Foreign Affairs ❥ lrh

Luke - March 9, 1999

Prince Luke of La Gracía
Royal Family Personal Communications
Camellia Royal Place and Castle
Cøllette, La Gracía 000-01
La Gracía

Violet Burlington
304 Penrose St
PH #1
New York, NY 10022
USA

March 9, 1999

Dear Vi,

Just finished the article and reread your letter a couple times. It's really beautiful and you captured our history very well. Thank you for being very careful about the wording with everything in regards to Australia. It really is a nice international perspective and a breath of fresh air. My family talked about it for a long while over brunch, and they're very grateful for the exposure you've given La Gracía.

The photos Michael took for the article are lovely; Mum was so keen on the cover, she's already had it framed. I know she would love to see more of his work and the festival would be a wonderful time; he is more than welcome to join you, always. Please thank him for me, will you? - As I don't have his address.

This article and your letters have been a welcome distraction, if I'm honest. I haven't left home since I went to Whindchester with you and barely even my room. The occasional bad day is becoming a little less occasional. Valentina's cold medicine is working some days and some days it's not, so she's been in and out of sleep a lot. I've been sleeping a lot too.

We ran through a lot of Friends while she was visiting last week. Even though she probably slept through half of it, she said she liked it and that Chandler is her favorite. We finished season three a couple nights ago before she went home, so I actually did get the joke about putting Harry Potter in the freezer and it did make me laugh. But I haven't read since I last wrote.

I thought I should update you on those things. Not sure there's anything else to add. It's still snowing here. It's very cold. And I miss you an extraordinary amount.

Good to hear that your other friend has apologized for the things that happened between you. I don't know the extent of it, but I'm glad he made it up to you. I'm grateful you have Michael in the midst of the tension between your parents; I know he's very important to you.

And, Violet, hearing about your life could never bore me; you can write about anything you want. You've never overshared with me, but feel free to try, if you'd like. Such a wonderful 'imposition' it would be.

It's not too long until I see you- just nine days. Speaking of, I should tell you there's been an uptick in tourism interest here and several hotels have sold out all of their rooms for the weekend of Grazítakken Fest. I'm not sure if you had already booked something or if there will be availability by the time you get this letter, and I apologize if this is a bit too presumptuous on my part, but if you and Michael haven't already booked somewhere to stay, you would be welcome to stay at Camellia if you'd like.

Between the article and the photos from the afterparty (which I've told her were from Calum's birthday), Mum wants to meet both of you. And I don't want to rudely assume that you might be intimidated by her, but I promise that she's really sweet and welcoming. I think you two will like each other. Michael too.

Perhaps I'm being too forward. I do not mean to pressure you in any way, I just wanted to offer.

I can make it nine days. They will feel long but there are just nine of them.

Most affectionately yours,

Luke

P.S.
Just two more things before I send this off.

One: I've opened a separate mailbox with the post office under another name, so you can send letters that won't be screened. I'll write the address below.

Jack Hemmings
Attending Box #96
Veckshaus Poste Officen
Cøllette, La Gracía 000-01
La Gracía

Two: I remember how you admitted to feeling a bit vulnerable about me reading your writing. I agree, it is quite an intimate way to express and exchange thoughts and ideas. So, it only seemed fair that I share some of my own with you. It's rough and I didn't reread after I wrote it. I know it's just a page torn from a journal, but it's yours to keep if you wish.

* * * * *

can't you call in the sculptors
a shattered sky i want to live inside

with every sundown i feel alone
these hands are strangers
they're not my own
my eyes are lying to me

with every comedown
i feel alone i've nowhere to go

this simple silence is all i know
i've tried to leave
no help
i'm still trying to leave

i know it's hiding somewhere within
i'm only made up of the words i spin
all my desires are made of my arrogance

i do all this running in motion
who am i trying to find

time slips by and i'm lost in my mind
i'm searching for a miracle
will it be enough?

the lost time slips by and i'm lost to my mind
still searching for my miracle
will it be enough?

the last time, visceral thief inside
i've lost to my mind
lost to my miracle
will searching be enough?