Chapter 4: Lots of Letters to People, Lots of Letters to One

Isolated. Alone. It was something he wished for much of the time. But he was too alone. He needed to find a balance. Surely, there was one somewhere.

 

 

The sounds of light gentle waves crashed on the shore of the beach. Sairek sat away enough from the water so that the waves didn’t splash him. His staff lay on the soft sand next to him, as he lay seated with his knees bent up, where his forearms rested on them, which he used his forearms to seat his head as he stared blankly at the ocean horizon. By now the sun was beginning to set.

 

 

“He’s going to think I’m just being a rebellious, spoiled brat. But he has no idea how I feel…” Sairek thought to himself. “I would gladly trade a mountain of riches for poverty and freedom.”

 

 

He closed his eyes for several minutes, almost beginning to doze off, until he heard a soft sound beside him to his right. His eyes slowly fluttered open as he slowly gazed, and was surprised to see a girl around his age sitting beside him, having long but bright blond hair. He wasn’t startled however, and just rolled his head back to look at the ocean.

 

 

“Aren’t you the king’s son?” The girl soon asked him; a question that was not too surprising to be asked. “Yes, I am.” Sairek answered without looking.

 

 

“This is the first time I’ve seen you alone.” She soon replied back.

 

 

“That would be because it actually is my first time being alone outside the castle. I barged out of the castle without permission. Nor would I have gotten the permission to do so anyways.”

 

 

“You snuck out?”

 

 

“I wouldn’t really say that I was hidden. More or less, I threatened my way out. I’ll be in trouble on the way back most likely.”

 

 

“You broke out of the castle just so you can mope out on the beach? Why don’t you actually do something?”

 

 

“Playing with the King’s son who escaped the castle when he wasn’t supposed to doesn’t sound like a smart idea, if you ask me. None of the local kids like me because they are afraid if something happens while we're playing, it will be on them.”

Sairek let out a short laugh, although it wasn’t one of humour, rather it was a laugh one might let out when they become too frustrated. It was a laugh of sarcasm. Sairek buried his face into his arms. His mouth not covered by them, but his eyes were.

 

“How ironic it is… People envy me because they think I have it all… lots of riches… extremely smart… cute and handsome, apparently. Yet I’m the one who is envious of them for not having all of that… Freedom outweighs nobility.”

 

 

“Well. You could always run away.” He heard her say.

 

 

Sairek lifted his head and looked at the girl curiously with his emerald eyes. “Run away? I’m not that crazy. I just want some away time from the castle. How far away isn’t a factor, as long as I cannot see it.” He answered, shifting in his seat as he spread his legs out more. "And, besides. It's not a matter of me wanting to go anywhere necessarily... I just want to be... 'normal'..."

 

 

“Well, you’re interested about the world, right?” She inquired. Sairek turned his head to gaze at her.

 

 

“How do you know that?” He asked her with mild caution, although he doubted that he need be alarmed that this girl nearly his age seemed to know about him, he found it to still be somewhat unsettling.

 

 

“Your height is 4’1. You weigh 84 pounds. You are nine years old--“

 

 

Sairek soon stood up now, gripping his staff, and turned around away from her, he began to walk off.

 

 

“I guess I was right.” The girl taunted, standing up herself too.

 

 

Sairek stopped, and turned his body around a bit so his head could look at her. “…Actually. You are wrong. My height is actually 3’11, I actually weigh 81 pounds, and I am still only eight years old. Your numbers are off a bit…” He soon turned around and began to walk again, although he continued speaking. “If you waited a few more weeks, you would have gotten the last one right. Then you would be 33% better at guessing stuff about people then you already are.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sairek hiked his way back up the hill. He had only been gone for probably 2 hours. He wasn’t surprised to see the party of guards waiting for him at the entrance, who began to approach him. These were not just normal guards assigned to the castle, but rather his father’s elite guards, which were generally sent to 'baby-sit' him. Sairek stopped walking, as he waited for them to approach him.

