Work Text:
Dear Kaveh,
I want to go home. I am writing this on the deck of the ship headed to Fontaine, but every time I look down at the page, I feel so horribly nauseous. Staring at the horizon is my one reprieve, but regrettably, I can’t do that while I’m writing.
I’ve already thrown up more than once. That was before I came out on the deck for some fresh air. I think my fellow travelers are fed up with my seasickness. They don’t realize that I am likely more fed up with it than they are.
It feels like I’ve been traveling for months, maybe even years. When will it end? Fontaine is beautiful, I’ve heard, but it can’t be worth this much hassle. I am missing the simple pleasures of dry land.
That is all I will write for now. I fear for the remaining contents of my stomach.
Yours,
Alhaitham
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Dear Alhaitham,
The messenger bird that delivered your letter to me looked quite like how I imagine you feel: miserable and disheveled. I hope that you’re still able to adequately feed yourself on the boat despite your nausea. I think the Fontainian diplomats would be at a loss if you passed out from malnutrition during your meetings with them. Make sure you’re drinking a lot of water, too. Throwing up dehydrates you.
Things are normal here, not much to report. My most recent client seems to be a reasonable person, which I suppose is unusual. Let’s pray that they remain reasonable once I show them the draft.
I know there was something else I wanted to say… Oh, right. Mehrak misses you already. Come home quickly.
Best wishes,
Kaveh
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Dear Kaveh,
I apologize for the delay in writing to you again. Since stepping foot on land here in Fontaine, I have been quite busy, unfortunately. There’s so much that the Akademiya wants me to get done here. I barely have the space to take a breather for five minutes, much less write an entire letter. To make up for my lack of correspondence over the past week, I will make sure to make this a longer letter than my first one.
To start, I want to reassure you that I did not pass out from malnutrition or dehydration at any point in my journey (so far), and I don’t intend to, now that I’m on land and no longer nauseous. The food here is quite good, actually.
Now that I have that out of the way, I wanted to complain a bit. Since there are few people around me who are as receptive to my whining as you, writing it out in this letter will have to be enough to meet that need.
Onto the complaining:
There seem to be a number of things about Fontaine and its culture that the Akademiya had either forgotten to prepare me for or that they were simply unaware of.
For one, I’ve noticed that a lot of the people I encounter want to shake hands with me almost constantly. I meet a diplomat, they extend their hand before introducing themselves, we exchange the blandest of introductions, and they want to shake my hand again before they walk away. It doesn’t even matter how long we were talking for… I know I’m not going crazy, that cannot be normal. No more than two minutes between handshakes is absurd.
It also cannot be necessary to shake hands every time I talk to somebody. Hands are extended in my direction no matter how many times I have met the person I’m about to talk to. I am afraid that by the time I finally come home I will have rubbed off all the lines on my right hand.
Anyways, I can hear footsteps approaching the little nook I escaped to, so that probably means I have to finish up for now. Tell Mehrak that I miss her too.
Yours,
Alhaitham
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Dear Alhaitham,
I appreciate that you took time out of your very busy schedule to write to me. I certainly was not worried that your boat had capsized on the way over. Or that you had decided to forget about me and stay in Fontaine.
You are a very stressful person to love. Why I do so regardless is a mystery to me.
Please disregard all the scribbles. I ran out of letter paper, and I happen to have fallen ill recently. I will procure more once my fever subsides. In the meantime, you’ll be able to see how many times I rewrite my sentences.
Now that I think of it, I should’ve waited until I felt better to start this letter, my thoughts are all jumbled. Hopefully it’s understandable enough despite my overheating brain.
The client I mentioned in my previous letter turned out to be reasonable throughout the process, which was a great relief. They seem to be rich in both mora and common sense, which is definitely rare. They were also very patient with me during our most recent meeting, which I probably should’ve canceled due to how unwell I am was. If you decide to abandon me and move to Fontaine permanently, I definitely could ask them for a place to stay. Maybe we would both be better off that way.
I don’t know what else to write besides your absence feels like a hole in my chest. I’m sleeping in your bedroom because I Mehrak still misses you. I moved her charging port to your bedroom so she could feel closer to you.
I am
We are
She is counting down the days to your return.
Love,
Kaveh
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My dear Kaveh,
You are not very good at scribbling out your sentences. If you have a single shred of common sense left, you will heed my advice and go see a medic.
As I write this, there is another letter I wrote that is on its way to the Akademiya, detailing my work here in Fontaine so far, and informing them that my trip will be coming to an end a few days early. I have decided that whatever the Akademiya wants me to finish up here in Fontaine is less important than making sure you are not delirious for longer than is safe.
If you feel resistant to visiting a medical facility before my return, at least contact Tighnari. For my own peace of mind, do not try to weather this illness alone. I will be back as soon as I can.
Yours,
Alhaitham
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[An unsent letter written on a napkin, halfway stuck into an envelope]
Dearest Alhaitham,
Sorry about the medium. This is all the blank paper I have.
Very unwell, I miss you very much.
Come home soon. Hope to be conscious for it.
Your Kaveh