Belinda's Letters from Barovia (and other random places in the Core)

[DM Tarokka]

*A letter written in Elven language is sent to the inn Rosebud Thorn, Levkarest, Borca*

Dear Xery,

I have come back successfully and with little effort to Vallaki and trying to move again to Village Barovia where we used to live together. The trip from Krezk to Vallaki has been uneventful and I have been able to see once again the natural beauties of this land which are so ruined by the horrors of the nights.

I have not yet decided if moving to Barovia or staying in Vallaki. The village has proven less safe than it used to be. I am keeping on jogging to and fro the two towns. I have made some new friends, I would be glad you know once you come back here again. Most of them are witches, as the Barovians call the all of us. And I must admit also that some of them are real troublemakers. Tell me if I have ever helped to raise a neuri, as they call here werecreatures, or stopped in the middle of the fight to do something else. I know I am not wholly focussed on the things I do. But when I am in danger you know I am ready to fight or flee. And this has helped me so much to avoid major issues to my perfect body.

Of course everyone still believe I am silly and stupid. True friends I'm making luckily do not agree with this. I am helping a half-vistani friend with her baby, she is pregnant. I think I have been silly to drag her to the Village with me. We are dwelling at the guest house of the head of the village. I had to pay some money for it because Yvonne, that is her name, had real issues and needed a safe place to rest for a while which possibly was not the Blood of the Vine. Undead attacks have been mentioned there. Once she has the baby and all, I am planning to try to look for an inn to manage with her here in this realm. She is an artist as well, and knows many people. And we are having some fun, while you are studying all those silly books! Yeah, I hope you find a mean to go back to Specularum, but I am losing my hopes and trying to come to terms with the fact our life is here now.

I have also a sort of bodyguard called Vianna who comes with me and protects me when in need. I am a bit sick of earning money through adventuring this is why I am planning to manage an inn. I am trying also to become a professional tailor, and many people like the dresses I sew. I will soon prepare a dress for my friend Rose, made of a special fabric. But I cannot give you further details here.

Now I have to come back to nurse Yvonne. She is going to wake up. Send me your replies at the Blue Water or at the Blood. I will dwell in one of those two places, if nothing changes. I miss you, I hope you come back soon here. Levkarest is so far. I know you are doing this for the both of us, but I cannot stay too much without you.

I love you.

Belinda.

p.s.: I am writing my play “The Cat Lady and Her Cute Slave Kittens” but I am stuck only with the costume of the protagonist. I hope I will have soon some ideas on how to proceed. I am planning also a show for guards to make them more liked by people, though they still do not know of my plans!

[DM Tarokka]

*letter in Elvish delivered to the Rosebud Inn, Levkarest, Borca*

Dear Xery,

things are going slightly better here in Barovia. Maybe I found finally the job I have been looking for so long all this time. Yesterday I showed to one of the people who manages the Broken Bell for a test. I sang one of my favourite songs, that about your sweet hair and the protection it made me feel when I was younger, and danced with my pole. Unfortunately I was a bit unlucky and it fell, but lucky enough not to have it piercing my heart. That would have been really the Broken Bel! Suzette, the madam I spoke to, was sort of enthusiast of my performance but not of my costumes. She told me I cannot ever play in there “The Cat Lady and Her Cute Slave Kittens”. Pity. She also told me I have to pretend to be her. Yes, because I need to appear more a lady than I am now. And putting efforts also in speaking better in Common language. She is teaching me also how to move politely and all, and I can assure you it is more tiring than running from Vallaki to the Village. Suzette says I am like a rough but precious stone which needs some work on.

I think this will be only a stage on my career. I am still planning to find a place of my own. I have made some friends who are willing to help me. Yvonne is nice and a bit like me. She can cook very nice things and she is going to have a baby, in spite of all the dangers she has had with me. We have spent some days together in the Village and then travelling back with a Vistani caravan. There was also Vianna with us and another guy. We had some problems with ghosts, and undeads. Luckily I am still here to tell you the tale. It all happened around Midway. A sort of undead guardian chased us not allowing us to pass the bridge to the Observatory. Yvonne panicked and fled towards the Old Inn. And in there a woman ghost cried and seemed to want to steal her baby from her belly. Vianna and me managed to drag Yvonne out from there, because she seemed sort of hypnotized. Then we were attacked but we managed to win. We were over tired and weak when another undead came to speak to us and telling us we had to leave the place. Dawn was close and we ran back to Midway. Needless to tell you I had a long and relaxing bath in the big pool.

I had some issues with werecreatures in Vallaki, but I won’t tell you more otherwise you would worry about me. I’m fine. Yvonne helped me. We were looking for an inn to lease, at night, and I was a bit distracted not to see those weres approaching us. I kept on my search with Rose. She wants to join our business but she has some different ideas about that. We’ll see, but I guess that I need as many people as possible to help. And at the moment I can consider Rose as close a friend as Yvonne and Vianna. This last one by now is acting like my bodyguard and I feel safe when I am with her.

Ah. There is a guard who is maybe courting me, I will soon tell him I’m married. He has been very mean to me a couple of times, but eventually he’s proving very kind offering me drinks –I am still drinking only water, do not worry!- and even a cover under his umbrella. It is becoming colder here. The first snow is falling. And I cannot help stop thinking about the fun we used to have in these very places covered in that sweet white snow. I miss you.

Write me soon, Xery. You can find me at the Broken Bell or at the Lady’s Resting in Vallaki. I’m going less and less to the Village.

BYES!

Belinda.

p.s.: a guy in the secret place questioned me but I proved myself worthy. I hope I can improve further.

[DM Tarokka]

A letter written in Elvish is enveloped but not sent. Broken Bell Inn, Vallaki, Barovia.

Dear Xery,

I suppose I will not send you this letter because I feel so guilty for what I have done so far. Things have not been easy here in this Realm and I have not had any news from you, not a reply, not even a guess about where you are now. I imagine you are studying your beloved books, finding a way to come back to Specularum, but in some moments I think about the turmoil of heart and soul which shattered me and made me behave not as I used to. I have a lover. It all happened in a very random way, and I felt dragged in it, but I am sure I was not unwilling. I feel alone here. And I am scared by people, but she is giving me a sort of reason to live since I feel like I am protecting her and teaching her how to survive properly in this cruel world. I do not think honestly you are deep in thought in your studies. Or if you are it means they are more important than me, as when you used to take me to study werebeasts, vampires and all those horrible creature which haunt the lands here. I was scared every time, and I cried a lot, if you remember. Yet I wanted to stay with you and followed. I used to love you, and I love you still and I miss you. But my feeling now is that what has been left is your teachings on how to deal with those creatures you used to study. You told me once if I ever found someone better than you I would have been free to go. I am still waiting for you, but I feel alone. Do not blame me for this.

I see and witness pain and joy around me all the day, trying to skip the former and to enjoy the latter. I have joined a marriage party between mister Corvin, a very handsome guy, and miss Mariska. I played with Yvonne for them and during the party mister Kane –I am sure you remember him- asked to Nara to be his wife. It was so romantic! And Yvonne was still with her baby, Kiddo as I call him, and there was a cute fey celebrating the marriage and an odd other girl. It was so happy as atmosphere. But then, the father of Kiddo came and took him away from Yvonne, for their sake he said, and now I am with her, since she is like me, sort of alone facing the pain. I like her. She makes me act so freely, she does not judge me ever and repeats me to follow my heart. And I am doing that. During her Lunatio we had a lot of fun also with Dribo, maybe you remember her too. The problem is I felt so embarrassed when I met her wife, a tiny cute hin acting as if she were a kitten. She reminded me of you and our games.

