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| Details |
| Author: | Athena |
| Summary: | Letters between Lathrik and Natalyah during his deployment to Pandaria covering months December to March. 3700~ words. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
December 14th, 29
Sent along with the stodgiest fruitcake that has been baked too fast with way too many fruits and nuts, and then Badlands bourbon added too quickly, resulting in a heavy, boozy, dense slodge loaf. It is technically edible. Should it be eaten? A different question.
to my most best Lathrik so handsome and the best interesting touching
youre goint to eat thigs because your so goood youre the most goodest of pladinds. pladands. pladadadadins. padaladadins. youre a good pal. you eat everything. even when the bugs dont or when i'm a horrible goose. i want to be your best goose. i would dress up so nise for you. i'm going to be the best goose ambassdor. we're goint to get in. curego will get us in. eat good.
i love you soooooo much
Natalyah
12/15/29
The letter arrives with a present; an undocumented moth encased and preserved in amber.
HAPPY WINTER VEIL.
BOUGHT THIS OFF A CREATURE KNOWN AS A GRUMMLE. CLAIMED IT CAME FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL. SAID IT ‘SMELLED OF GOOD FORTUNE.’
THAT’S NOT WHY I BOUGHT IT.
WERE YOU DRINKING? WITH WHO?
ATE THE FRUITCAKE YOU SENT.
I AM NOT A BUG.
— LHD
12/20/29
I really love the moth. It's beautiful, and once I have more money for postage of an entire packet, I'll send you the scientific details of exactly what makes it such an interesting specimen, especially for Azeroth. Pandaria's isolation has completely affected the growth and development traits of all species of life there, including the moths.
As a matter of fact, it smelled like a dozen things, only one of which I would ever describe as "good fortune," and that's because I could smell you on it for a little while. It doesn't anymore. I couldn't tell exactly which parts were yours, and I had to clean it thoroughly so I could see the moth better. So now it smells like soap.
I was drinking with Aszera. We had Cuergo Gold. It was very good, but I'm pretty sure it convinced us that we really could make that fruitcake better than my second attempt, and I'm happy to see that Cuergo was absolutely right.
Winter Veil Feast with your parents, Peril, Penny, and Harvey and Bren went perfectly. By our standards, anyway. I don't care what other people's might be. We're going to have their wedding in Pandaria now, by the way.
What do you mean you're not a bug??? Now???? WERE YOU A BUG????? What does this even mean????
[scrawled in the corner to make room for all the question marks is a heart and - Natalyah]
12/25/29
The letter arrives with a small square of windwool cloth, neatly folded.
DISREGARD BUG STATEMENT.
CLOTH IS FOR SCENT. CARRIED IT IN INNER POCKET FOR A WEEK.
HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT MOTH.
WHOSE WEDDING? HARVEY’S? BREN’S?
— LHD
12/31/29
This is terrible. I hate that you're not here and tomorrow is a new year, and I can't kiss you at midnight. I thought about not writing it at all, because then you won't know, and you won't get eaten by a Guilt Sha or a Sadness Sha or whatever. But I don't like concealing things from you, and maybe you don't like it either, how little you can know about me day to day, of what I don't tell you, because I know I don't like not knowing what you aren't telling me. I'd rather know everything. Every time you're sad or frightened or angry. I want to know you every day. I hate that I can't. When I get over there, I'm going to end the war. Or at least tell them all you should get to go home. Or give me the keys to your tent or whatever they have you in.
You better make sure you're back for Noblegarden. We have a deal.
And the wedding is for Peril, obviously. Harvey can't even marry anyone yet, because legally he's a dead body, which is ridiculous in the worst way. And Bren can't even talk to the girl he loves properly yet. She may be teaching him First Aid now at least. I assume after they reach the point where he becomes a doctor twelve years from now he will finally ask her on a date.
I love you, all day, every day,
Natalyah
1/2/30
DID NOT TELL YOU ABOUT VIRMEN. SPELLED VIRMEN, NOT VERMIN. LARGE MALFORMED RABBIT CREATURES.
