The Realm of the Sun

The Letter and the King

A knock at the door awoke Eirainna from her reverie. The necklace she had been clutching in the palm of her hand slipped to the floor in her disconcert. The echo of silver on stone rang out quietly.

"Milady, I'm sorry to disturb you, but I thought you'd want to know...I've received a letter for you..." came the timid, muffled voice from the hall. Eirainna turned her upper body toward the door, remaining seated at her vanity.

"Una, you know very well I don't care to read any—"

"...From Lady Eilé," the voice finished, politely. Lighting up, Eirainna sprung to her feet and walked swiftly to her bedchamber door where she found Una standing before her with a weathered fold of parchment.

"Sir Aedan went down to the Leinster border for the recruits and happened to see Lady Eilé there. He says she gave this to him promptly and said she had written it right upon receiving your word, but never had the chance to find a way for it to reach Tara without compromising her family's safety. Sir Aiden said she was only being careful not to disclose her location—"

"Yes, I understand...it must be two years ago now that I sent it..." Eirainna marveled, taking the letter in her hands and sliding her fingernail under the wax seal. Carefully, she opened it and unfolded the delicate parchment as though it were a sacred doctrine. Una could hardly believe this rare exhibition of joy. The quiet, loyal maid was so happy to have brought this to her and to have broken the mundane routine. Sneaking shocked glances at her mistress all the while, Una went on with her cleaning duties. She busied herself with dusting the mantle and the ashes around the hearth. Una began adding to her own litany of housekeeping responsibilities, if not just to experience Eirainna's high spirits for longer. She realized no one in the servant's quarters would believe the princess to be capable of such enthusiasm and Una was the sole witness. Too excited to sit, Eirainna paced the room slowly as she read the letter to herself.

    Dearest Raina,

I hope this letter finds you well. I was so pleased to receive word from you. It is lovely to hear that you are well and that everyone at Tara is in good health and spirits despite everything. I am so thrilled that Cillian's finally married Lady Caoimhe and of course I am equally happy for Diarmiad and Lady Alainne—she was always such a sweet girl and as a grown woman I can say now that I envied her great beauty as a girl, though I dared not admit it. It saddens me greatly whenever I think of her and our Finnian and the life they almost had together. But I am glad that she has stayed protected at Tara and hope that she will be happy with Diarmiad. I hope Diarmiad will endeavor to deserve her! I can hardly believe Furbaide is a proper knight now—it seems only yesterday we carried him everywhere and let him win every race we'd have on those summer days in the glen. Now I suppose it is he who would have to let us win! I am also glad to hear that Sir Niall is well. I think it is just lovely that the two of you spend so much time together—it's a wonder you've never married; I always thought you'd make such a wonderful pair. Perhaps you will hate me for saying so, but now that I am far away from Connaught, you cannot reprimand me for it, so I will say as I please!

I must admit that upon hearing Sir Cian had been exiled for cowardice, I felt the smallest bit of satisfaction. But then I also felt for him, truly. Poor fellow. Who knows what any of us would do in the throes of gory battle? It's not as glorified as we make it up to be, is it? If nothing else, I certainly learned that at Tara. To see all those poor young boys in the infirmary, scarred of body and mind, was to see what war really is. Anyway I was glad to know of Cian, but to be quite honest I had nearly forgotten all about him now that I have Declan and the children. We have two beautiful daughters and a very handsome son, if you'll forgive my partiality. I hope you'll be happy to know my youngest is called 'Raina' after her aunt, of course. They are growing up so fast I can hardly stand it. As for Dec, he can't wait until his little boy is old enough to go hunting with him.