Tin Man: Letter Read (8/?)
Title: Letter Read
Author: Vashti
Fandom: Tin Man
Character(s): DG, Cain, mentions of everyone, OCs
Rating: PG
Summary: In a distant future, all that will be left for one of Queen Dorothigale's descendants are letters read.
Length: ~1550 words
Disclaimer: I don't know you. You don't know me. Let's keep it that way. The title is from Rachael Yamagata's song, "Letter Read." The idea that "Dorothigale" is long for DG is from chibi_kaz
Author's Notes: This is a work in progress. I have a vague idea of where it's going (always essential to one of my stories) but I don't know how or when or how fast it's going to get there. If for some strange reason you happen to like, please feel free to poke me at will if/when I slow down. Please also feel free to spot-beta as need be. And if it starts getting scary you can even suggest I get an actual beta. meep!
AN2: "Annual" numbers correspond to years since the Cains left the service of the royal family.
AN3: My continued thanks to everyone on ohzeebooks. Your comments will be helping for far into the future :D
Chapter 1: Annual One: January to March, March to April, May to June, July to September, November to December
Interlude: Big Purple Eyes
Chapter 2: Annual Two: January, January to February
Chapter 2: Annual Two: February
§§§
February 13
Dear Mr. Cain,
I’m sitting here with my pulse in myhands. Literally. It’s freezing in the castle (don’t ask me why) and I am just so cold that I’ve got my left hand around my own neck. It’s like this tiny furnace just pumping out heat, y’know?
Anyway, it’s late. And I’m going over this crazy treaty which gets harder and harder to read as I go (just like college), and I thought about you. So here I am. Writing you about nothing really. How strange it is for the castle to be cold I guess. Maybe. I mean we’re the royal family, and at least three of us are like scary powerful. But none of us are good with heating spells. Go figure. And there’s something wrong withthe boiler or the plumbing, or the boiler and the blum plumbing. I dn’t know. This is stuff the steward takes care of, technically, but it all gets run past Dad first who runs it by me so I can know what all goes on in just running a royal household. If it’s really big he takes it to Mom. But mostly not. And I can see why. I’m not even having to deal with all this stuff, you know? and it’s too much on my plate.
Okay so…that’s my note. Aren’t you proud of me? Not even one whole side of paper.
DG
P.S. I have not forgotten your challenge. I’m actually too busy to be distracted. Argh.
February 14
Another late night reviewing treaties trade agreements. Today’s Valentine’s Day on the other side. I know that doesn’t mean anything to you but it does tome and Dad, and I guess to any other Slippers in the O.Z.. Anyway, it’s one of the few days of the year that Dad can convince Mom to take a vacation, at least for a couple of hours. So I don’t even know where they are. I’m guessing their bodyguards do and that’s about it.
You probably don’t remember Valentine’s Day in the palace. I think it’s the only place where it’s really celebrated. All the visiting courtiers and dignitaries look around at the paper hearts and cut out cupids and wonder what crazy twilight zone they stepped into. And then the next day it’s gone like it was never there. Hee. Any chance to mess with their heads is a good one. Mom wouldn’t agree. At least not in public.
Mominator and Popsicle do something special every year, which I think is really cute especially now that we know they’re robots. This year they took Az with them. No one’s back yet.
Wouldn’t it be funny if they all ended up in the same restaurant or something? I’m pretty sure the robo-rents are just going to dinner. For all I know that parents are in Dad’s cabin-Never mind. I refuse to follow that thought through to its logical conclusion
Going to bed now,
DG
February 16
This, I think, will finally put me on to the backside of this page. Probably wuld have last letter, but handwriting gets more and more cramped the more tired I am. My 10th grade English teacher used to say he always knew when I’d done my homework at the last minute. And he was always right of course.
Valentine’s came and went. Mominator, Popsicale and Az did go to dinner like I thought they might. Don’t know what Mom and Dad got up to, but they were both on their posts on Friday, bright eyed and bushy tailed. Mom looked brighter of eye and bushier of tail than she has in a while, which is great, but there is no way I am asking them how she got so fluffed and shiny. I may sometimes have trouble thinking of them as my real parents but that’s too much info even from non-parents. Considering this is the OZ I think I have every right to imagine that Az and I were hatched, not conceived, and thus no actual you-know-what needed to happen between Mom and Dad. So there.