After all the pain also Rose seems to be better. She is pregnant. Mister Vasten clearly found a way to avoid that big problem I can’t speak you about. I am happy there is all this happiness around, and new generations to make things maybe go better than they are now. Maybe also Vianna will find soon some new companion since her husband is not here and I guess she is doomed, like everyone else, to be stuck in Barovia. Yet it is not all playful here. Werebeasts are becoming day after day braver and they have been attacking in mass lately. I have been attacked as well many times, but you remember how I am able to avoid, to skip, to dodge and to run. I guess I have become even faster now at running, with some tricks. A vampire is said to have been destroyed: he used to attack people inside the Lady’s Resting and that was not nice, he tried to kidnap Rose and Vianna several times so I am happy heroes have got rid of him. Yet, as you told me, I am not so sure he is gone forever, they are sort of immortal, are not they? As a matter of fact he has not been seen so far.

Bad things are not happening only for supernatural matters. A traitor has been caught. It was the guard who seemed to like me and who annoyed Yvonne and Rose, for silly hood checking. It seems he was a spy of rebels here. He has been left in the outskirts to be devoured by the howlers of the night. I felt sorry for him, but I did not show it because people would have thought I was a rebel too. And actually I do not care as much about the political problems here. I know I should care if I really want to go on with my project about the inn. I am still looking for a right and affordable place. If you ever come back here again we will live there. If you still love me. If you are able to forgive me.

I have no more to tell and I do not know if I will ever send you this letter. Remember I still love you.

Bel.

[DM Tarokka]

A letter written in Elvish, enveloped and again not sent. Blood O' the Vine, Village of Barovia, Barovia.

Dear Xery,

It is almost spring here in Barovia, and I guess there in Levkarest the weather is better. If you still are there. I am avoiding to send you any letter, and I am keeping stored those I am writing because I have no clue about where you are and what has happened to you. I came here towards the end of last summer, and two seasons have passed without any news coming from you. I feel now like all other Outlanders who have left their beloved ones beyond the mists. I used to have you at my side, and now you are no more.

I am having a lot of fun with my new friend Yvonne. I guess I love her as almost as I used to love you. I still love you but I feel I have lost you for good and I do not have any guess on how to find you again. Yet things are not pacing as in a flowery road, since we have recently argued. I am keeping on her training. She says odd things about some shadowy world, I think it is some witchery I am not aware of, since I am an unprofessional witch by the way. It is not for that we argued. We had helped some heroes in stopping a bit an undead invasion at the Village, and we thought to go back to Vallaki for some business. We had also a very nice show, with dancing and acrobatics and songs and music at the Blood O’ the Vine. We were so relaxed. And we “made passion” as she is used to say in some nice places. Yet a meeting made us argue. With a werecreature.

I had never realized fully up to that moment, that some werecreature could be a human being. We met this guy shortly before the sunset. He begged us to leave, because he was dangerous. He was sick and I left him a potion and I persuaded Yvonne to step away. We were close to Midway so a safer place was very close. Yet, we witnessed his transformation in that horrible creature. Yvonne wanted to go back. I told her he was not mean, he did not mean to attack us and maybe he was feasting with ogres and had gone there on purpose. But Yvonne wanted to kill him. She wanted –me- to kill him. I sighed and followed her, but again I could notice a strange behaviour of the creature. He was not attacking us, in fact he was fleeing from us. Yvonne was angry with him because her husband was devoured by werecreatures. And with me because I did not want to face him. She got close to curse him, she said at least she would have done that. And he attacked her. I defended her and the beast fled away again. I did not chase. Yvonne slapped me, called me a coward. And I lost her tracks, the last one I saw were towards Vallaki.

I needed to sleep and think, but I ended only crying. She hates me now. She does not like me anymore. I have looked for her in Vallaki and I did not find her. So I came here in the tower to have a bath and to relax. I needed also a scroll for the secret place. A guy accompanied me. Aleyi is his name. He is working for me for some deliveries of herbs. He is a bit strange. I guess he likes me, or maybe he has realized I am pretty rich and can be employed regularly by me. Once I will manage a place by myself, and hopefully with Yvonne if she is able to forgive me, he might be one of our first employed. He is rather good at food gathering.

Now I end this letter. I guess I will have a bath again, my tears will mix with the water of the warm pool. I miss you. I miss you also Yvonne. I hope you are fine, Xery, with or without me.

Bel.

[DM Tarokka]

A letter is enveloped, together with some others, and given to Aleyi to be delivered in Levkarest, Borca. The text is written in Elvish. Midway Haven, Barovia.

Dear Xery,

I am sending you all these letters through a friend, hoping he will manage to find you. Many things will make you suffer, I already know that, but I cannot keep secrets with you. And by the way it is you that are making me worry and wonder about what happened to you since, by now, summer is near and a whole year has just passed with no news about you.

I found myself again in a Lunatio with Yvonne and with Rell, the cat-hin-wife of Dribo. I guess I went there to fix things since I felt like I had betrayed someone. Maybe I betrayed only myself. Yvonne promised me not to involve me again in those odd things. I confess I liked it, but still I feel guilty. She told me lately she wants only two lovers. I am happy with this. I will have only two as well, one being you. You know I am not an expert on those things and I have the feeling sometimes I am simply dragged in situations. But I know when I feel love. And I love Yvonne.

Yvonne is behaving like you recently, looking for dangers. She is in a sort of training to win her fears, she says. I am trying to do what I can to help her in this, maybe I will win some of my fears as well, though some of them are too strong in my opinion. We have spent many days together so far and we are trying to attract people at the Blood O’ The Vine in the Village. For shows. We are such a nice and good pair at making shows. Unfortunately we are also in some complicated matter.

I am sure you remember Rose, I wrote about her. She is pregnant. But her friend Atlantia seems to be in love with her future husband, Vasten. And I recently discovered she is pregnant as well. Yvonne persuaded me to swear with a blood oath to help them with their children. We are sort of following what a Vistani Madame told to Rose, to better help her. Something dealing with a raven, or a crow, I was not really that attentive, I was more focussed on her gestures and dresses. I like their style yes. I will help but I feel really uncomfortable because Atlantia is a trouble-searcher. She wanted to leave for Vallaki during night. And she died. I heard a story about Morninglordians and Ezrite told by Jack, a sort of performer recently entered in the Cult of the Morninglord. He said that Ezrite do not help who dies foolishly, Morninglordians do that. I guess the former are wiser, maybe not that –good- but they dissuade people to chase dangers pointlessly. Until the former, instead, will go on having people like their “mystic” in their ranks they are doomed to attract on them more dangers and troubles than the ones they are able to defeat. But as you know I am not good at religious themes and maybe I am wrong on all the line. And if they agree on my idea of the play about the life of the Morninglord, I will not worry about other things. Shows make life sweeter like cherries and honey.

Aleyi and Vianna are proving two faithful guards. I feel safe when I am with them, though the guy –whom we have lately persuaded to wear some dark amethyst clothes to be more elegant- sometimes can become annoying. As if I were not able to behave myself. But I guess his intentions are good. And I trust him, this is why it is him I am sending to look for you. I am also helping him in his training though sometimes I feel I take him in too dangerous places. We met the cute lady and he died. I am so used to rescue people and at the end I managed to save him. But I am always scared not to manage. I have not met Vianna for a while, but last time I saw her she had really improved at her fighting skills. The three of us managed to run out some crypts which were oddly haunted. And no one of us ended cursed, sick or without arms or legs. Maybe we were lucky. Maybe we were good. Yet I do not feel a hero and I am simply glad to be alive and healthy.