ELLE FED ONE A CARROT. WOKE UP TO FOUR OF THEM IN THE TENT.
DO NOT FEED VIRMEN.
WILL FIGURE NOBLEGARDEN OUT SOMEHOW. WOULD RATHER NOT SPEND IT WITH VIRMEN. AT LEAST THEY DON’T LAY EGGS.
PERIL IS COMING TO PANDARIA? WHEN? WAS THIS PENNY’S IDEA? TELL HIM I WILL SMITE HIM BACK THROUGH THAT PORTAL.
— LHD
1/08/30
If virmen (who decided on that spelling? and why, there's absolutely no good reason for it) come into our tent, the virmen will be feeding me, Lathrik. Just think how much better it will be when I am there. Either they'll be too afraid to get anywhere near us, or we'll save so much on meat purchases. Win/win.
I will tell Peril no such thing. We're going to have a wonderful wedding in Pandaria, on the beach, in the light rain, with a rainbow. You're going to dance with me. It will be fun. You're going to have fun. Peril is going to be so happy.
If you're also lucky, I'll be wearing something that will make me look spectacularly beautiful. You'll be wearing a suit. Just don't tell Peril you've become a wealthy gentleman now responsible for the well being of several hundred pandaren who made you their liege lord, or you'll send him into a panic of prophetic visions.
Love,
Natalyah
The Scales return in the cedar box, unused.
1/12/30
WOULD TELL YOU THIS IS NOT A PLACE FOR FUN, BUT THE LOCALS WOULD DISAGREE.
THOSE DETAILS CAME STRAIGHT FROM PENNY. NO, THAT IS NOT A QUESTION.
I AM NOBODY’S LIEGE LORD.
DELIBERATELY TRYING TO SEEM UNRELIABLE. DO NOT WANT TO BE NOTICED FOR GOOD THINGS.
SCALES ARE LATE. SORRY.
— LHD
1/13/30
The [Scales of Life] are packed so full of Light they could temporarily blind a person looking at them, and smelling strongly of citronella. It takes over a week for the intensity to fully dissipate where it isn't noticeably glowing. The Light within almost seems to struggle to find a way out of the containment of the gems.
Everywhere can be a place for fun, even the absolute worst of places in all the world. It just depends on who is there with you, and what you do while you're there, even if the fun is a brief second. The world doesn't get to decide when and where Fun is allowed. We do.
I have no idea how you're going to manage not being noticed for good things. It's like asking someone to not notice that the sun is where the light comes from. You're a good person. One of the best persons in the world. Maybe you can convince them to not notice you by becoming the smelliest person in the world. But then you will have to figure out a solution for when I'm there, and no, I'm not wearing a clothespin on my nose. I have too cute of a nose.
Love,
Natalyah
Scrawled tiny at the bottom of the page. PS — If you play your cards right, you could be my liege lord for an evening or two.
1/14/30
REN HAS SMELLIEST COVERED.
IS YOUR GOAL TO BREAK THE SCALES? IT MIGHT HAPPEN. THAT OR MY SIGHT.
THE ENGINEERS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON SOMETHING FOR HANA. KEEPS THEM BUSY. DIDN’T ASK WHAT IT WAS.
HOW ABOUT FOUR EVENINGS IN A GARDEN? GOT ONE NEAR MY CURRENT LOCATION.
— LHD
1/22/30
If the scales can't handle my Light, then they deserve to break, because that means they aren't good enough to be sent as my emergency replacement. Also if they break, they're "under warranty," which means I take them back to the seller, and demand they do something about it. Fix it or get a free upgrade or whatever warranties do.
Why didn't you ask what Hana's thing was? Is it a naughty engineering thing? I could send over diagrams from Lucy if they need any ideas. I can say that they're very effective.
A garden? Really?? Are you asking to be my liege lord for several nights or my bug? Because I am not a bug. Unless you're getting those engineers to make us a pop up bed with an enclosed curtain or something, I'm not doing any bug things in a garden. I hate the ground; we're not even bowing acquaintances anymore. It's why I float everywhere.
