10th Fairy Tale § Action/Written
[it's quiet in House 7 with only Jilly and little Sayo taking up space. Not that it was any more quiet than her apartment would have been, but it seemed to be accentuated by the space. Echoey, even
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I am still on the defensive front today. The volunteers helping me with the cannons are doing better since I've been drilling them, though I am glad this is not the navy and there are many other options when it comes to confronting the enemy. All is not lost, however--I found a petty officer who understands warfare on the first day and rated her ship's gunner, so to speak. It's a step up. The volunteers are brave, hard workers who follow orders, and I cannot ask for better under the circumstances.
I have not heard you speak of this man named Christy, but it heartens me to have his book to look forward to.
Everyone is unharmed as of this letter.
Archie
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Archie,
Christy is Geordie's brother. I've mentioned Geordie, right? He's the fiddler. Christy collects stories. And writes them, sometimes, but most of what he puts on the page are things he's seen or heard from people he knows. You might find it interesting. [especially since the things he's seen were rather...fantastic in nature]
Has there been a lot of fighting where you're at? If the volunteers around you need training, I hope there's very little of it until [things were safer? surer?] they've had time to learn.
Jilly
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There is occasional fighting, but not as much as the offensive parties see, since we are not actively seeking battle. Mister Giles is doing extremely well for a man half-blind.
It isn't long before we'll all be home. I think I'll sleep for a week when I come back. The mosquitoes here could eat your arm off.
Archie
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Giles is fighting? [she wants to say that it isn't right, but none of this is...and she has to assume that it's Giles's own choice.
She doesn't have to like it, though]
I think you'll have earned a week of sleep, or more if you want it. [a pause before she continues writing] How far out from the barrier do you think you are? We have all sorts of trees here in this forest, but not a rain forest. That's a completely different climate. It seems like you'd have to be a long ways away to be in such a different place.
How are they transporting everyone?
Jilly
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Judging by the climate, some few thousand miles south of Luceti. They use devices like the ones in the barracks. They transport a man in an instant. I wish I could tell you more, but wandering off alone is something of a death sentence and I don't want to break my word. If I die, everyone will kill me.
Archie
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There would be a line.
Don't risk yourself. I don't want to wait a week to show you this book. [it's not funny, but it feels necessary. Making light of what they all fear]
Do they know how much longer they'll keep you out there? When will they let you all come home?
Jilly
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Don't worry. I'm behind a line of cannonfire and five-inch shells.
I wish I knew for certain. Judging by what I hear, it could be another day or it could be three. I hope it's closer to a day.
Archie
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I wish that transporter was between the third party and all of you.
Maybe it will be soon. They'll have to give everyone a chance to recoup anyway. Running you all into the ground won't do them any good.
Jilly
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They could have sent us here to die.
Archie
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Don't say that.
[there's not greeting or ending this time.]
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I'm sorry. War puts silly ideas into mens' heads.
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Not silly.
[a longer pause] If that's what they want...
could you make it back to the transporters if you needed to? All of our people?
[she's trying to picture it, but it's like a scene out of a book, with half the pages missing. He's on defense, he'd said, but was the transporter on their side? And what about the people actually in the fray? Would they be able to retreat?]
Just because they want something doesn't mean they have to get it.
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[but for all of the ways she could end that sentence, none of them help.]
Don't risk yourself. But let me know you're okay? When you can.
[until this was over]
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