I want only to know if you are fine as well. If you have found something better than Belinda, be happy. I will find a way by myself. I have already found Yvonne. She needs my help. And she is helping me with her love. We had a pixie game like those we used to play. I had a lot of fun. Yet, when she went to sleep I was also a bit sad. She is sad too because she misses Kiddo and her man. He did not come for her Lunatio. She told me maybe she will move where he lives. I guess I will follow, she asked me. Maybe that place is better than the realm of Barovia and less dangerous than Borca and I can express myself. I attempted a puppet show at the Lady’s Resting but I did not receive really great cheers for that. It was a story entitled “Is Worthy Having Golden Hair?” and dealt with a golden hair sheep which is killed by a cute girl who wanted to make jewels with it. Then Yvonne sang a song about a lady fallen in love with a fey. She spoke about me! She thinks I have fallen for Calor, but I only find him cute. I guess I will avoid Yvonne’s Lunatio if she is not alone next time. I would like to see that new place soon.

I would like to see you soon, but I have the feeling it will not happen. I miss you. But I am looking at my future now. And with or without you my life I must live.

I love you still, Xery.

Bel.

[DM Tarokka]

*A letter is written again in Elvish, folded, enveloped, and not sent*

Blue Water Inn, Vallaki, Barovia.

Dear Xery,

you are missing many nice things happening here. It seems to be a happy period, because there are lots of babies being born and many marriages too. I have just got back from the one between Kane and Nara. Do you remember Kane? I guess you do. I was delighted to be asked to play for them, and I did it for all the duration of the ceremony. There was again the cute elf celebrating it. Calor is his name if I have not told you in some other letter. His words in Elvish were so moving, I was about to cry. Aleyi did not seem happy. He is often nervous lately. He is overprotective to me as if I were not able to defend myself. He did not seem happy even at seeing Maegan's son. His name being Xander. I gave him a top and he was so nice at playing with it. I am really happy at seeing life winning somehow on the bad things.

Yet, as usual, it is not a bed of roses here. Yvonne is very sad because she misses her lover and her Kiddo son. I can understand her because I guess she misses them more than I miss you. I am trying to do my best to make her feel better, sometimes I manage, sometimes I do not. We are going on with our plan but things seem day by day hard in finding a place and money to lease it. We still need to put many of our efforts in adventuring to earn fangs. And we run in some risks. I died lately. Yvonne and Rose saved me. Also for Rose life seems to get better, but she is always so problematic.

I have not seen Vianna for some time, I guess I will be looking for her. I knew another girl, slightly mad at first. Then I realized she was moved only by anger and desperation. She is alone. She is an Outlander of course, but she has been here far longer than us. She seems to have lost any pleasure at living at all, and wanted to use me as a bait to attract monsters. Of course I did not accept. She begged my pardon and I guess now I will try to make her feel better. I guess it is the thing I manage better. Apart from dancing. Dancing with wolves.

I miss you.

Bel.

[DM Tarokka]

A letter in Elvish, enveloped and not sent, again. Broken Bell Inn, Vallaki, Barovia.

Dear Xery,

many things have happened in the last days and I am still trying to recollect myself from the unusual stress I have been through. Yvonne and I had already decided to move to the Village, where also you and me used to live long ago, but of course we had some business going on in Vallaki as well. I am not speaking of dreadful horrors here. Guards treated us badly. In the temple. They stripped the cloak off Yvonne, and spitted on it. And the Morninglordians did nothing to stop them from being so harsh and the lady there began even providing them names of people to be imprisoned. We were sick at all that. We decided to move away from Vallaki and going to live at the Village as I told you. Yet we were assaulted by a little Barovian boy, throwing at us stones and yelling at us if we had reacted the guards would have defended him and imprisoned us. For sure he will become a good Vallaki guard: throwing stones at werecreatures, missing them as he missed us everytime, and being eaten by them. I am sorry, I know I have become mean. But you know me, I learnt my lesson pretty well and I never gave troubles to guards, yet they were mean to me for no reason at all. If we exclude I am from Karameikos, an Outlander.

Yvonne got this worse than me. She cursed Vallaki, more and more times. I shivered at her dreadful notes, because she did that by singing and she has a nice voice, suddenly  becoming so nastily beautiful and scary. She does not want to deal with Morninglordians anymore, nor with the town. We have a regular job now at the Blood O’ The Vine but I have the feeling this is a temporary thing again. Sooner or later Barovian racism will come on us even in that nice and tiny village. She does not want to be in need of help of priests for healing so we have been looking for scrolls to be self-sufficient. Needless to say our quest has proved hard, because potions and scrolls cost much more than priests in churches. I feel well protected with Aleyi and Vianna going often with us around. Yet, I had the need of a professional healer for Yvonne once, after my horrible nightmare.

*some tears seem to have fallen in this part of the letter*

You were dead. I was crying close to your tomb, but you spoke to me and blamed me to have forgotten you. And nearby there was a bed, with lots of roses on it. And some feet over there was Yvonne and her lover Armand and a cradle with little Kiddo in it. And while you were blaming me for loving her, she made love to him and seemed happy. I was desperate. Then they disappeared and you went out from the tomb, but you were odd, looking at me with accusing eyes. I tried to kiss you and you suddenly faded away, launching me your last accusations about my being unloyal to your love. And finally it all disappeared and a lot of werecreatures appeared around me, and I was naked and helpless, unable even to run, and they hit me more and more times. I cried for help and no help came. It is when I woke up. In that tower where our gods Halav, Petra and Zichev are. I thought it was a dream but I had in my hands a purple rose I got from your tomb. I panicked and ran. And I found Yvonne’s lifeless body.

*again some drops wet this side of the letter*

I managed to fix it. But I needed to go to Vallaki again. And Yvonne cursed the town again. And guards accused us of being evil witches. I broke down. This had been too much for me. We found shelter at the Vistani camp. We are waiting to be received by the Madame. I want her to explain my dream. It is time for a change. I have never felt so badly so far, since the time my father told me I was unworthy. Aleyi left for Levkarest yesterday. I hope he finds you and that you are alive and safe. I miss you and I hope you come to pay a visit to me in my dreams again, but not like –that- dream.

I will always love you in spite of everything.

Bel.

[DM Tarokka]

*A letter written in Elvish, never sent, never delivered*

Refuge of the Fifth Light, Vallaki, Barovia.

Dear Xery,

It has been a long time since I got ink and quill and paper in order to write to you. Winter is harsh here and hopefully spring will come soon. That does mean, though, that it will be two years I have no news of you. I have met you only in my dreams, sometimes they were nice, sometimes they were not. I have not forgotten you, but I am going on with my life, because I cannot spend the hundred and fifty years before dying of age in despair. Yet my hope is still strong about you coming back to me and love me again as you used to. I sent Aleyi to look for you, but I have no news from him either. Borca seems meaner than Barovia if it makes disappear people so all of a sudden.

A friend has died some months ago. She was nice to me. Yet Barovians are not nice and even Outlanders seem to become like them in a sort of challenge of who is meaner. Nevertheless good people still hope and look to the future. Rose gave finally birth to a nice daughter. Her name is Alice and I am proud to tell you Rose asked me to be her godmother. I am so happy of that, I know it’s a great responsibility, but you know how much I am good at dealing with children. I made happy more and more times the children at the orphanage delivering them some honey, cakes and toys. I promised them to make a puppet show, but I am still with too few dolls to play an elaborated show. The crafter is spending too much time at making them. And once Yvonne and me risked our lives to go gathering dolls at that abandoned farm I am sure you remember. A ghost child pleaded for our help, but hordes of undead came on us and an evil witch almost killed us if it was not for mister Corvin who saved us. Then he lost his memory and I tried to help, but this is a story which maybe does not interest you. Luckily he is fine now and happily with his wife Mariska.

I helped Yvonne with some lines, and with a proper writing, for a play to be performed at the Broken Bell. It is about seasons and love. Re-reading it I have the impression it almost speaks of us. A love dies, a new love comes. Where are you, Xery?

*tear drops have fallen on this page*

I have had many issues here. I am not sure Barovia is safer than Borca. I have had issues with Morninglordians, with Guards and with vampires. Yes those vampires you liked to study so much. They cheated me. They invited me and few others in a nice castle, maybe you remember it, the boyar’s one western of Vallaki. And after that I found myself stripped naked with two vampires feeding on my poor belly and wrists.

