I Followed Fires

XV. Bash

It was the first of the many letters that was soon to come in the future. 

Bash sat on his chair, appearing more confused now than he was throughout his life. Several crumped papers laid on the floor; these papers were none other than the failed first letters he intended to send to Adèle. The black ink on his desk was to run out sooner or later, and Bash knew he had to finish writing the letter before the day comes to an end. God had eased him from his pain of being unable to write letters carefully, and Mary showed herself into his bedchambers. 

Seeing the unfinished letters lying on the floor and being the curious young woman she was, she asked him, “Having a difficult time writing your first love letter?”

Bash merely smiled, but he could not hide his distress. Before him lay an empty paper, a blank canvas waiting to be filled only to be destroyed once again. “What were you planning to say to her in your letter?” asked Mary. 

“I’m only going to ask her of her journey home and of her health. Other than that, I haven’t got a single clue.” 

“Let me help,” said Mary. “It’s ironic to say this but I think you should be more romantic. You have a reputation of being a massive flirt, why not translate your flirtations into writings? Meanwhile, if Adèle knows that you are a sensitive romantic, she will soon realize that the marriage will go smoothly. Write what’s in your heart, not in your head.” 

And with that, Bash’s feather quill began writing on the piece of paper, and he did not feel the distress that he felt a moment ago, and when he finally finished his letter, he read it aloud to Mary. 

Dear Adèle,

How are you?

I hope you had a safe journey home. French court misses you dearly and so do I, admittedly. Not more than a week has passed since your return to Aix-en-Provence and Mary and her ladies-in-waiting are already planning our wedding. (Which I must say is a tedious thing to do, but I am grateful I have Mary and her ladies to plan it for us, so that you and I need not to worry.) Life in court goes on without you, however the amount of people riding at dawn has decreased to one after you left the castle. 

I have taken care of your favourite horse since you were gone, and I have told the stable boys to avoid using your horse during hunting trips, for I know that if he was to be injured it would hurt you deeply.  I was hoping I would ride with him when I visit you in your château, and place him into your stables so that you have at least one souvenir from me. I may be able to visit in the following week, if my schedule is free and there are no more difficult matters that I need to attend to.

The reactions to our engagement were more or less the same. Most of them were rather pleased. Mary and Francis were delighted to hear of my betrothal, and I saw Francis looking genuinely happy for me (for once). Catherine congratulated me out of politeness. For the first time, I heard kindness in her words when she spoke to me. My mother congratulated me as well, and now she prides herself in soon becoming the mother-in-law to the daughter of the richest family in all of France. Kenna, Lola and Greer were delighted as well, and were overjoyed when I asked them to plan our wedding. Some of the guards also thought it funny that I was to marry a woman with a higher rank than mine’s, but I do not care.

Forgive me for not being able to write so romantically, which is an odd thing to say when you are well aware of my status as the Biggest Flirt in French Court. But I had only wanted to write to say that I want to come visit you soon, and hopefully stay for a night in your home, if you do not mind. I want to become better acquainted with your little brothers, and Jean-Michel as well, but primarily, with you. As we’ve discussed before, we are engaged to one another but have not progressed much in the biggest step of all: falling in love. I am not a man who writes love poetry, and I barely can express my love for someone through words; but I were to give it a try at it, I want to say: you enchant me, utterly and completely. 

Peace and good health to your family and you as well.

Sebastian

“Is that an adequate first letter or do I need to add a few more sentences?” asked Bash. He waited for Mary’s reply, but it seemed that she was too absorbed by her thoughts. 

“Oh, Bash,” she sighed. “She’s mad if she does not fall in love with you.”