22 November, Year 14 of King Nicholas IV of Monrique's reign

Bordeux Barracks, Bordeux

Monrique

The young man ties the last knot of his knapsack, and hoists it on his back.

His baby blue eyes then sweep one last time around the cramped, now empty army quarters - across the floor, the bunk beds, the plain wooden desk - carefully checking for any belongings he may have forgotten to pack. He is the last to leave. The rest of his colleagues who have completed their training left for their respective military posts earlier that morning.

He takes a deep breath, as he turns his back on the door. Another chapter of his life has thus ended, and yet another is about to begin.

Gripping his knapsack, he walks down the corridors with swift, confident strides, and makes his way to the training grounds. Among the sea of Cadets and their superiors milling about the grounds, he looks around for a few moments, before he finds the man he seeks by the front gates, leaning against his horse.

"Lawrence!"

One of the army's messengers, who is munching on a piece of loaf, almost drops his food at the sound of his voice. Stuffing it in his back pockets, he entrusts his horse to the guards by the gates, and quickly waddles towards the young man. He stops a few feet away from him to give him a crisp salute.

"Corpo - pardon, Captain, Sir."

The young man nods at him once. "When are you leaving?"

"In a few minutes' time, Sir," Lawrence answers him, patting the already bulging sack strung across his torso.

"Good. I need you to deliver a letter for me to Roche Manor," the young man instructs quietly, "directly to Her Grace the Duchess of Roche." He reaches into his pocket to take out a neatly folded piece of parchment, and hands it over to him, who places it with great care in his sack.

"Certainly, Sir. I - "

"Did you understand me, Lawrence?" he emphasises, "it must reach only the Duchess, and no one else."

He is perplexed. "Sir, I will directly deliver it to the Duchess. There will not be a problem - "

"And I am telling you that there will be one," the young man explains, "the moment you reach the front gates of Roche Manor, a child, of about seven years of age, will run over to greet you. That little devil will sweet-talk you - "

"I beg your pardon, Sir, but are you referring to Lord Julien of Roche?" Lawrence clarifies.

"Oh, nay. Julien cannot cause any trouble even if he tried," his voice is wry, "I am referring to his younger brother, Ted."

Lawrence nods in understanding.

"Before you even realise what is happening, Ted will have managed to procure from you the purpose of your visit, promised you that he will pass along the letter to his mother the Duchess, and sent you on your way," he sighs, "which is why it is crucial that you do not entertain him in the slightest, under any circumstances. Simply ignore him when he approaches you, proceed into the Manor, request to see Her Grace, and give her this letter." Despite the exasperation in his words, a ghost of a smile unfolds on his face at the mention of his cousin.

"I will be careful, Sir. I will reach Roche in a day and a half," Lawrence assures him, "in fact, I will leave right away - "

"No need. Finish your dinner before you leave," the young man gestures to the loaf of bread sticking out of Lawrence's pockets, "and thank you."

With that, he steps past him and strides towards the stables, where the stablemen have already prepared his stallion for the long journey ahead. Nodding his head at them in thanks, he mounts his stallion in one swift move, and sets off past the front gates of the barracks.

As he rides towards Bordeux Castle, the contents of the letter he just sent along with Lawrence run through his mind.

***

To: Her Grace Lady Therese De Beauharnais-Fourier, Duchesse de Roche, Comtesse Consort de Testalt, Lady Justice de Monrique

Dearest Tessie,

I am well. I hope that all of you have been keeping well too.

Today, I joined the ranks as a Captain in the Monriquan Armed Forces, and I have been posted to Roche to help train the army officers at Roche Barracks. I have been working hard towards this day for almost five years, and now that it is here at long last, it feels rather surreal, like a dream that I can remember with surprising clarity when I wake up in the morning.

I am coming home, Tessie, and this time, it is for good.

Before you ask me, yes, I have packed all my belongings, yes, the quarters are as clean and tidy as the day I first moved in, and yes, I intend to stop by Bordeux Castle to say my goodbyes before I come to Roche. Her Majesty Queen Juliette came down to Bordeux Barracks to watch the military ceremony earlier today, and as you had requested her to (or as you had pestered her to, in her words), she stayed behind to help me with my packing and spoke with me.

The Queen mentioned that Empress Consort Katharina of the Longbournian Nations is planning her yearly visit to Monrique in early January next year. Emperor Sebastian and all five of their children will be accompanying her as well. They intend to stay at Bordeux for a fortnight, a week with Lord Evoric of Warwick and his family, and one more with us in Roche Manor, before heading further south to Johanne. The Empress will be writing to you soon about this, if she has not already.

The Queen is clearly eager to see them. I am certain she could have talked to me all day about their upcoming visit - and about the Empress and their childhood, as usual - if not for the fact that she had to hurry back to Bordeux Castle for a meeting with the Crown Council. She did not even have time to have luncheon with me here.

Truth be told, she seems utterly worn out, and she is working herself thin, as she always does. However, she insists that she is in good health, and that if she looks tired, it is only because she has to co-rule a country and its army, and run after six children all day - and her eldest is not making things any easier for her. As she puts it, Crown Princess Yara is exactly like the King when he was her age - difficult, stubborn and a downright troublemaker. Now, I do not know how His Majesty was as a child, but I can say for certain that the Crown Princess brings with her a raging tempest wherever she goes. Every day at Bordeux Castle is an adventure in itself.

Speaking of difficult women, Mama has written to me again.

She spent two lines asking about my welfare, and the next two pages complaining about what is wrong with her life. She also requested that I set aside some time to visit her in Testalt after my training ends, mayhap so that she can complain to me in person. This is the third letter she has sent me this month, and the umpteenth one that I have not replied to.

Mayhap she must truly miss me, although I find it difficult to believe.

Ah, Tessie. I know that you think I am too harsh on her. You and Oncle Ned have always encouraged me to spend more time with her, and to allow her to make amends for the manner in which she abused and neglected me in my childhood - and I appreciate it. I truly do. I understand what made her act the way she did, I understand that she is sincerely trying hard to bridge the distance between us now, and more importantly, I understand that it is my filial duty to take care of her as she grows older.

However, the wounds that she inflicted upon me when I was young still run deep. It has been so many years, and yet, I do not know whether I can ever move past that difficult time, let alone forgive her and allow her to be a part of my life, as she so clearly wants me to do. Those memories, even with its sharp edges blunted by time and distance, still cause me sleepless nights to this day.

During those nights, however, my mind wanders to you, and the pain ebbs away. I find myself wondering how I would have turned out if you had not been a part of my life, and to be very honest with you, I have no answer. I cannot imagine an existence without you in it.

You have been my guardian angel from the day Mama gave me life. Even after you married Oncle Ned and brought Julien, Ted and Bella into this world, your love for me did not diminish in the slightest, but rather, only grew further to encompass and complete all of us. You are the purest embodiment of a mother's love, and I am truly fortunate and blessed to be able to call you my mother. I hope to always make you proud, and be the man you raised me to be.

I love you, Tessie. I cannot wait to come home.

Your dear son,

Tommy 

***

A/N: A little nugget to round up this story (and also because I miss writing about them, haha). Who knows, this may serve as the beginning of another, if I find some time in the future :)