*the writing here seems clearly trembling and unsure*

I managed to flee from them, they wanted to abuse of me. I kicked them and resisted their efforts to enchant me again and jumped through a window and then off the wall of the keep. Unfortunately I broke my leg. Broken Bel, finally, as a prophecy fulfilled.

*more tear drops*

Now the church of Ezra is protecting me if they eventually come to look for me again. I have found my faith, Xery. Ezra came into the Mists to save people. Maybe it is my duty as well, I have come through the Mists from Specularum to help people. Maybe my role in the Grand Scheme is to make people happy with my art and my constant quest for Beauty. Truth is beauty, beauty is truth this is all we know on earth and all we need to know. And Ezra is for sure a beautiful goddess. I have never been religious, you know that, but in these grim and dark times I found relief in it.

In spite of all I am trying to be nice to everyone, yet sometimes I yell to mean people. But I do not think I can curse them like Yvonne does. She is so beautiful yet she hides a dark side which sometimes scares me. But you hid that as well and that never stopped me loving you. And I love her. We are planning to leave for another country soon. Here life is becoming too hard for us. We should go to a place called Dementlieu, I have searched in the maps and it is pretty far from Barovia. But there is the sea and men wear wigs, and magic is rather accepted. They even use it to make shows. They like shows in that place and good cuisine. It seems the perfect place where living. We should leave for Port-au-Lucine with Armand, Yvonne’s lover and father of her Kiddo, either with Ezrites in pilgrimage. I only hope it is soon. Maybe in spring when weather will be less harsh. Sister Nell says I should be baptized. I guess I will do it soon.

*trembling writing again*

I hope you can reach us there. It seems a place fit for you too. I miss you. I have lost you with no fault. I have not replaced you, I still think about you every day. And I pray for your soul to be blessed by Ezra as well. I hope you can find your faith there in Levkarest as well. There is the huge cathedral there. But I do not even know if you are still there.

*some drawings of a Vistani vardo, a campfire, and people dancing and playing instruments*

This is the scenery of the play we are going to perform. Luckily my leg has been fixed with a good and long rest and with some magic healings. Mister Mykel and Miss Suzette still have to give us the response about our script. I hope it can be our way to a well deserved success. And I hope all the friends I am making will be able to come and watch us.

*some blank space:

The guard Michael has been nice to me. He worried about me. He went after the vampires but some of his friends have had problems I cannot speak about. I hope it all fixes soon. I always feel guilty when people worry and risk about me. This is why I always try to be autonomous. And by first strategy in danger is running. I was worried that my broken leg would have not allowed me to dance and run again, but luckily Ezra bless saved me. I am more and more persuaded my role is to make good things through my art. And Yvonne will help me in this. I love her. I love you. I miss you.

*tear drops again*

I guess I need to say you goodbye for now. I will let you know when I leave for Dementlieu. I miss you. Wherever you are our souls are linked and I know you are anyway with me and me with you.

Love you.

Bel.

[DM Tarokka]

Belinda packs her letters, and in a rush writes something on a paper, which is left on Yvonne's bed. Broken Bell Theatre, Vallaki, Barovia.

Both half breed, both worshippers of Beauty,
Entering on a stage, we make it shine;
Living by heart, each other’s sake the only duty,
In the passing of seasons, a love that can’t decline.
Nothing can change this, we’re ready to fight,
Destined to be happy, to live and love, to be free
As the fertile spring winds, as stars in the night,
And lucky will be those willing and able us to see.
Yesterday  will not be forgotten but won’t stop us,
Vengeance is what you seek, I look for happiness;
On tomorrow I rely all my hopes and thus
Nothing can be forgotten but I praise forgiveness.
Never ending rhymes can’t express all that I feel,
Eternal hearts are what nobody can ever from us steal.

Then finally goes to rest as well, tired and scared.

[DM Tarokka]

*Belinda unpacks her letters, and starts writing again, after a long time*

Refuge of the Fifth Light, Vallaki, Barovia.

Dear Xery, dear Yvonne.


So I’ve come back. Well, uhm. I was getting too fat there in Port-à-Lucine. And I missed my friends here in Barovia, they never came to visit me. Oh no, er. Sometimes they came actually. This land made me suffer a lot. But it’s also the land where I found my faith. I’m jogging a lot now. And at night in holy grounds as Sister Nell ordered me. I gave away all the sweets I had taken with me to Rose. She was nice and cute as always. And I met also Rane. And Nara. And Mariska and Corvin. Old friends! But also uhm er… bad news. It seems Jack is dead and his daughter, the mute one, do you remember her? Well erm, she is studying now in some college.

I’ve been at a wedding. That big meanie of Hob with Sil. But it was nice. And I felt soooooo emotional all the time. Pity that big meanie didn’t allow me to sing and play for the celebration. It was at the same place where Nara and Kane married.

*A tear drop seems to have fallen in this spot*

Logan told me you died, Yvonne. For good. No more. No more. I was scared about you. You were no more what you used to be after the trial. And then your death. I was going mad at that time and tried to deep myself in the work at the Broken Bell. And eventually also that went completely mad and I fled. As I was used to do when younger, fleeing from problems. I’m sure now you’re embraced in Ezra’s Grace, because you’ve been freed by Logan and Nell. I pray every night for your soul. And I pray every night for you too Xery, wherever you are.

*The language here suddenly is changed into a fluent Elven*

I am still scared of this place. But there is always something good which can be done. I will help Vasten and Rose with their children. I will help all of my friends. Ezra is always at my side, I can feel that. Maybe soon I will leave again. Or maybe sooner or later we will meet in Ezra’s Heaven all the three together.

*Languages switches again in Common*

It’s almost dawn now. Going to JOG!

LATER!

Bel.

[DM Tarokka]

*In the loliness of the Ezra's Rectory, Belinda starts writing in Common language, quickly, with no second thought*

Rectory of Ezra, Vallaki, Barovia.

Dear Yvonne and dear Xery,

now I invert the order so no one gets offense! Heya! I’m making new friends here in Vallaki, and not only with the Ezra people. I met Matt and Zack who have been very kind to me all the time and uhm, going to eat cakes. There was also Lomong. Making new friends YAY! HA! I remembered to fetch some cakes to the children of the orphanage. They were not anymore the same ones, of course, but the ladies in there remembered who I was. I’m happy to make people happy!

But things are grim here, as usual. This place always is. I had my glimpses of happiness but it has been always just illusion. It seems there are issues in the Church. Heretics and stuff. Though I was planning to become a templar I don’t want to deal with those things. I’m too scared. And I’ve heard again bad news about the Keep. Where they almost had my body, my life and my soul. And Ezra saved me.

Erm. No bad mood. Not yet nuh uh. I met Vasten. He seemed in shape. Uhm and nuh uh I didn’t allow him to touch my elbow and making me preggy! And Erik. He’s a nice Ezrite. He comes from that place where they invent thingies like electric gui-tars despite-someone-told-me-they-exist-just-in-my-dreams!

I haven’t met Nell yet, but she should be okay. Torret Deneve seems disappeared but I’m shouting at the face of everyone stating she’s dead. She’s not. I know!

HA! I met Grielys, a guy who comes from Specularum as us, Xery! I felt sooooo homesick at speaking with him. And he knew who Emilio is! Do you remember Emilio? The fat actor guy who taught me some basics and for whom I used to play the child role in shows. I want almost to cry right now, but nuh uh. I won’t!