 

 

“Sairek.” One of the guards started; he used his actual name. That was usually a sign that he was in deep trouble. The guard hesitated for a moment, before speaking in a softer tone. “Sairek, I’m more then positive you know what happens next after disobeying your father again.”

 

 

“Yes, I am to report to the post office wing and to deal with all the complaints that the country sends at us, and with no sleep. Am I correct?”

 

 

The guard nodded.

 

 

“Very well, give me half an hour to get out of less stuffy and classy clothing, as well as bring myself some snacks so I don’t starve until dawn. If I am not there by the time I promised, then let father know that I wouldn’t blame him if he were to triple my punishment if he so wishes.” Normally the punishment would be doubled; not tripled. He knew his father would agree to the terms; as did the guards. Even when disobeying his father, Sairek never seemed to break promises. He said he would be gone to the beach, and that he would return in a little while. That was exactly what he did.

 

 

The guard hesitate a little, and then shook his head a little.

"...No Sairek. Not exactly this time. We will still allow you to do what you need but..." The guard soon reached behind him, pulling out handcuffs. Sairek's eyebrows rose. "...No snacks. No changing. You are coming with us to your father immediately."

Sairek's eyes sharpened in anger. He spoke flatly. "I will not come to him leashed like that. Escort me if you will, but there is no way you are making me look like a prisoner in my own home!"

 

"Sairek, we, and your father, do not have time for this. You will do as you are told. Now."

The sternness in the man’s voice caught Sairek off guard. Normally he was the one who had to issue that kind of tone to someone else he was ordering that was disobeying, even if the order was justified. Now Sairek was having it used against him. Sairek took two slow steps back, before feeling his staff pried away from his fingers. His head darted and eyes locked on the man who took his staff, before he felt both of his arms grabbed. Panic rushed through him, as he tried to kick his legs, but they were planted on the ground. It was a magical hold; they weren’t his father’s elite guards for no reason.

 

 

The elite guards were magicians " just like what he was trying to be.

 

 

“…Stop… Stop it!” Sairek demanded as he pulled and tugged, before feeling his hands move out, holding in front of himself outstretched against his own will. He fought with every fibber in his body to move his arm as he clenched his teeth from the effort, but he couldn’t even get the arm to even twitch. The cuffs were soon being clamped on to his wrists.

 

 

 

“STOP IT!” Sairek yelled. “UNHAND ME!!!” He screamed at the top of his lungs.

 

 

Sairek now felt his feet being lifted off the ground, as he tugged and pulled as his arms and legs. He could move everything else but. The elite guards began walking, and Sairek floated along with them, despite him thrashing about. Sairek went on screaming as Laure stepped out of the doorway to see her master in dismay. She knew there was nothing she could do to ease him.

 

 

 

 

“LET ME GO! LET ME GOOO!!!”

 

“As tame as a dog on a leash, I am... Only walking back into this hellish doghouse because there is nowhere else to go… I gave myself the chance to run, but in the end, I still chose to stay against better judgement... Had I had a good reason to leave the castle to go somewhere, even if I didn’t know exactly where, I would gladly take it.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Alright, let’s get started, Sairek.”

 

 

His father as well as Laure, were there in the tower with him. His father had come to make sure Sairek hadn’t slacked off, because of his recent behavior. Sairek had no intentions of slacking off, as he was already ready to pay for his punishments clean and fair. Laure was there simply to attend to anything if he required... but nothing that would help make him feel comfortable... Which meant she almost had no reason of being there, other then to babysit him, really. This meant that she too had to do an all-nighter, which Sairek felt quite guilty for.

 

 

Sairek's emerald eyes wandered to his father in an anger. He couldn't believe he sent his elite guards to pull him -- quite literally -- to the tower. He sighed, and reluctantly pulled an envelope out of a box that contained many complaints. He soon began reading off the letter once he pulled it out of an envelope and unfolded it. He glanced at the letter briefly before eyes peering up at his father. “...Do you wish for me to read the addresses, or without them...?” His voice was a little scratchy, and his throat felt sore. He did a lot of screaming in the hallways before he had finally given up his struggling...