Love,
Natalyah
1/25/30
WARRANTY IS A CONTRACT. FALLONS LIKE CONTRACTS.
ASKING THE ENGINEERS QUESTIONS IS DANGEROUS. LEARNED MY LESSON. DO NOT BELIEVE DEVICE IS NAUGHTY RELATED.
IF REN READS YOUR LETTER I WILL HAVE TO KILL HIM.
DISREGARD RE: GARDEN. BAGWORM MOTH. [A sad face is drawn here.]
STILL DREAMING OF GOLDEN VALE.
— LHD
02/01/30
I know that a warranty is a contract. I'm not uneducated, and it's not like I didn't understand what I was signing. It just had a lot of words about what they will and won't do and when and why, and I don't have a magical Fallon memory for it all. Unless you're suggesting that I bring Siamus with me to the shop next time I go. Because I'm sure he would.
Why would you even let Ren anywhere near my letters? Get Elle to make you a lock he can't pick, or better yet, something that looks like it's too easy to pick. Are you keeping them all? I haven't been writing thinking of you reading them more than once. I should try to be more clever and wonderful from here on.
I'm sorry if you really did want to do bug things in the garden. I was mostly teasing, but if you really do want it, I could reconcile with the ground for your sake. Or just keep you between me and it, like a better version of a rock and a hard place. Sorry about the rock probably digging into your back at the worst moment. I'll put a shield on you or something, if you're good.
If you start dreaming of being a liege lord in the golden vale, I'm going to burst through the portal, this is your fair warning.
In the corner is a heart, and — Natalyah of the remaining space on the page.
2/7/30
NEVER MIND RE: FALLON. HE MIGHT ENJOY IT TOO MUCH.
HAVE SAVED ALL YOUR LETTERS. YOU SENT ME A SPARE BOX FOR THE SCALES. THAT’S WHERE.
SNARLEY HIDES THE BOX SOMETIMES, BUT NEVER READS. WILL STOP HER IF SHE TRIES. REN IS TRICKIER.
I AM NOT, AND HAVE NEVER BEEN A BUG.
SAW A BOOK TITLED FOUR KINGS IN THE GOLDEN VALE. DIDN’T READ IT.
— LHD
02/14/30
The letter is accompanied by a package containing a romance novel titled "The Blue Child Over Elwynn." It has 43 notes of strips of paper containing comments, questions, concerns, and — probably more to Lathrik's interest — requests of engaging in similar actions, tucked into the pages.
You have my permission to kill Ren and smite Snarley if they get to my letters. You're very cute for having saved them all. I love you.
I have all of your letters, too. I made some into butterflies in our room.
I also can't help but notice you didn't specify that you don't want to do bug things in a garden on uncomfortable rocks, so I'll say that you are not and have never been a bug, but the future is still flexible on Love Bug Lathrik.
This was my Winter Veil present from Harvey, who reads them to cope with being away from Ralaea. I've been working on joining an anonymous letter writing book club with him. And now you can read it, too. It gets very ridiculous at times, but I want to try page 215. I wrote notes. Read them. I'd say burn my notes after you read them so no one can read them, but I think a better solution would be to burn anyone who reads them. Serves them right.
The letter is accompanied by another full sheet of paper in an unusual double letter, and the writing is slightly different, as if written under an entirely different emotion — anger for the first half, and slowing down and getting sadder with drooping letters towards the end.
You really can't let anyone see this letter, but especially not Elle, and you can't tell him anything about what I'm going to tell you. It needs to be a promise. I had to promise, too. Hana hasn't been physically harmed, but she's been dealt a horrible emotional blow. She ended up falling for a cad of a man who treated her callously and went chasing off after some noblewoman floozy. I hate him, and I'm so angry at him. It's how they are in Society though. They'll flirt and fawn and flee, one right after the other, and you can't ever believe you're special to them, because they'll just move on to the next flashy thing.