I am jogging a lot again. So I’m losing those pounds I had put all on my hips. And then uhm I would not be as cute as I am, right? So…. training and running all the time BUT at night. I know maybe they’ve forgotten about me but I still remember how the nights are in Barovia. And never pissing Garda off as Kane told me the first time I met him. I met Nara. Ah, I think I already told you. Uhm…

Well then, like. Going to make some puppet show soon. People asked me. I want to know more people so that when I come back to Port-à-Lucine they’ll come to visit me! And to watch my shows. I miss the sea-breeze. And seafood. And salmon. And caviar. And cream. And coffee. Ykes! I’m hungry now! Going to eat!

SEE YOU SOON!

Bel.

[DM Tarokka]

Blue Water Inn, Vallaki, Barovia.

Dear Xery, Dear Yvonne,


HEYA! Uhm, I still miss you both and people with whom I talk about all the time can confirm I’m actually still reminding you to everyone. This makes me sad but somehow I’m sure you’re both happy wherever you are. And you’re both still in my heart.

I’ve a new friend! Her name’s Lilith and she’s cute and smart like you Xery! And like you she has her moments of being a big meanie, but then she becomes nice and covers me with compliments. I feel so-oh flattered but you both know I LIKE THAT! I want her to meet Armand so maybe in future she can help me with my work. She has lots of ideas and it seems in the place where she comes from, which is by the way even meanier than Barovia according to HER words, she used to help people with arts. But she seems also a bit lost. I’m helping! I’ve introduced her to all my Ezra friends.

I met Nell again! Ah uhm, maybe I already told you. And Erik, and Falon, and Card, and Vasten. We had a nice dinner all together at the Blue Water. I ate tons of cake! Lilith and Vasten gave me part of theirs. YAY! Uhm. I’m becoming toooooo fond of these cakes. I had almost forgotten how Mariska’s cakes could be so-oh good.

*Long pause, the writing begins again in a fluent Elvish*

It was not all good in the meeting with Ezrites. It seems there is a serious heresy going around and dealing with the Keep where once I risked to lose my innocence, that very place from where all my troubles in Barovia began. There are Lilindi and the Inquisitor Veritas particularly concerned about that. I am scared because that place still makes me shiver and cry when I think about it too much. And thinking that Yvonne’s grave was built there makes me go really mad.

I am sure, nevertheless, that Ezra will guide my companions and the evil which roams in that place will be destroyed sooner or later. Sometimes I think as the fellows of the sect I was baptized in. Other times I like thinking of myself as a quiet scholar as the Dementlieuse ones. Other times I feel I’m like Nell and the Pure Hearts. All this speaking about heresies and the talks I’ve been having with Lilith made me wonder about my affiliation to the Church. My faith is strong, and you both know that. I think I should do something more for Ezra, but I still don’t know what.

*Another pause*

MON DIEU! Dinner’s ready! Bon appetite! Need to go. BYES!

Bel.

P.S.: I love you both with all my heart, my soul, my body and all myself.

[DM Tarokka]

Rectory of Ezra, Vallaki, Barovia.

Dear Yvonne AND Xery,

things here are going pretty as usual. Not really actually uhm....

*The writing turns into an elegant handwritten Elvish*

In my family of Ezrites things are not going so fine as I expected or hoped. Besides the disappearance of Toret Deneve and all the things I have already told you about the Keep, people seems to be arguing all the time and for the more random reasons. Falon and Logan have split. He gave his reasons, I will hear hers. Vasten told me to do so. That he had tried to help them as well and for a while it worked, then it all went worse and worse. Lilindi is showing a naughty attitude to everyone, even my friend Lilith was not amused at how she had treated her. In the moment of supreme celebration of the investiture of Card as a templar, she started suggesting he might be a Neuri. It was not nice. It should have been a moment of happiness. I witnessed all the ceremony. It was scary and fantastic. I felt emotional. The last thing I thought was to go to Card and hint he was not worthy.

I am helping everyone I can. The Home Faith states I should not help heathens. I want just to feel happy and feel the happiness in others as well.

Sometimes I wonder what would have been of my life if one, at least one, of you were still with me, besides me. I feel lonely sometimes. I feel like I am paying already my being half-breed right now. Doomed to die before my elf friends, and to survive to my human friends.

*A tear has clearly dropped in this spot*

I have asked Lilith to come to your tomb, Yvonne. I know Armand has had one new built in Port, but that is the one in which the first time you were buried. And from where the Stealer of Breath stole it. The last time I went there was with Nell, and you know I feel always safe beside her. The first time I went sneaky and invisible despite the laws of that place. This time I will be brave. I will take you some little surprises to make you happy.

If only I knew where you are, Xery, I would send gifts also to you. I’ve stopped writing you letters sent to Levkarest. I know you are not there. Or if you are you do not care about me anymore. I hope actually you have found a way to come back to Specularum. And maybe one day you will come back to get me along. I do not miss home. I would miss it if I knew you are there. I miss you.

*Another tear drop, language switches to Common again*

Better if uhm, I try to get a nap. I’ve run out of erm chamomile so it’s harder for me to really sleep. But, nuh uh, somehow I’ll manage.

See you soon, yes?

Bel.

[DM Tarokka]

Rectory of Ezra, Vallaki, Barovia.

Dear Yvonne,

I uhm apologize because I haven’t erm yet come to visit your tomb. Fact is I had something to do. Important. My friend Lilith is being stupid and stubborn and sometimes I erm have almost the feeling she was born here in Barovia. I don’t want to come alone there so erm I need her to be okay. She doesn’t want me to use my tricks. Nor my scrollies. Not anythingie. Not even the heals and I have some bad moments to force her to drink potions. She’s scared by magics. She has bad dreams about that, I didn’t tell that to Logan who asked me. She used to be a mage at her place, of the scholarly type... AH!

DEAR XERY, SORRRRRRRRIES I forgot you!

Yeah uhm, well read above yes? Like uhm... ah Lilith is of the scholarly type LIKE YOU, Xery. But she told me a nasty tale about her father and experiments and she thinks magics attracts bad luck and bad things. Maybe she’s right. I’m using my magic less and less though last night I had to and even a bit uncarefully because there was a vampire in the Lady’s. I hate that place.

Fact is. I now found a rod that maybe can erm help her, but what else can I do? I had my bad time to find a doctor, a normal one, for her erm to get healed from rat diseases... and she risked to become a rat-furrrrry!!!

I began adventuring a bit to burn fats. Uhm I found some items Lilith may like. One could even help her with the fear of magic, or at least protecting her. I’ll see when uhm she wakes up.

Awh.

I miss you both. You’ve become like a fantasy by now, something which seems to exist only in my mind. Someone still remembers Yvonne, almost no one Xery. Where are you, red-head? Come and get me with you, if you’ve back to Specularum. I miss you.

Well erm. Before I start crying like a child again, I end this letter here.

Bye bye.

Bel.

[DM Tarokka]

Refuge of the Fifth Light, Vallaki, Barovia.

Dear Xery and dear Yvonne,

*The writing is entirely in Elvish*

Things are coming back to normality. Normality in Barovian canons of course. After few days in which I have been fine, despite a bit melancholic, it seems that gradually all the reasons for which I really needed to leave this place, and for good, have come back. I am trying to be strong and to resist to pursuit my plan, though. I have written already lots of times about my worries for things regarding the Church, which I hardly understand fully. It seems they have destroyed that heretic, rumours told she had become a wight, like you Yvonne. Maybe for a while I will not hear anything regarding the Keep and who dwells there. It is an evil place, Vasten told me about all the people who have died there, and I know what is going on in there. But I also know I cannot speak about it to anyone mostly.

Barovians are confirming what I think of them. Sub-cultured, impolite, proud of their being nothing, cheating, rude, and also a bit ugly. I am trying to resist any urge to shout at them how base they are, also because long ago that took me to many troubles with local Garda. But even not going in places where Barovians supposedly should be, they are almost everywhere, since this is their land. What I found weird is the fact many of them attend the Lady’s Resting Inn, which is the place I am staying mostly in, in order to recruit some artists for my future projects. I have met recently a red-haired lady whose name is Kaitlyn. She is rather cute and with great skills at singing and playing. She has come to Barovia just recently and on some things I suppose she needs my help. She is earning fine with arts in this place so I am not really sure she is ready to move. I think I will have to wait and see.

