Letters 6-10: The Eaglet

Dear Buttercup,

I'm writing you from a ship that's just left the coast of Iraei. It's called the Eaglet.

I don't have the money f I've found work in New Ookry, and although I'm not sure about and I'm hopeful. There’s a lot of good trade down there. There’s also a lot of thieves good company. It’s promising.

I've only seen the sea once before. When I was seven, my dad took me. We spent a wole whole day on the beach, playing in the waves and chasing seagulls. That was before he died. He said we'd go. I haven’t been since.

You’ve been to the sea, right? Isn’t that where you got those seashells that your mother You told me about it.

The sea is breathtaking, the way the sun shines on it sun’s rays rfelec are reflected by the waves reflect the sun’s rays. The entire sea seems to sparkle, like diamonds. Well, I assume like diamonds, I’ve never seen diamonds before. We both know I’m too poor for that.

With all the love in the vast expanse that is this world,

Wes

Dear Buttercup,

I wrote a poem today. For the first time since I left. for the first time since your mom in a while. I thought you might like it.

This day has taken a tragic turn

Strong waves crash over bow and stern

Thunder booms

Deafens me nearly

But over the noise

I hear him clearly

‘Another day’ says Old Eiviv

‘Another day we’ll live’

The daylight peaks through velvet clouds

Each crewman around Eiviv crowds

‘Another day’ says Old Eiviv

‘Another day we’ll live’

I know it’s not my best, but I’m a little out of practice. There really was a storm. I was scared. I thought we might die. It seemed as if the sea wanted to swallow us whole. Eiviv kept us from freaking out. Eiviv is the second mate. He was in the military. Retired. Now he’s a whaler. Honestly the crew of this ship is pretty interesting. A couple of them have A lot of them have been to prison. Most of them have been in the military. Apparently the captain is only a little older than me. There’s only one woman on board, and her name’s Calypso, apparently she had asked for safe passage to some far off land, but they tossed her overboard to feed the mermaids, and our people found her and saved her. I believe she is the lover of the captain. Also there are carnivorous mermaids that feast on the flesh of sailors. Did you know that women are seen as bad luck at sea? I’m not sure why, maybe it has to do with the mermaids?

With hopes that you’ll have a future brighter than the sun itself,

Wes

Dear Buttercup,

Remember that time we went to the bakery together, and Jonas was baking, instead of Liliana, and he snuck us that cinnamon bread? Remember how it tasted like sunlight? I’ve missed fresh bread. All we have onboard is hardtack. I hate hardtack. It is one of the two things in life that I hate. I guess you know what the other thing is.

With kind regards and a wish for homemade cinnamon bread to make itself present in your future,

Wes

Dear Buttercup,

It seems I will not be reaching New Ookry anytime soon. Turns out, I have joined a crew of ghosts, led by an outlaw and a selkie. Turns out, I am indebted to them now. My plans have changed. I’ll be sailing with them for a while. It’ll be an adventure. I’ll keep writing you about it. The sunrise was pretty beautiful today. I wrote another poem about it.

I watched the Master’s piece unfold

His clouds were lined

Not in silver

But in gold

The sky was bright

The clouds were lined in gold

A gentle breeze blew through the trees

The branches swayed so

Elegant in their peace

It’s no mistake

The branches swayed in peace

The master’s painting calls to us

As the framing gathers dust

A fire is burning in my gut

Like calls to like

It calls to us

It’s funny how I think it’s funny how there’s that saying about every cloud having a silver lining, but I’ve only ever seen clouds with golden linings. Today I was thinking about that time we were on a walk through your flower gardens, I walked under one of those purple flower trees,and there was that breeze, and it covered me in pollen, and you told me I looked like a blueberry, and I didn’t believe you when you said that blueberries could be purple, but I kept arguing with you, so you dropped it, but a couple weeks later, you found fresh blueberries in market, so you dragged me down there, and bought some for me, and I admitted you were right. That was the first time I had berries. Did you know it used to be against the law for the commonfolk to eat berries? They were delicious. I think it made me jealous of you, how you could just I’m trying to see things on the brighter side. Lately, it seems like there isn’t any hope in this world, especially since I left. But then I see another sunrise, and I remember how wonderful this world is.

May your home be filled with peace for all the years to come,

Wes

Dear Buttercup,

I have run out of paper, so this is written on the wrapping paper of a bar of soap. I’m honestly not sure why I bother with these letters. I don’t expect you to respond to them. You probably shouldn’t. It’s stupid of me to think you might. Just like it was stupid of me to think we could work. Just like it was stupid of me to fall in love with you. So if you’re looking for a reason why I’m writing you, I don’t know. It’s probably a bad decision. We both know I’m fond of those, seeing as I am one.

With no more room to write this sentence becausemypaperisallgone,

Wes