It made me think about you a lot. I still haven't really properly apologized for running so much when I did. And how maybe one of the reasons I keep thinking one day you'll do the same is that I feared it so much. I remember seeing you in the bar with that other woman, and how I hated that it wasn't me with you. I hated that you could smile and laugh with her when I was right there, and why didn't you want me. But I thought about it again because of everything with Hana, and I realized that you weren't doing either of those. That's not how you really laugh or smile. It's not how you are with me. I was the one who had the real one all along.
Sometimes I worry because it's been so many months. And you talked once about how you wouldn't do things like that because you had a need, and it wasn't being fulfilled, and I was fulfilling it. But now I'm not there. I'm not doing that. So that need is growing. I'm afraid one day you're going to hit a point, and you'll try to fill that need with someone else. You aren't cursed anymore. You're a regular person, with nothing you need to hide.
There isn't anyone else for me. What I need isn't a physical thing — it's just you.
I love you.
-Natalyah
The Scales return, again unused.
2/15/30
YOU SENT AN ACTUAL BOOK.
WILL SMITE LETTER READERS. ESPECIALLY REN.
CAN DO WHATEVER YOU LIKE IN A GARDEN ON UNCOMFORTABLE ROCKS. OR ANYWHERE. PAGE 215 EVEN.
HOW DID HANA MIX UP WITH SOCIETY? WHO IS THE CAD? WILL SMITE HIM TOO. ELLE WON’T HEAR IT FROM ME.
IF YOU RUN I WILL FOLLOW. IF NOT PHYSICALLY THEN WITH MY HEART.
AM GLAD THAT YOU CAN TELL WHAT’S REAL. [A small heart is drawn.]
I WILL BE CLEAR. BEFORE I MET YOU I THOUGHT THAT NEED WOULD NEVER BE FILLED BY ONE PERSON.
NOW I HAVE YOU. I WILL WAIT AS LONG AS IT TAKES.
— LOVE, (I AM NOT DYING) LHD
2/16/30
The [Scales of Life] are charged with the Light that simultaneously crackles, as if with rage, and emits a soft, warm glow, as if with happiness. It's a weird mix. It could only have come from Natalyah.
The reason why you can't smite the cad or tell Elle is that it's his friend, Finley Boutille of House Fallon. That's how Hana got sucked into the stupid orbit. She ended up playing at a party thrown by Count Amerith of all people. He's somehow mixed up in all this, because that man is everywhere.
She fell for Boutille; he didn't fall for her. I don't think he's completely horrible as a person. He cares a lot for his sister, obviously so. But he clearly is that sort of man with women. So, we hate him, for Hana.
There's something I'm not supposed to tell anyone, because I've been told not to by the Guard, but I don't think it should count because you are the Guard as far as I'm concerned. I guess it's meant to be a secret thing for some investigation reason. I promise I'm trying to be good and obey the rules. But, I don't like keeping a secret from you at all. Boutille was killed recently by a random woman (my guess is he flirted with the wrong girl and hell hath no fury). Isla came and got me to find him, and she was able to revive him. I wasn't. He's fine now.
I miss you so much that sometimes it hurts.
Love,
Natalyah
2/18/30
This letter arrives with a rolled bundle of bandages.
WILL PROD SOME CONTACTS FOR MORE INFORMATION, DISCREETLY.
DOES HANA KNOW ABOUT THE DEATH? IS SHE STILL INTERESTED?
CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY IF INCIDENT IS NOT ISOLATED.
YOURS, TOO. IT WOULD REASSURE ME TO HAVE HARVEY OR FRAY NEARBY IF YOU TRAIN ISLA.
ASSUME FALLONS ARE TAKING PRECAUTIONS?
BANDAGES WON’T HELP WITH YOUR PAIN, BUT HOPEFULLY THE THOUGHT REACHES YOU.