I have suffered from a very bad depressive mood some days ago because of Lilith. There are moments in which I do not understand her. She is very similar to you, Xery. She actually reminded me you on all the line, but her irrational fear of magics. It is not even irrational to say the truth. It is something I cannot understand fully. She considers me as a sister, as you did Xery. Maybe she will protect me as you do. If she begins calling me angel I might think it is you reincarnated, or you in disguise come back to protect me. We have been tense. She made me feel really ecstatic. And then she retreated. I was so confused. I think now we have patched up our issues. Nevertheless I cannot help feeling lonely.

I have loved you both and you have been both my partners and the only ones I have ever had. I miss you and I am alone. I am scared to fall in love again. I am not ready for another loss. I am scared to bet. Probably I will end having just friends in time, and they will be enough if they are like Lilith. I love her and I will help her through her path to win her own fears.

Actually I am already sick and tired of Barovia, but it is too early to move back to Port-à-Lucine. Maybe I will come back just for a tour with my friends, just for some fresh air.

Is it a sin trying to be happy?

*The letter ends abrouptedly and misses also the final signature*.

[DM Tarokka]

*The letter seems to be keeping on with no sense of continuity with the previous one, written on the same paper, on the flip side, in elegant Elvish*

I feel rather bad. It seems that whatever I do, I end doing something wrong. With Lilith things are not going fine. I like her and I am trying to make her happy with all myself. I get her things and I take her around trying as more as possible to keep her safe. And I am not using any magic in doing so, and this means my task is even more difficult because I am not properly a fighter myself.

And I ended also to overestimate myself. And those nasty spiders bit her and she died in front of my eyes. I was dying myself and I was scared, but I felt Ezra at my side and managed to get rid of them. But she fell and I had to find a way to take her again to life. I remember when once we both saw a couple, a husband and a wife, with him asking for some coins to revive her. And Lilith went mad at him, saying he had not been able either to protect his love and to have enough coins to take her to life again.

I could do that. The way to the Cathedral was long but I felt all my strength within to accomplish my goal. And the Sentire frowned, I told him she might have become a follower in time. And he helped her. And Ezra did not allow her to wander in the Mists of Death. She was confused, I was upset and tired. When I told her what had happened she started crying, she began yelling about the taint of the Red Death on her now, that she would have preferred no magic used on her. I tried to explain her that was a blessing of Ezra who did not want her to remain dead, that her role in the Grand Scheme was still to be fulfilled. But she cried more. And I started crying as well.

*As if it were a chore a couple of tear drops have fallen on this side of the letter, wetting also the other side making the reading hardly readable but still intelligible*

I looked for her and I did not find her. The best it might have happened is that she is mad at me. The worst is that she has killed herself.

*More tears, more watery paper*

It seems I am doomed to remain alone.

I miss you all.

Belinda.

[DM Tarokka]

*Elegant handwriting, rounded Elvish letters*

Rectory of Ezra, Vallaki, Barovia.

Dear Xery, Dear Yvonne,

I’m scared. I have the feeling that all around me it is going crazy, or maybe it is just me changing. It seems I have patched up with Lilith but she keeps behaving weird to me. She makes me feel very special, but at the same time it seems any of my advices remain unheard. On the other side I am aware my use of magics annoys her, scares her as much as it scares me seeing her dealing with Barovians or being ironic to local Garda. But as she claims I need to gradually allow her to come back to a normal life, to find a work, to walk with her own legs. I know she is right. This does not change the fact I am scared.

I have met Nell and I wanted to ask her for advice. She had not much time for me and I can understand that, since there are many troubles within the Church at the moment and my silly whines must not bother them. I found the occasion to get rid of two books Armand gave me about vampires. I have studied them deeply, I do not need them anymore. Plus, in Barovia they are illegal and it is definitely better for me not giving to Garda further reasons to annoy me. My lore on the topic is rather accurate at the moment. I have learnt how to properly defend and protect myself and at the same time I know also how to attack them if needed. But it is always better having Templars and Wardens doing that. I met shortly also Inquisitor Veritas. That elf upsets me. He gave me a message to deliver in Dementlieu. A simple one.

My life is not all a pain, actually. The general unkindness of this place is rightly balanced by all the good and old friends who are still alive here and by the new ones I am making. I bought some further dolls and I managed to find the time to sew four of them. I look forward using them for my next show. I even sneaked with Lilith in the Broken Bell theatre some days ago. It was fun. And melancholic. I played and sang a song for her. I wish you both could have been there.

*At this point the ink seems not having correctly dried and the writing is blurring*

Eloise told me never to stop to find love again. But I am scared. I know I am a burden for anyone dealing with me. I know I can be upsetting. I know many things about myself, it is just that sometimes I cannot help. I do not want to spend the rest of my life alone. I want a family. I want to love someone. And I want to be loved. To love is nothing, to be loved is something, but to love and be loved in return is everything. I will be patient. I will try to. I have much to give. I want to love. And I would like my next tears will be drops of happiness and not of dismay as they have been so far. I miss being loved.

Bel.

[DM Tarokka]

*Elegant elven-style-handwriting, though blurring and shivering in some parts*

Refuge of the Fifth Light, Vallaki, Barovia.

Dear Yvonne and Xery,

I have come back to Barovia since just a week and I am already overtly sick of this place. Despite I am trying to help people no one seems to really appreciate what I am doing. Maybe it is me doing something wrong, giving help to wrong people or in a wrong way. Or maybe it is this country which turns everyone in greedy people. I have been called names for no reason. I have been mocked for no reason. And of course I am not a saint, really. As Eloise said, I should be dead to be one. And I kicked one of those Zarusians in the full face. And then I invited him for a fight outside the Lady’s. And wrote a mocking paper dedicated to him and his racist and evil religion.

And luckily I got soon my wits back after the anger and I ran to the Rectory where I could speak to Nell. And I went with her and Alexander for an important mission regarding a cursed sword which needed to be melted in the hot lava flowing below the palace where dwarves dwell. It was dangerous and hot down there. But I felt safe because with my sister and my brother in the Faith. I feel I am neglecting my path anyway. I had come back for a specific reason and it seems I am failing. I am jogging enough, but it does not seem I am building relationships which are going to last too long.

I do not know how it is going with Lilith either. I am not sure. I miss her. Does she miss me? I cannot stay in Outskirts at night anymore without someone of the Church. Heretics and Zarusians and general evil people might try to profit of me being alone. She is staying there still, but last times I went to look for her by morning she was not there. At night I must go back to the Rectory. She never comes to visit me. I would like her to come with me to Port-à-Lucine. I feel lonely.

*Some notes are written besides some lyrics, in Common language*

I listen to a whisper,
Slowly drift away.
Silence is a loudest,
Parting word you never say.
I put your world
Into my veins
Now a voiceless sympathy
Is all that remains.

Amen omen,will I see your face again?
Amen omen,can I find the place within
To live my life without you?

*The language turns back into Elvish*

I miss you both. I sewed a doll resembling Yvonne. I am having problems at sewing you, Xery, you went away too long ago. And I have different memories of you, as a child, as a woman, as a lover. How can I live some more two hundred years like this? I do not want to remain alone forever. I am waiting for something to fall from the sky. Or should I myself be in searching of it?

I love you both. I miss you.

Bel.

[DM Tarokka]

*Belinda gets her pack of unsent letters and begins scribbling in Common, with a newer recipient this time*

Blue Water Inn, Vallaki, Barovia.

