Quest 291

[primrosella]

[Filtered from Known DELILAH Members | Blue's Codes | Unhackable]

Dear Father Christmas,

The first time I wrote to you was because of a curse, you know. It seems so long ago, really; that was for my first Christmas here in the City, and I'm already coming up on my fourth now. I remember I wished for all sorts of silly things then, too--for you to take the curses away, to bring me something that all the modern girls in the City would want, even to bring me a rather nice prince if you could manage it. I'm still not very good at being modern, you know, but I think I'm better at it now than I was then.

Oh, and I wished for my horse, but I think that was a bit more Sam's doing than yours, wasn't it? All the girls were wishing for horses, as I recall, but I think I'm the only one that got hers when the day at last came around.

But this year, there isn't anything I want for Christmas. I don't mind going without. I won't ask for a single thing, not to see Sam again, not for Daddy and Mother and Alexander, not for Blue or Penny or Duo or anyone else. I won't ask for horses, or princes, or anything for modern girls, or even that you do anything to make sure I'm happy when it comes around. I don't mind even that. I won't hope for a tree or a great big dinner or sleigh rides or presents or any of it, big or small. I'll go without a Christmas at all, and I won't mind it a single bit, if you'll only take away one family and reunite another in its place.

I'm terribly sorry to bother you--I think I must be cursed again. Still, I hope this letter finds you well, and that it hasn't been too much trouble, reading it.

Yours very sincerely,
Rosella


[OOC: All links are completely OOC and for reference only, and everything under the strike is fully illegible! She definitely scribbled over that one for about five minutes straight, making sure she got rid of it after she wrote it. o/]

Comments

[wandbreaker]

[He's been sleeping a lot. In Rosella's bed. Fully dressed, of course.]

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

[And it's a good thing she's so worried about him, too, because otherwise she would kick him out so fast his head would spin, but he is sad and lonely and she remembers what that's like, so she sucks it up and just sits up all night while he sleeps, instead.

But when she's done writing her letter and probably catching a quick nap, she comes looking for him.]

[wandbreaker]

[He's curled up around Lucy's magical stuffed badger and is starting to wake up when she gets there]

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

[Oh, good, just enough time to sneak into a comfortable seat on the edge of the bed and wait for him to properly come around.]

Good morning. Or, well, it's afternoon by now, but even so.

[wandbreaker]

Sorry. Didn't mean to leave you alone all morning.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

It's all right. It isn't hard to find ways to keep busy, especially with a curse out today.

[wandbreaker]

Which curse?

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Nothing too awful, fortunately. It's just one we've had before, about writing letters. So long as you keep away from your device, it shouldn't be difficult to avoid, even if you are cursed.

[wandbreaker]

I don't even know where my device is.

[Ed is sitting up now, stretching]

Lost somewhere.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

...You didn't throw it, did you?

[wandbreaker]

[There's silence. Yes. He was angry, and tired, and frustrated, and the silence was getting to him.]

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Edmund.

[She knows not to push, but she's gracefully walking that fine line between gentle and chiding.]

[wandbreaker]

I threw it off the balcony.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Well, it's better than throwing it against a wall, I suppose.

[wandbreaker]

Maybe if I stop using it I'll manage a way out, too.

[Said archly, unhappily. He catches it, what it might to do her, just a moment too late.]

I'd hate to leave you alone.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

[She does wince a little, but it's less at the implication and more at his bitterness--largely because she knows there's really nothing she can do about it.]

I know what you meant, don't worry.

[wandbreaker]

I'm sorry I keep ending up in your bed.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

I, er...I did mean to ask you about that, yes. Have you been having nightmares?

[wandbreaker]

It's been so quiet, that's all.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

I remember that feeling, yes. I had the Warehouse all to myself for quite some time, too, and I ended up asking a star to come stay with me at night, just to make it a bit more bearable.

[She slides her hand over, nudging it against his.]

It's all right. I don't mind sitting up with you.

[wandbreaker]

[It takes him a long moment to respond, and finally he clutches her hand]

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

[She gives it a squeeze in return.]

I'll go find your device in a little while, shall I?

[wandbreaker]

I'll go with you. It's not fair to make you go alone.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

[She's about to insist that fairness has nothing to do with it, and then she remembers what he'd said before--how he'd never been so long without at least one member of his family, and maybe that explains a lot more than he was originally letting on.]

I'm sure I could use your help at it, yes. Goodness knows I'm still finding myself getting lost around this house, even after the practice I've had at getting around.

[wandbreaker]

This house is impossible. Even with five of us we never really filled it.

[Harrumph. He's considering moving but at the same time he's not.]

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I almost wonder if it isn't bigger than our very castle back home. It seems as though you could have five hundred in here without much trouble at all.

I like it, though. As places in the City go, it's one of the nicer ones I've seen. More...familiar than most, I suppose.

[wandbreaker]

It's not as large as Cair Paravel was, I don't think.

[He finally gets all the way up, stretching.]

I suppose it is. Familiar.

[primrosella.livejournal.com]

[He's not going to be able to escape a hug once he's on his feet, either.]

Moreso than a place like the Warehouse, at least. I'm used to it there by now, but it's a different sort of comfortable, I think. Even when I'm perfectly at ease, I still feel a little odd in comparison.

[wandbreaker]

[He just.

Hugs her back]