— LHD
2/28/30
The Fallons are about as paranoid as you are that this was some sort of larger thing, because Isla is now constantly accompanied by someone if she leaves the house. At this rate, I'd go to her to avoid it, but I'm more likely to run into Boutille if I did, and I don't want to. I don't need protection while we're training. We're almost always at our home when we do. The only thing we could do more with is someone who likes weeding.
And yes, fine, you got me. I did also tell Hana about it. But I had to. Even if the Guard or the King told someone to keep the fact that you were attacked and died a secret from everyone, including me, someone better break that order, because I will always want to know. For better or worse (and I will say that it is worse), Hana still cares about him. But I don't think that her connection to him is known. I didn't even know they had a thing until it was over, and neither did Aszera, and she's connected to the Fallons as well.
I'm not helpless or need men around to keep me safe. As a matter of fact, I'm perfectly capable of being someone's protection now. I can make a shield so strong that it can repel a powerful warlock's fel meteor called down directly on a target without leaving a single scratch. Yet another reason they should just let me into Pandaria already.
Love,
Natalyah
3/5/30
GOOD ON THE FALLONS.
HANA MIGHT GIVE HERSELF AWAY OUT OF CONCERN FOR BOUTILLE. WILL HAVE SOMEONE WATCH HER.
HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WITHSTANDING A POWERFUL WARLOCK’S FEL METEOR?
WE MOVED NORTH. MORE DANGEROUS HERE.
SHA AND TAUREN-LIKE CREATURES CALLED YAUNGOL.
ELLE HAS GOTTEN ANTSY.
— LHD
3/10/30
Obviously I know about the meteor because I have also been training. What did you think I've been doing all this time? I'm not sitting around knitting. I don't call myself a Scientist of the Light for fun. I'm working on a scientific approach to the Light, and all techniques therein. And before you start imagining I'm not adhering to our deal to keep me from harm, we didn't start with a meteor. And I wasn't the test subject for the first one, either.
Don't put someone on Hana without her permission. She has her own secrets and her own life. If she wants protection, that's her choice to make.
More tauren-like species? That makes three total now across three continents. That has to mean something. I wonder if anyone has any comprehensive literature on what's known about the origin of the tauren species, and its relevancy to the split of the continents. It could be that other species adaptations might have occurred in others, but not as successfully, and only the tauren based ones managed to survive through time.
I also wonder if Boutille's already told Elle about what happened. If so, that's just another reason to hate him. Hana doesn't want Elle to know because she's worried the sha will eat him if he knows things. I also don't want the sha to eat you, by the way, so make sure you're not letting them. I don't want to have to stop telling you things just so you won't let the sha munch on your soul from the Worry Sha or whatever. That's my loved soul you're keeping safe there, so you better be doing a good job until I can do it myself.
Crammed into the last corner of the page is a heart and — Natalyah, written small.
[The Scales return once again, unused and early.]
3/11/30
ARRIVED IN GOLDEN VALE. IT EXISTS.
VALE OF ETERNAL BLOSSOMS. HAS BEEN CLOSED OFF FOR 10K YEARS.
ALLIANCE IS NOW WELCOME.
GOLDEN LOTUS FACTION ALLOWED US TO SET UP IN A SHRINE. PORTALS INCOMING.
THERE ARE HORDE IN OPPOSITE SHRINE.
HAVE I MENTIONED MOGU? THERE ARE MOGU. LOOK LIKE EVIL HUMANOID STONE CATS.
WE HAVE DOWN TIME.
ELLE DISAPPEARED. HAS BEEN MISSING FOR A DAY.
IF HANA FINDS OUT SHE WILL COME OUT HERE. WOULD RATHER SHE DIDN’T.
— LHD
3/17/30
The letter arrives without the [Scales of Life] with them.
I'm on my way to the Shrine of Stars. I arrive tomorrow.
You better be yourself and not Golden Vale Cult Lathrik or something. But if you're not, I'll save you. From weird dreams or sha or mogu or yaungol or saurok or personal meteors aimed for only you. And especially from sadness and loneliness.
I love you.
— Natalyah