 

 

“If they are important, I will be re-reading them anyways. So read without them.”

 

 

Sairek cleared his throat so he could read the letter out loud. “There’s a G with the number three in the top left corner of the paper, but no address anyways. Dear your majesty, I have been having trouble with a particular someone from your castle harassing me. Just the other day, I saw someone peeking through my bedroom window during the night! I will sue for this intrusion! I am rather sure it is that little son of yours, doesn’t surprise--“

 

 

Sairek paused and stared at the letter in disbelief. “I did not!” He soon exclaimed out loud as his cheeks on his face burned red, both in a bit of anger, but mostly flushed with embarrassment. “Just what is it that I am being accused of??!”

 

 

Light laughter between Laure and his father became present. “Nevermind Sairek, I’ll deal with it personally if you wish.”

 

 

“No, I will be glad to write a reply back to this one.” Sairek muttered sourly. Could this day get any worse? First he got beat up, muddied, and dirtied. Then he had been stalked by some girl that tried to scrounge up very personal information about him. Then he had been handcuffed like a slave and dragged to his father; now he was being accused of peeping?

 

 

“Fair enough. Next letter if you would please.” His father ordered.

 

 

Letting out a breath, Sairek reached into the box pulling out another one at random. Opening the envelope, he put it next to the previously opened one. He unfolded the letter, and began to read.

 

 

 

“You b*****d, I hate you for what you have done. I am but a single widow and I will not take anymore abuse from you." Sairek's eyebrows rose in interest and he blinked, before continuing. "You are nothing more then a cowardly mutt, harassing me and vandalizing my home, just how you had previously tortured my deceased pet rat Skibbles (may he rest in peace) you now torture me with your lies." Sairek's eyes lifted from the letter, looking at his father. The king and Laure both looked at each other in confusion from the contents of the letter. Sairek's eyes fell back on to the letter as he continue. "If you keep this up I will personally blackmail the fact how I saw you make out with your wife’s sister, and I demand 300 gold pieces or else I will spill it out to everyone’s ears, Cloony! I will--“

 

 

“….Errr… Cloony?” Sairek let out uncomfortable. He positioned himself to check the rest of the letter in silence. He blinked several times at the contents of the letter. He felt uncomfortable with the rest of the contents.

“…I think they gave it to the wrong address…” Sairek soon stated flatly.

 

 

“Sairek, you aren’t making these up, are you?” His father questioned curiously.

 

 

“I assure you I am not. You are more then welcome to read if you want, father. Although be warned, it is quite a rude one, and lengthy too. It even goes onwards to the back of the paper.” To prove his point, he flipped the paper over.  Text was scribbled all over the back as well, just as Sairek had promised.

 

 

The king sighed. “Just throw that one in the trash then and read the next letter.”

 

 

Sairek pushed the letter aside, quite happy to do so with a letter so ill-willed with so many threats of black mail, and other things he didn't even understand, and probably shouldn't at that age. Unfortunately, there was no address the person had listed from where it came from, a problem with lots of the letters they received. Sairek pulled out a third letter, unsealed the envelope, and began to read. “Dear your majesty, I have been having trouble with a particular someone from your cas…”

 

 

“…I don’t believe this. It’s the same bloody letter as the first!” Sairek soon let out again in disbelief. He soon snatched the previous letter, as his father got up to take a look. He felt his father’s breath on his neck as he stared close to the letter; his father didn’t have the best eyesight, unlike Sairek who had 20/20 vision. Nonetheless, both were able to see the letter were the same, but was reproduced manually. The letters had very slight alterations, meaning someone deliberately sent the letter twice. Also this letter had R and 5 in the top left corner.

 

 

“Father, it seems like our mailbox has been harassed and someone is pulling a prank on me...” Sairek stated angrily.

 

 

“Hmm… I guess it can’t be helped with. Sairek, we’ll switch plans for tonight. Fish out every single one of these duplications, and put all of the non duplicated ones in this box here;” He patted an empty box on the table. “That will do for tonight, we’ll continue this tomorrow evening. Laure, I trust you will watch over him to make sure he does not slack off.”