Dear Lilith,

I know you’re erm scared by me and that my uhm silly behaviour so far has been a great trouble for you. I’ve been having erm troubles as well, and LOTS, with all those thingies of heresies and the Keep... I’m scared sooner or later they’ll come to get me as well... I’m pretty sure Garda caught Logan and Lyndis because uhm they’re layman and friend of the Church. Last time I was erm imprisoned Nell came for me and saved me, but what if everyone of us is taken?

I’ve had a vision, with Falon and Erik. It was scary and upsetting. We were uhm in a sort of underground temple with lots of crystals and two meanies, shadowy meanies, came and started to break the crystals and we could do nothing and also the warden with the flamey sword, not Erik, the one in the vision, could not do anythingie and I even tried to poke with my pole and it passed through. He managed to defeat those meanies then an angel, a very cute angel, came and we all distracted also the ghost and flamey warden and she turned into a sort of giant and stole somethingie like she said uhm... a sigil yes yes. And she told it was theirs.

We didn’t understand at all about that if it was some erm... how do you call that? Premonition? Uhm yeah I guess... well... if somethingie to happen yet and maybe we can stop but we’re at a loss because nobody understands it not even the Sentire.

*Pause, the writing switches in Elvish*

There is no point for me to keep on writing in common since I am not going to send this letter. I miss you, Lilith, but maybe for the fact I am a troublemaker and everyone around me seems to be suffering or worse, I am partly happy we have –argued- and we will not meet each other so frequently. It does not change the fact you will be still in my heart, with Xery and Yvonne.

I will miss you.

Be wise and be safe. Be yourself.

Belinda.

[DM Tarokka]

*Belinda takes again her letters, and leaning to a wall of the Rectory, begins scribbling fast, in Elvish, her handwriting being shivering and nervous*

Rectory of Ezra, Vallaki, Barovia.

Dear Xery, Dear Yvonne,

Things are degenerating fast here in Vallaki. Even the very only place where I felt safe seems now to be the centre of the madness of this whole realm. The notices regarding the heresy worshipped in the Keep has driven to a quick reaction on the Boyar part and most of the clergy now is under home arrest in the Rectory. I remember a quote from a play: “That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain”. I know the truth about that place, and it was one of the main reasons of my conversion because Ezra was at my side to save me. I know there are laws protecting them, that politics sometimes allows people to perform the worst moral crimes protected within the coherence of the overall system. And yet the Sentire and the Wardens all seemed to ignore that mentioning also an undead hosted there would have taken to this. Allowing heretics from the Keep to come to the Rectory is another unwise thing to do. But you both know no one almost hears my advices or my opinions. I am just silly Bel for most of the people I know.

They are almost all at home-arrest, as Yvonne and I were after the incident at the Broken Bell. I would like just to kneel down and cry all my tears again. I have moments, like this, in which I feel it is all lost. There are times in which I think it is my destiny to remain alone and I cannot find a relief even in my faith. My general mood at the moment is that of running. I have been a great escapist of situations in the past and still I am pretty good at that. Fleeing from dangers, fleeing from responsibilities. At the moment I would only like to go back home, to quote verse and reading stories in that Cafè, hugging Armand Jr., and quietly walking on the sea-shore.

I know though if the Grand Scheme wanted me to be here in this dreadful moment, there was a reason. They have always helped me, maybe it is time to help them back. The fact I met a girl named Cata who for pure chance asked me where she could buy dyes, I asked which colour, she replied green and the rest of conversation was about her conversion to Ezra and her baptism, makes me think I have actually a role still to fulfill here in Barovia before I can think to get back home and to my work. She had a vision, she heard music. I taught her some prayers and she felt inspired by that. I am not a Warden nor a Templar, I did what I can. But at the moment things are messy here and I am not sure if anyone can follow fully her conversion.

I am scared and I feel really alone now. I am trying to recollect myself as soon as possible in order to help my brothers and sisters in the faith. I will be determined. Because I know that Ezra is close to every one of us and she will save our souls whatever it may happen.

I know one day we three will meet, in Heavens, and we will be together and happy for eternity. For now, I can only find another quote to express my feelings: “Men must endure their going hence, even as their coming hither: Ripeness is all”.

I love you.

BP

[DM Tarokka]

*A letter is written in High Mordentish and this time it is sent. Some words are mixed with Common, some other in Elvish*

Rectory of Ezra, Vallaki, Barovia.

Cher Armand,

C’est Belindà writing here. My holidays in Vallaki have not proved really charming. I don’t know really if you’ve heard any news about that, but most of our brothers and sisters in Ezra are having serious issues with local Gendarmes et le Boyar. La eglise is in big trouble. How do you say there? En la merde. Well I will let you know more once we meet again. I am planning to come back to Port-à-Lucine soon, so to resume my job, and taking you news of the details I’ve been acquainted of, and of course speaking also to the Toret of Ste. Mere des Larmes. I’m planning to convert, I don’t feel fit to the fight of the legions, but I would really like to improve my knowledge on scriptures. I’m worried about the Bastion, I hope she’s still fine and alive. I need to recollect myself and eventually, probably, I will come back to Barovia in order to help Nell and my friends who are still in this dark place. And I will beg them to cry no more, because I will cry for them.

Belindà.

P.S.: I'm missing petit Armand! And also a tiny bit you oui oui!

[DM Tarokka]

*She unpacks a series of blank papers, her faithful quill and some ink, and begins writing, slowly, meditative, as seldom she was able to be*

Governor’s Hotel, Port-à-Lucine, Dementlieu.

*In Elvish, the writing is fluent, self-confident*

Dear Xery and Dear Yvonne,

after a brief period of thought, I came to terms that my holiday in Barovia had to be over. I left a letter for Nell and Vasten saying them I was leaving again and that, at any rate, for any urgency, they know how they can find me. I think it has not been an act of cowardice that of leaving again, despite fear was a predominant feeling. My presence around the Cathedral and the Rectory would have taken more problems than those I was supposed to help in fixing. The few weeks I have been in Vallaki have proved draining for my poor soul. I have had news of many dead friends, others corrupted, and some friends I wanted to keep with me in Port seemed soon to disregard me as a reliable person.

The only thing I really could do was this. And my awake moments during the nights have been dedicated to Ezra. I am determined to withdraw the Home Faith and join the Erudites here in Port. I want to study better what the scriptures say and the several interpretations. My plan is to write, with the help of a reliable Warden, simplified versions of those and some lives of saints. Sometimes dogmas are not easy to understand and are, on the other hand, easy to be misunderstood, and this is how heresies are born.

I did not come alone from Vallaki anyway. Cata accompanied me. I like her. Despite she is Barovian. Maybe the fact she is a bit naïve like me took her to like me a bit too.

*A wide space is left blank for unknown reasons. Just some lines are drawn vertically, seeming some hair*

I am scared. It is happening again. I feel attracted by her and I know it can be seen as something wrong. But I am not the only one to feel like this. We spoke. She is scared as well. She is blessed by Ezra, she has some powers coming from within her which help her in fights. Maybe the Grand Scheme has planned a future as Templar for her. And maybe I can be, again, the silly deviant who corrupts people. I am scared. I think I am falling in love fast, that maybe I have found a new soul mate to fill the gap you both have left in mine. But this overwhelming joy is counterbalanced by my fear of being abandoned again, for no reasons if not my bad luck. Maybe she loves me too. And she is scared as well because she did not think she could feel that for a female. She is not even scared of the fact I am a fey born. I have too much life running through my veins and which is going to be wasted. I want to love and being loved.

*Some more random lines, a circular drawing in the centre, resembling a ring*

She has come back to Barovia now. That is her country and she wants to help there as I helped her. She wants to find her place in the Grand Scheme. I know she must be educated to Ezra ways better than I can do. I know I am a temptation for her, and so she is for me. I already miss her. I will never forget her brown hair. And her weeping eyes she tried awkwardly to hide from me. She promised to write me and to come and visit me as soon as she can. I hope this is not the beginning of another person abandoning me. Like Lilith did. I cannot blame her, I cannot blame any of you, Xery and Yvonne. Maybe it is my destiny. But I hope it is not like this for the rest of my life. Do not cry, for I will cry for you.