You won’t get this (these?) letters for a while, but Mom announced today that she’s sending help to the outlying regions b/c of how bad the winter’s been. Actually you’ll probably hear that message long before you get this. So that’s good. When you write back you can tell me if it helped at all.
Working hard, sorta,
DG
Feb17th
Azkadellia’s sick. She got sick at lunch. She was sick all afternoon. She’s sick right now. Mother tried magic, and that made it worse. She’s freaking out. Dad’s freaking out too but he’s gotta help mom he’s been keeping mother together so he can’t break down like he wants. I say poison. Not to anyone ‘cause no one else was poisoned. I even switched plates with her because I didn’t want the stuff from Nod. But we all got served from the same dishes. So why Az and not us? I know you’re thinking “food poinsoninghappens.” But why Az and not us? Why can’t magic help her. I tried something too and it didn’t do anything. Mom and pop are taking care of her overnight. Dad finally got mom to go to bed, but I don’t know if she’s sleeping. I can’t sleep. I’ve been up since last night with that stupid trade agreement
Am I paranoid, Cain? Send me a letter in a mth and tell me I’m crazy and I’ll believe you. Wish you were here now. I need someone to talk to. Even Glitch isn’t around. Him and Marty and the lab are working on making Az something. She’s so sick, Cain. She’s so sick.
Feb 17th around 1 pm
Az is still sick.
18th
Still sick. Mother’s a wreck, but no one knows but us. Mom and Pop in constant attendance. Glitch and co. almost have a solution. Will try today.
19th
Still sick. My turn w/Az. Glitch’s stuff didn’t work. Don’t wanna tell Mother. Told Dad my theory about the poison. We’ll see wherethat goes. The fever just won’t quit. Must’ve had a dozen maids and courtiers and all sorts come by with every home made treatment and hedge-witch brew you can imagine. She won’t keep it down. We can barely keep her watered.
Feb 20th, 4 am?
Az is finally looking better. Fever broke around… I don’t know. Fell aslep in her room in a chiar. My turn to watch her. Mom and Pop have been here all the time, of course. My body hurts. My brain hurts. Az is still sick, but Mom says the fever broke and she’s holding down broth. She couldn’t hold down broth before. She threw up what Glitch gave her. On his shirt. Shoulda been funny. Wasn’t.
Mom’s pushing me off to bed. She says two more lines and thats it or Pops’ll carry me.
Az is better, Mother and Dad are coming, I still think poison but no one agrees. I know there’s nothing you guys coulda done, but we miss you anyway.
DG
February 24th
Az got out of bed today. Shaky as a leaf on a brisk day, but she did it on her own steam. She’s lost so much weight. She hardly looks like herself. Az jokes about it, but I think it weirds her out too.
Kingdom is still standing! Did you notice? Mother did a great job of holding it together in spite of everything. I guess she has practice. And isn’t that a downer? Dad did a lot of the propping up and I’m sure she was happy to have him here this time. Mominator and Popsicle are off to re-charge. Maybe literally.
I feel like I should write to you about something else. How Central City is doing. The state of the Tin Men these days. National politics. Something more than Az and the family and stuff. But that’s you stuff, right? It’s not like I’m talking about strangers. If there was something dire going on out there, I’d want to know. I’d expect to hear about it from Amelie, of course, but I’d want you to tell me, too. I think I’d be a little hurt if you didn’t. But guys are different. That stuff doesn’t matter as much with you.
So with that thought: crime in Central City is down, but we’re starting to see what we call on the Other Side “white collar” crime. Like business owners stealing from their own companies and stuff. Fancy folks crime, Pops always called it. Um, the Tin Men are as good as they ever were. I think. At least their court liaison is sharp as a whip. And national politics are just as convoluted and boring as you remember. Actually now that I’m studying them they’re even more convoluted, but slightly less boring. Treaties and treatise are a pain in the behind, but the dignitaries? Crazy. Hilarious. Un-believable! So they’re the less-boring part.
Hope to hear from you after first thaw. (Sooner if you deign to use Jeb and Ami’s letter-glass.)
Sincerely,
DG
P.S. Azkadellia sends her love.
P.P.S In all of the crazy goings on I almost forgot to tell you. Raw and co. are wintering down in Finaqua. You know how they don’t like the cold. Which I’ve never totally understood, but there it is. I don’t know which way they’re going to turn in the Spring.
