My Dearest Silvania,
Before leaving, I felt the need to leave these words for you. Forgive me for departing in the middle of the night, without bidding you the farewell you deserved. It was not cowardice, but caution. Returning to the palace after what happened would have been... imprudent, even for me.
I want you to know that I hold no resentment. Not for the ending, nor for how it happened. Some things, simply, are as they must be. In the face of the inevitable, not even the most powerful among us can fight. And though the pain exists, I won't let it fester within me.
I know you worry about Eleanor, and rightly so. But I ask you, with all my heart, not to be hard on her. Her fire sometimes consumes her more than it burns others. And in that fire, I was but a fleeting spark, now extinguishing without reproach. Help her govern with wisdom, as only you can. Sometimes, even the strongest crown needs a gentle hand to support it.
And should the day come when a good man knocks at her door, do not prevent her from opening it. You, better than anyone, will know if he is worth letting in. I trust your judgment completely.
Please, do not neglect your health. Continue taking your remedy with the constancy I always struggled to extract from you. I will return in a few months to check on you, if the gods allow it. It is a promise.
I also want to apologize to you, Silvania. For so many things. For not having been able to change this kingdom as much as we dreamed. For not being able to heal you completely, as I so often promised. And for leaving so abruptly, without the gesture our friendship deserved.
Pray for me, dear friend. Not for greatness or for redemption, but that I may finally find what I have sought for so long.
PS: I promise to write to you often. I send you a huge embrace. And if all else ever fails, do not hesitate to seek me out. I will always be by your side.
With abiding affection and gratitude,
Dyan Halvest