Bel.

P.S.: I will never stop loving any of you. Never.

*The letter is packed, and not sent. She begins writing in common, the handwriting more unsure*

Dear Cata,

HEYA! How you’re doing? Uhm erm I hope you miss me a TINY TINY bit at least yeah. I hope thingies are going erm fine there in Barovia… I just uhm need to know you’re safe and keeping on uhm your studies to be the CUTEST templar around uh huh.

I hope also erm that you’re enjoying uhm the food I gave you to erm take back. BUT! Don’t become fatty! If you do so I won’t like you anymore NUH UH! KIDDING! You’re so cute and uhm I never thought uhm I might have liked a BAROVIAN so much erm… but like… uhm… yeah… you can imagine me now erm fidgeting and stuff because uhm I don’t know what else to say. I’m waiting to meet Armand soon so to have erm arranged my thingies after my come back. But remember you’re always welcome here. And… like… yeah… I look forward to next time you’re coming here. And uhm hope you erm haven’t changed your mind and your heart and everythingie about me at all nuh uh. Don’t be MEANIE!

Miss you and love you.

Bella!

*This letter is enveloped and sent to the Refuge of Fifth Light in Barovia, addressed to Cata Leonarii. A third letter is being written, in a simple High Mordentish*


Cher Armand,

I’m here again. Tell me when and where we can meet. I have to provide you some information about what is happening in Vallaki.

Belindà.

*The last letter is enveloped and given to a messenger to be delivered to Monsieur LeBarth*

[DM Tarokka]

.

[DM Tarokka]

*She goes upstairs to what had used to be her room for long months, she managed to resist from crying, the turmoil of emotions was overwhelming and confusing in her mind, so, as in other similar moments, she grabs her loyal quill, papers, and starts scribbling in elegant Elvish*

Broken Bell Inn, Vallaki, Barovia.

Dear Xery and dear Yvonne,

I have tried to contact Armand for some days, then I started again devouring everything which was edible and I preferred having a trip back to Vallaki in order to check how the business with the heresy is developing. And to be honest I came back also to meet Cata. I would have not believed I could have miss her so much, I cannot believe I am maybe falling in love with a Barovian lady. I do not wish things being rushed, I do not want to happen the same which has happened with Lilith. I met her, she glanced at me kindly, we even exchanged some words, but I could not help feeling her coldness towards me. Yes, I know I am oversensitive, but I hardly make mistakes on people. Not now.

Logan invited me to dinner together. I think he does not know about me fully. I thought most Ezrites knew, but my condition is something which is always better to be kept secretive. And the fact I fear being in love again, and with one sharing my same Goddess upsets me even more. She did not treat me with coldness. But we were extremely careful not to show anything more than a simple friendship to others. We still need to understand what is boiling within each of ourselves. I have maybe found her a work, and maybe this can be a reason why she can come visiting me more often in Port. I will tell more once I have some further certainty about this.

I met Mykel, I know Yvonne remembers him. It was like a jump back to one year ago when you were still alive and I was with the hope that Xery would have come back. And our play, the dance, the four seasons. The seasons of love.

*Some tears have been dropped in this spot, the style resumes in the same way of the previous one, just a bit more trembling*

The waitress of the Broken Bell was nice and had some familiarity which I could not understand fully. She is a Barovian, I need to understand whom she reminds me. She has been overtly kind to me. I saw she was flirting with Mykel, and maybe she has been kind to me just because she realized I am friend of his. I am rather surprised of the fact I have been dealing so much with Barovians. At the end maybe Mykel is right. He told me Vallaki is my second home. I do not like this town, but I have too many memories to simply erase it from any corners of myself. As soon as Cata speaks with Eliza, this is the name of the waitress, I will get her along with me in Port for a few days. I hope to meet Armand for that time and I hope….

*Some lines are drawn here, as to represent some far seagulls flying over the oceans, and a small starfish on a shore*

My hopes. I want my dreams coming true. You will be both in my heart for ever, you know that. But I need company, I need a new love. I am scared, you know that too. But I cannot have this fear stopping me. I am not meant to stay alone for all my life. I hope that. I could not stand it. I want romance. Again. And smile, and giggle. And being happy. Be happy and serene to better help others.

*Another uncertain draft, a big X, a big Y, a heart, another wet taint*

I need to go jogging a bit. Cata will be awake soon and we need to have her speaking with Eliza. Maybe I will understand why it seems I know here, though I am sure I do not.

I love you both.

Bel.

[DM Tarokka]

*Belinda sits on the stool besides the piano, gets a booklet some papers and with a broad smile on her face, starts scribbling. She smiles even wider looking at the ceiling lost in her fancies and puts aside the booklet. And then starts writing a letter.*

Governor’s Hotel, Port-à-Lucine, Dementlieu.

Dear Cata,

I erm have good news but I suppose I’d uhm rather prefer telling you by voice once you come here so that it’ll be a big SURPRISE! YAY! I miss you and all but erm I’m sure that you’ll uhm find a way to come here soon after you’ve spoken to Eliza. You’ll erm find me at my new home. I’m still working for Monsieur LeBarth, and he’s erm still willing to offer me his hospitality but I think it’s being time I walk with my own two legs… hoping not to break any while running!!!

No more spoilers now nuh uh. So you’re uhm more motivated to come and visit me and erm eating pasties and drinking coffeeeeeee together.

See you soon!

Bel.

P.S.: If you come on a Fifth day you’ll find me in St.Mere, the other days most likely in a Cafè.

*The letter is enveloped and sent to the Lady’s Resting in Vallaki Ourtskirts, Barovia. Belinda’s expression changes a bit and starts writing another letter, always in common, but with a more refined style.*

Dear Lilith,

My invitation to come and visit me is always valid. I hope you are okay in Barovia, but I still look forward having you visit my home here.

You will find me every Fifth day in St.Mere, the other days you’ll need just to check one of the Cafès around.

Belinda.

*Also this letter is enveloped and packed with the other to be delivered in the same place. A letter in Elvish, this time, is quickly written, with a sort on unsure handwriting*

Dear Xery and Dear Yvonne,

I have come back home and met Armand. He has offered me an occasion I could not refuse. Actually it is the occasion I was waiting for. I will need some weeks to study something about the so called White Day. It seems to be a day in which women should give gifts to their beloved ones. A man who does that in that day would be affected by some bad omen. I do not think I have anyone at the moment to whom giving any gift.

*The image of a female face is quickly drawn, olive-skinned.*

Or maybe I have but I am not sure. I need to focus on what Armand asked me to do. He wants me to plan a masquerade dance to celebrate the event. So finally I will be able to plan by myself the text and the choreography to celebrate this day. I want to take notice of older Masques already performed just to have an idea about them. I could actually use the dance we wrote together, Yvonne. I will ask Armand if he thinks it can be a good idea. It was a nice show, but we never managed to have it performed. Or I might have you reminding me of the dances of Specularum, Xery.

*Wet spot, probably the usual tear fell exactly there. The style is even more shivering*

Or maybe I should look forward. Armand told me he wants to actually use my creativity, I might write something new. I have an idea. It could be cathartic. But I need to ponder about it. I think they could actually like it here. A horrorific love tale. I will think about it. No more crying. I need to look to the future. St.Mere will cry for me.

I will soon plan for my conversion. Maybe there will be also Armand Jr.. I miss him, it is a long time I have not met him. I feel for once positive about my future. I want to write the best Masque I can. And finally being appreciated for what I am really worth.

And I know you will be both at my side. And you both will be always in my heart and soul. For ever.

Bel.

*And as usual this last letter is packed almong many others unsent, and unread by anyone else.*