Author: Vashti
Fandom: Tin Man
Character(s): DG, Cain, mentions of everyone, OCs
Rating: PG
Summary: In a distant future, all that will be left for one of Queen Dorothigale's descendants are letters read.
Length: ~1550 words
Disclaimer: I don't know you. You don't know me. Let's keep it that way. The title is from Rachael Yamagata's song, "Letter Read." The idea that "Dorothigale" is long for DG is from chibi_kaz
Author's Notes: This is a work in progress. I have a vague idea of where it's going (always essential to one of my stories) but I don't know how or when or how fast it's going to get there. If for some strange reason you happen to like, please feel free to poke me at will if/when I slow down. Please also feel free to spot-beta as need be. And if it starts getting scary you can even suggest I get an actual beta. meep!
AN2: "Annual" numbers correspond to years since the Cains left the service of the royal family.
AN3: My continued thanks to everyone on ohzeebooks. Your comments will be helping for far into the future :D
Chapter 1: Annual One: January to March, March to April, May to June, July to September, November to December
Interlude: Big Purple Eyes
Chapter 2: Annual Two: January, January to February
Chapter 2: Annual Two: February
§§§
February 13
Dear Mr. Cain,
I’m sitting here with my pulse in myhands. Literally. It’s freezing in the castle (don’t ask me why) and I am just so cold that I’ve got my left hand around my own neck. It’s like this tiny furnace just pumping out heat, y’know?
Anyway, it’s late. And I’m going over this crazy treaty which gets harder and harder to read as I go (just like college), and I thought about you. So here I am. Writing you about nothing really. How strange it is for the castle to be cold I guess. Maybe. I mean we’re the royal family, and at least three of us are like scary powerful. But none of us are good with heating spells. Go figure. And there’s something wrong withthe boiler or the plumbing, or the boiler and the blum plumbing. I dn’t know. This is stuff the steward takes care of, technically, but it all gets run past Dad first who runs it by me so I can know what all goes on in just running a royal household. If it’s really big he takes it to Mom. But mostly not. And I can see why. I’m not even having to deal with all this stuff, you know? and it’s too much on my plate.
Okay so…that’s my note. Aren’t you proud of me? Not even one whole side of paper.
DG
P.S. I have not forgotten your challenge. I’m actually too busy to be distracted. Argh.
February 14
Another late night reviewing treaties trade agreements. Today’s Valentine’s Day on the other side. I know that doesn’t mean anything to you but it does tome and Dad, and I guess to any other Slippers in the O.Z.. Anyway, it’s one of the few days of the year that Dad can convince Mom to take a vacation, at least for a couple of hours. So I don’t even know where they are. I’m guessing their bodyguards do and that’s about it.
You probably don’t remember Valentine’s Day in the palace. I think it’s the only place where it’s really celebrated. All the visiting courtiers and dignitaries look around at the paper hearts and cut out cupids and wonder what crazy twilight zone they stepped into. And then the next day it’s gone like it was never there. Hee. Any chance to mess with their heads is a good one. Mom wouldn’t agree. At least not in public.
Mominator and Popsicle do something special every year, which I think is really cute especially now that we know they’re robots. This year they took Az with them. No one’s back yet.
Wouldn’t it be funny if they all ended up in the same restaurant or something? I’m pretty sure the robo-rents are just going to dinner. For all I know that parents are in Dad’s cabin-Never mind. I refuse to follow that thought through to its logical conclusion
Going to bed now,
DG
February 16
This, I think, will finally put me on to the backside of this page. Probably wuld have last letter, but handwriting gets more and more cramped the more tired I am. My 10th grade English teacher used to say he always knew when I’d done my homework at the last minute. And he was always right of course.
Valentine’s came and went. Mominator, Popsicale and Az did go to dinner like I thought they might. Don’t know what Mom and Dad got up to, but they were both on their posts on Friday, bright eyed and bushy tailed. Mom looked brighter of eye and bushier of tail than she has in a while, which is great, but there is no way I am asking them how she got so fluffed and shiny. I may sometimes have trouble thinking of them as my real parents but that’s too much info even from non-parents. Considering this is the OZ I think I have every right to imagine that Az and I were hatched, not conceived, and thus no actual you-know-what needed to happen between Mom and Dad. So there.