 

 

“Yes, sire.” Laure simply answered and bowed to show her loyalty.

 

 

Sairek’s father gave a nod before he soon pardoned himself from the tower.

 

 

 

 

“G3… A5… What do those mean…?” Sairek pondered out loud.

 

 

“What do you plan to do, Master?” Laure asked him curiously.

 

 

Sairek thought for a moment. “Do what father ordered me to do. Search the letters for duplicates.” He answered. He didn’t make a movement to the letters though. He sat there for a few seconds before speaking out again. “I’m... I'm so very sorry, Laure...”

 

 

“...For what, Master...?”

 

 

“You are stuck in here all night with me again. Once more it was because of my childish actions against my father’s wishes that you suffer on my behalf...” Sairek let out a sigh. Closing his eyes. He struggled to control the tears that wanted to flush out. He spoke but his voice croaked a bit more then normal. "I... I just wanted to be alone for a while... But I got dragged around the castle like I had broken a serious law...!"

 

 

“Do not hate yourself, Master. I personally enjoy keeping you company. I would spend the night here with you regardless if I had a choice. For as long as you so wished for my company that I offered.”

 

 

Sairek couldn’t help but give a small comforted smile at her response. It seemed to cheer him up a little, knowing he had at least one true friend in the castle. Nodding in thanks, he soon moved for the next letter in the box, tore the envelope and tossed it aside.

 

“No letter or number. If it’s a duplicate I would assume it would be in the same format.” He informed. He soon pulled out another envelope, tore it, and unfolded the letter. “No letter or number... Next...”

 

This continued for seven more letters, before Sairek’s eyes opened up in interest. “Aha! G and 2…”

 

He looked back at the first letter he had opened. “This one has G3, not G2. What does that mean?”

 

 

“Perhaps you should put the letters in order from lowest number to highest number.” Laure suggested.

 

 

“I suppose it doesn’t hurt for now…” Sairek commented, arranging the letters from lowest to highest that he had so far. “Assuming there is a 1 and 4, this spells out…” He grabbed a nearby sheet of paper, along with a quill with an ink bottle, and began to jot down: _ G G _ R

 

 

Sairek soon once more began to dive his hands into the box of letters, pulling out another. Any letters that were not copies, he threw in a box for his father as requested. It took 16 more letters before he found another duplicate.

 

“W ten.” Sairek stated as he looked at the letter. “That’s double the amount of letters to look for… That means there are at least six more of these duplicates, I would assume.”

 

 

Going back to his paper, he wrote once more. Now it looked like: _ G G _ R _ _ _ _ W

 

 

“I’m not getting a very strong vibe of what it could be, Master.” Laure stated to him.

 

 

“Me neither. I feel like I’m playing a jester’s version of hangman. One that is ridiculously slow.” Sairek sighed out. He went back to the box of letters. There were at least a couple hundred of them in there. They were meant to last him until lunch the next day, had he been reading them.

 

 

Twenty more minutes passed, and Sairek found only two more. L 9, and I 11, which they originally mistaken as either three I’s, or three 1’s, or the number, One hundred-eleven. They ruled out both mistakes because they were unnatural.

 

Sairek’s paper now looked like this: _ G G _ R _ _ _ L W I

 

 

 

After another hour, it soon looked like this: _ G G _R A _ _ I L W I  _ _ S .

 

The 16^th was actually a period. Which Sairek took as there 16 of these duplications in the box, assuming they were sent all at the same time. They had only 9 of them. By now, the box was pretty much 4/5ths empty. This didn’t make Sairek confident. And for good reason, because by the time they finished the box, they only found one more letter,  T 14.

 

 

“Either the rest had not been sent, or we are bloody missing them. And it’s already going to be dawn in an hour or two.”

 

 

“There may be enough letters for us to fill in the blanks, Master.”

