“No, no, it’s nottellyou.” He shook his head and finally stopped. One more step and he might have had his nose singed. “Give you.” Andru reached into the breast pocket of his coat.
Vi watched, admittedly curious, as he produced a rumpled envelope. It was worse for wear, but the seal—the Solaris seal—was still intact. Only four people in the world were permitted to seal their envelopes with that mark.
“It is from your brother,” he said stiffly, holding it out.
Vi looked between the letter and the man, trying to choose her next words carefully. “Why did it not arrive with Jayme?”
“The decision for me to come North was rather… last minute. There was not time for more letters to be added to Jayme’s satchel.”
The story linked up, but Vi still regarded the envelope with suspicion. Even so, she took it. Regardless of how he got it, the contents were from one of her family members, and that was worth more than gold.
“Thank you for bringing it.” Vi held it in both hands, flipping it over. There was no writing on the outside. Andru continued to hover. Her eyes flicked up to his and neither moved for a long second. “Is there anything else?”
“No, well, I—”
“You are dismissed, then.” Vi gave him a smile, trying to ease away the harshness from the statement. “As you agreed, it is improper for you to be here.”
“Yes… of course.” Andru took a step away and Vi felt like she could breathe that much easier. Andru paused one final time, door halfway open. Over his shoulder, he gave her a small smile, the long bangs of his otherwise short blond hair tossed to one side. “Do enjoy your hunt tomorrow, and be careful—we wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.”
Before she could respond, the door closed.
“Finally.” Vi all but ran into her bedroom. She pulled at the lacing of her dress, slipping it off and donning a simple nightgown.
Vi sunk onto the thinly woven blanket that covered her bed.
“Now, let’s see what’s really going on,” she mumbled, placing the white box next to her on the feather mattress. Opening the top, Vi fished out the envelope marked with a golden seal of a blazing sun—the imperial signet—and her brother’s handwriting in the corner marking “from Romulin.”
She glanced at the letter Andru had given her, but decided to start with her box first, and save that for last.
Dearest Sister,
I’m sure much of what I’m about to tell you is repetitive to mother and father’s letters and Jayme’s reports to you. If you find it annoying, I’d like to remind you of your previous request for me to tell you of everything in my own words.
A small smile crossed her lips. Her brother’s handwriting was not the tight, slanted script of her father’s, nor was it the wider loops of her mother’s, but somewhere in-between. Every time she read his letters, she tried to imagine a new voice for Romulin. It was a game she’d started playing as a child, and intentionally never asked anyone who knew her brother what he sounded like so that it would be a surprise when she did finally meet him.
The Senate has decided that you are to come home, that they can wait no longer, regardless of the plague and its spread. I think the final straw was word that there was evidence of it in the North. Or perhaps it was father’s departure and the feeling that they are in dire straits without their C. Princess here in their sights.
Regardless of the reason, Mother could not be more excited to see you again, even though she just left you a few months ago. Which, speaking of, thank you for the cookies you sent. Even though they were crushed somewhat in travel (despite Mother’s best efforts), they were quite curious indeed.
Vi closed her eyes, savoring the memory of her mother’s visit the past summer. It had been postponed later than usual due to winter lingering in the mountains. But that meant her mother stayed later, and Vi remembered every tangle and curl of her mother’s hair, the soft smell of fresh eucalyptus in the perfumes she wore.
When Vi reopened her eyes, they fell back to the wordsfather’s departure, and prompted Vi to keep reading.
Mother was rather a force in demanding that the entire family be permitted to come and get you. It seems she’s finally had enough of “the Senate insisting on our separation”—her words, not mine. Though, I whole-heartedly endorse her on this. She all but made an Imperial decree on the matter. She wanted to come and get you sooner with a small contingent that could navigate the icy passes, but the Senate insisted on a full military parade—no doubt to show the North its might. They also reasoned the protection was necessary if I was to come as well. So concessions were made.
Sister, I advise you to steal the ear of the Chieftain sometime soon and warn her of this. Help her set her people’s expectations for when the army arrives. The Senate sees this as a display of strength and a necessary level of protection for the royal family being all in one place, but I worry it could strain relations.
There is enough political uncertainty right now around the White Death. The people are afraid, and a populous living in fear is an unstable one. You are possibly the singular thing that can unite the Empire, but you’ll need to play your cards right…
Vi read on, gaining as much insight as her brother could give her on the dance of politics. Several passages she had to read twice. The whole letter was nearly four pages, but not a single mention of Andru.
… and, with that, I leave you for now. This may be the last letter I ever write, since Jayme will be staying up there with you and the passages will be too frozen for safe travel in short order. No more letters will have a chance to go through before the passes thaw, and when they do I will be on them, heading to you.
Can you believe it? The last letter I will ever write you. I have only known you through the tip of a pen… and soon, I will speak to you. I imagine what you will sound like, what our conversations will be in person. I cannot wait to hear about how your birthday hunt went this year, or what mayhem you and Ellene made at the winter solstice festival.
Everything feels as though it is happening so fast, yet I cannot wait. Somehow, I already know you feel the same, my twin.
Until we meet, dear sister.
