissy
[The crossed out letters have been scribbled out with enthusiasm, but some time spent squinting at it in decent light would make it possible to figure out with some patience.]
I have had that experience before, but in Æfenglōm, there are many among the mirrorbound who I expect many would consider beautiful. As an example, Lady Edelgard’s hair is as close to silk as you might imagine on a noble lady with maids at her beck and call, but if she does anything to keep it in that condition, she must do it alone, or perhaps with the help of Marquis Vestra. [The period trails off in a short, squiggly line. She’d left her pen on the paper as she giggled at the mental image of the tall, looming man with the air of a villain standing behind a seated Edelgard to brush out her hair. She feels confident that he would if Edelgard asked and wouldn’t leave out a single detail, but it’s also not the most natural appearance to go with the act.] Our hair might be of similar colour, but the difference in quality is like night and day.
[Leslie is, of course, unintentionally exaggerating (it might have been arguable back when she lived in the Sperado mansion, her hair these days after over a month of proper care her hair isn’t bad and likely has some level of protag power to it), but it is true that Edelgard’s hair is exceptional. Drawn on the page beneath the first paragraph, there is a similar ovalish shape like the kittens of the previous letter, but larger this time, as well as a separate wavy line with a circle near the end of it.]
I never had any pets before I arrived here, but I have been very fortunate to meet many here. I even live with two at the moment. Heidi is Lady Edelgard’s cat and she is very beautiful, but it is far more difficult to play with her or pet her than others I have met. She is very particular and knows what she wants. I get the feeling that she would prefer to sit quietly near me when she spends time with me than do anything even as active as petting. She seems to be very affectionate with Lady Edelgard and I have seen her on Lady Edelgard’s lap many times, even though our schedules do not overlap for a long time. The other pet belongs to Marquis Vestra and serves as his familiar. I have been told that it is venomous, so I have given it more space. It is mostly narrow and black, but it will sometimes unfurl a wider part near its head. I think it means that I am getting too close or something along those lines.
I do not know how to specifically have cute fun, but it has been very relaxing to be back in Lady Edelgard’s house. Sir Lorenz was most kind and gave me my own room for the time I was staying with him, but there is something pleasant about returning to my room here. I believe I have grown accustomed to it. Though Sir Lorenz did tell me that the room in his house would be available to me anytime I might visit and that, too, is comforting in an odd way. I will have to visit him again.
I am glad you continue to be well, but I still hope the expedition will end soon.
Your friend,
Lissy
[The crossed out letters have been scribbled out with enthusiasm, but some time spent squinting at it in decent light would make it possible to figure out with some patience.]
[Hakuno decodes the scribbles, and feels so, so much warmer for having done so.]
Dear Lissy,
I have yet to meet your Lady Edelgard or Marquis Vestra, but by your high esteem alone I can only assume the best of them. Certainly, if she resembles you at all, Lady Edelgard must be very pretty indeed. You're young, and the quality of hair is something you can fi over time, if it's something you're worried about, I promise.
I'm glad to hear you have so many friends, pet or otherwise, to keep you company in my absence. I think, from your description, Marquis Vestra's familiar is some manner of cobra or snake. I must admit, while the other people on the expedition are kind and interesting, I still miss your company very much. I am doing my very best to be careful until we meet again.
As always, I wish you the best of dreams and the best of days, until we can share them again.
Your friend,
Hakunon
[On the back of the paper is a rough but relatively clear little doodle of the two of them.]
Dear Lissy,
I have yet to meet your Lady Edelgard or Marquis Vestra, but by your high esteem alone I can only assume the best of them. Certainly, if she resembles you at all, Lady Edelgard must be very pretty indeed. You're young, and the quality of hair is something you can fi over time, if it's something you're worried about, I promise.
I'm glad to hear you have so many friends, pet or otherwise, to keep you company in my absence. I think, from your description, Marquis Vestra's familiar is some manner of cobra or snake. I must admit, while the other people on the expedition are kind and interesting, I still miss your company very much. I am doing my very best to be careful until we meet again.
As always, I wish you the best of dreams and the best of days, until we can share them again.
Your friend,
Hakunon
[On the back of the paper is a rough but relatively clear little doodle of the two of them.]
[Leslie unfortunately assumes Hakuno is just being polite when she implies that Leslie is pretty. It does make her smile, though. What a kind thing for Hakuno to say even if she surely doesn't mean it.]
Dear Hakunon,
I know that you would like Lady Edelgard if you met her. She is strong and just, the kind of person who seems like she could protect you from anything, but she is also very kind and gentle to me. And Marquis Vestra is much nicer than he looks. I have not thought about changing the quality of my hair. Before I met Lady Edelgard, I assumed affecting appearance to that degree required an investment of money and assistance that I would not expect to use on such a thing.
He did say that it was a snake. Is a cobra a kind of snake or is it different?
[Okay, the missing company part is the one that does take her time to process. She wrote her letters at a desk, but this one line required some time spent lying on the comforter, thinking about how to word it, and rolling about on the bed as she decides that some part of it is wrong. Eventually she finds one that results in less rolling around and kicking her feet to think about writing.]
I have made many friends here, but I miss the company of the first person to ask to be my friend. I hope that the expedition to the Wilde will not take much longer.
I wish the same to you. I really like the drawing.
Your friend,
Leslie
[No drawing today. She had to fight embarrassment enough to be open and honest.]
Dear Hakunon,
I know that you would like Lady Edelgard if you met her. She is strong and just, the kind of person who seems like she could protect you from anything, but she is also very kind and gentle to me. And Marquis Vestra is much nicer than he looks. I have not thought about changing the quality of my hair. Before I met Lady Edelgard, I assumed affecting appearance to that degree required an investment of money and assistance that I would not expect to use on such a thing.
He did say that it was a snake. Is a cobra a kind of snake or is it different?
[Okay, the missing company part is the one that does take her time to process. She wrote her letters at a desk, but this one line required some time spent lying on the comforter, thinking about how to word it, and rolling about on the bed as she decides that some part of it is wrong. Eventually she finds one that results in less rolling around and kicking her feet to think about writing.]
I have made many friends here, but I miss the company of the first person to ask to be my friend. I hope that the expedition to the Wilde will not take much longer.
I wish the same to you. I really like the drawing.
Your friend,
Leslie
[No drawing today. She had to fight embarrassment enough to be open and honest.]
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