You won’t get this (these?) letters for a while, but Mom announced today that she’s sending help to the outlying regions b/c of how bad the winter’s been. Actually you’ll probably hear that message long before you get this. So that’s good. When you write back you can tell me if it helped at all.
Working hard, sorta,
DG
Feb17th
Azkadellia’s sick. She got sick at lunch. She was sick all afternoon. She’s sick right now. Mother tried magic, and that made it worse. She’s freaking out. Dad’s freaking out too but he’s gotta help mom he’s been keeping mother together so he can’t break down like he wants. I say poison. Not to anyone ‘cause no one else was poisoned. I even switched plates with her because I didn’t want the stuff from Nod. But we all got served from the same dishes. So why Az and not us? I know you’re thinking “food poinsoninghappens.” But why Az and not us? Why can’t magic help her. I tried something too and it didn’t do anything. Mom and pop are taking care of her overnight. Dad finally got mom to go to bed, but I don’t know if she’s sleeping. I can’t sleep. I’ve been up since last night with that stupid trade agreement
Am I paranoid, Cain? Send me a letter in a mth and tell me I’m crazy and I’ll believe you. Wish you were here now. I need someone to talk to. Even Glitch isn’t around. Him and Marty and the lab are working on making Az something. She’s so sick, Cain. She’s so sick.
Feb 17th around 1 pm
Az is still sick.
18th
Still sick. Mother’s a wreck, but no one knows but us. Mom and Pop in constant attendance. Glitch and co. almost have a solution. Will try today.
19th
Still sick. My turn w/Az. Glitch’s stuff didn’t work. Don’t wanna tell Mother. Told Dad my theory about the poison. We’ll see wherethat goes. The fever just won’t quit. Must’ve had a dozen maids and courtiers and all sorts come by with every home made treatment and hedge-witch brew you can imagine. She won’t keep it down. We can barely keep her watered.
Feb 20th, 4 am?
Az is finally looking better. Fever broke around… I don’t know. Fell aslep in her room in a chiar. My turn to watch her. Mom and Pop have been here all the time, of course. My body hurts. My brain hurts. Az is still sick, but Mom says the fever broke and she’s holding down broth. She couldn’t hold down broth before. She threw up what Glitch gave her. On his shirt. Shoulda been funny. Wasn’t.
Mom’s pushing me off to bed. She says two more lines and thats it or Pops’ll carry me.
Az is better, Mother and Dad are coming, I still think poison but no one agrees. I know there’s nothing you guys coulda done, but we miss you anyway.
DG
February 24th
Az got out of bed today. Shaky as a leaf on a brisk day, but she did it on her own steam. She’s lost so much weight. She hardly looks like herself. Az jokes about it, but I think it weirds her out too.
Kingdom is still standing! Did you notice? Mother did a great job of holding it together in spite of everything. I guess she has practice. And isn’t that a downer? Dad did a lot of the propping up and I’m sure she was happy to have him here this time. Mominator and Popsicle are off to re-charge. Maybe literally.
I feel like I should write to you about something else. How Central City is doing. The state of the Tin Men these days. National politics. Something more than Az and the family and stuff. But that’s you stuff, right? It’s not like I’m talking about strangers. If there was something dire going on out there, I’d want to know. I’d expect to hear about it from Amelie, of course, but I’d want you to tell me, too. I think I’d be a little hurt if you didn’t. But guys are different. That stuff doesn’t matter as much with you.
So with that thought: crime in Central City is down, but we’re starting to see what we call on the Other Side “white collar” crime. Like business owners stealing from their own companies and stuff. Fancy folks crime, Pops always called it. Um, the Tin Men are as good as they ever were. I think. At least their court liaison is sharp as a whip. And national politics are just as convoluted and boring as you remember. Actually now that I’m studying them they’re even more convoluted, but slightly less boring. Treaties and treatise are a pain in the behind, but the dignitaries? Crazy. Hilarious. Un-believable! So they’re the less-boring part.
Hope to hear from you after first thaw. (Sooner if you deign to use Jeb and Ami’s letter-glass.)
Sincerely,
DG
P.S. Azkadellia sends her love.
P.P.S In all of the crazy goings on I almost forgot to tell you. Raw and co. are wintering down in Finaqua. You know how they don’t like the cold. Which I’ve never totally understood, but there it is. I don’t know which way they’re going to turn in the Spring.