 

 

“Maybe, but I’m too tired to sort this out at the moment. It may be quicker for me to go to sleep, refresh my frazzled brain, and start new tomorrow. And I don’t wish to keep you up any longer then you need.....to..…”

 

 

Sairek stopped mid sentence, as Laure looked at him curiously.

 

 

“...I... I know what it says...” Sairek soon answered. “Although… Ironic…”

 

 

“What does it say?” Laure asked.

 

 

“There’s one extra letter. There is a spelling error in the word. There’s an extra S.”

 

 

Sairek scratched out one of the spots in front of the A, then begin to print down letters. Soon Sairek spelled out the message.

 

 

 

“Y G G D R A S I L W I L T S.”

Author's Note

I've rewritten and spell checked this chapter. This is a newer version of the writing.


A chapter where a spelling error is actually PART of the story!

I bet you didn't see that coming, did you?

Reviews

[Sairek Ceareste]

@Chris

Actually, there is supposed to be some narration. Very odd that it's missing...

I hope nothing like that is missing in later chapters. I'm a bit worried now. The narration I had in this chapter was simple; not a major loss nor hard to type up, but I hope it isn't a bigger problem if it has somehow occurred somewhere else.

[Chris]

Don't really have anything different to add to my previous review. Just one thing I was a little confused on:

“LET ME GO! LET ME GOOO!!!”

“As tame as a dog on a leash, I am... Only walking back into this hellish doghouse because there is nowhere else to go… I gave myself the chance to run, but in the end, I still chose to stay against better judgement... Had I had a good reason to leave the castle to go somewhere, even if I didn’t know exactly where, I would gladly take it.”

I understand that the paragraph is thought. When I first read it, though, I was thrown off because I thought he was thinking this right after he was yelling, which wouldn't make much sense. When I actually took the time to notice the increased amount of spacing, I did see that these thoughts might have occurred some time later. Still, if that is the case, it seems kind of weird to have them stand alone. Maybe put some narration before it? Or you could have him think this in the same scene where he gets started on the letters.

[Chris]

Oh snack! Yggdrasil is wilting. The ending was good. It creates a nice sense of suspense. The descriptions were pretty good, too, and the letters were funny. I don't really have anything negative to say, but I do have some technical stuff I want to point out.

...a girl around his age sitting beside him, having long but bright blond hair. He wasn’t startled however, and just rolled his head back to look at the ocean.
I think "but" should be changed to "and." "But" pretty much means a contradiction. Her hair being long doesn't contradict her having bright blond hair. "And" would be more suitable in that context. Also, there should be a comma after "startled." When in the middle of a sentence, "however" usually has commas surrounding it.

“….Errr… Cloony?” Sairek let out uncomfortable.
I'm assuming uncomfortable is supposed to describe the verb. If that's the case, then "uncomfortable" is wrong because it's an adjective. Adjectives don't describe verbs, but adverbs do, so you want "uncomfortably," the adverb form of "uncomfortable." If uncomfortable was supposed to describe how Sairek was feeling, then you'll need to edit this a little. I think you could probably just put a comma after "out" to fix it. Finally, "let out" is kind of an awkward phrase for saying that someone is saying something. Just use "said" instead.

“Hmm… I guess it can’t be helped with.
Personally, I think "with" should be omitted. This is dialogue, so I won't emphasize it too much, but since Sairek's dad seems to speak rather intelligibly, or at least that's the notion I get from reading his dialogue, omitting "with" would probably be better.

He didn’t make a movement to the letters though before speaking out again.
Get rid of "out." It'll make the sentence crisper. Also, commas should surround "though."

L 9, and I 11, which they originally mistaken as either three I’s, or three 1’s, or the number, One hundred-eleven.
"Mistaken" is wrong. You need a past tense verb since the story is told in past tense. Should be "mistook." Also, "one" should be lowercase.

The 16th was actually a period. Which Sairek took as there 16 of these duplications in the box, assuming they were sent all at the same time.
I think you forgot a verb between "there" and 16. Also, the second sentence isn't a sentence; it's a fragment. Change the period to a comma to fix this.