LLC04: Undelivered Love Letter
Creative Writing – Love Letter Contest 2013
© YourStoryClub.com
The dawn of the New Year is greeted by the plebeians of Plymouth, but it is no more than a dark beginning to the soon to be wedded couple, Beth and Eden. Casca, one of the old suitors of Beth, is missing and his ship is found abandoned near Milbay, the harbor of Plymouth. Eden is inculpated for Casca’s murder and is sent away to a prison in Bristol. He vows to prove himself innocent and return for his love.
January 3rd, 1710
“Beth,
Now I have all the time to think about us. These walls of stone are only heaven to me, as I see your face in every brick of theirs. I will be exculpated by the next meeting of the senate and after that the first event would be our wedlock. The only qualm that I have is that I can pour out my heart in these notes to you only twice a month, but this month I can send you only one because the other is reserved for someone else.
Let love never do us apart, neither in life nor in death. Love is like wine that grows richer with age, and the bonds only grow stronger with distance. The beautiful memories of you make time pass slower and each moment of mine worth living. When the cold wind of the morning blows through the bars that hold me between these three stone walls, I can feel the warmth of yours mixed in the air that unites us though we are so far. You are in my heart, in the air I breathe, in the blood that runs through the humble veins of this peasant and you make him feel like the conqueror of the universe.
Ever yours,
Eden.”
“Count Lucas,
I have reserved this letter for you, though I get to write only two in a month, and as you know the other one goes to your sister. She is very dear to me, she is my heart. I entrust you with the duty of taking good care of my heart till I come back. Nobody could ever believe that you are her half brother. Now I see why the bonds of blood are said to be stronger than any other bond in the world. Yet, my love for your sister may challenge those bonds. I wish to thank you for helping us to come so far and for believing in me though I am a peasant and you are royalty. Every drop of my blood bows to you for your nobility. I will be back soon and I’m really thankful to God that you are by her side while I’m so far away. Your presence around her makes my tumultuous mind feel at ease.
However, there are some unfinished accounts that I have with someone who I don’t know of. I have been trapped in this vicious maze of Casca’s disappearance; yet, my heart bears no heaviness of guilt for killing anyone. I would be grateful to you if you would dive into the dark mists of his disappearance and bring out some light.
Eden.”
January 20th, 1710
“Eden,
My heart and body long for your presence. Every vein of mine calls out your name. The roaring waves remind me of the misdeeds that my family did to you. We survived everything and it was your hand that gave me strength to sustain it all.
You gave me a reason to breathe even when I wished to embrace death. Each time Casca made a visit and stared at me through the corner of his eyes as he bowed before my parents, it were your thoughts that alleviated my pain. You set me free from the treachery of those eyes, and the fetters of his lustful smile. You freed my world from his torture. Every moment I live in peace is by your grace, and just as you do, I can feel your warmth even though you are so far away.
Without you every minute takes as long as a painful year to roll by, yet I caress your absence as I believe that the fruit of my wait will grow by the minute, so rich in love. Each time the surges hit the shore and retreat, I see them as a messenger of our messages, running back and forth between us. The sinister named distance is defeated by the proximity of our hearts. We are two hearts that beat as one.
Even death cannot do us apart.
Far yet so near,
Beth.”
February 3rd, 1710
“Beth,
Your memories revived the strength in me and gave me a reason to sustain the last thirty days and I know that it will keep me alive through the next month as well. The words on your letter soothe the sores on my body and the pain in my fettered legs. But I give you my word; I didn’t kill Casca though I would honor myself if I had. It will only take a month and a half longer for my day of judgment and I will stand as an innocent man before the balance.
Till then, our love will be the magic potion that gives me sustenance. When the world knows the truth about my imprisonment, I will be set free and will come flying to you like a bird. It is just a month away.
Waiting to be in your arms,
Eden.”
Feb 15th, 1710
“Eden,
I wish this were untrue, yet Casca is dead. Every time I close my eyes when I stand before the Almighty, I pray that thou shall be found innocent despite your felony as I will not bear a drop of brine fall out of my sister’s eyes.
Lucas.”
February 28th, 1710
“Beth,
The pigeons failed us. Probably your message was too heavy with love for them to carry. I do know what your soft hands wrote in that letter. I wish to receive your messages soon. I loathe the chains that chafe my feet only until my eyes have a glance at them, as they remind me of your lovely braid. I see you all around me and add a soul to my body. I have run out of words to tell you how precious you are to me.
My judgment will be done by next fortnight and the same time by next month, we will be in each other’s arms.
Your beloved,
Eden.”
March 5th, 1710
“Beth,
The best thing about March is that I will be writing two letters to you though I will be here only for a fortnight. I blame the dark storms for not receiving your last few letters. But time is the answer to everything. Each day of the last one month, I have kept myself alive by reading the only letter you sent me, all day long. The walls of my confine are growing darker as there is so less that they have heard from you. They have grown colder and their stare makes shudders run down my spine. I wish that I could wake up in your arms and that this would just be a nightmare.
Yet, the thoughts of yours give me the urge to live. You are the alchemy that turns my life into gold. My feet may be chained, yet no king or law can rule ever over me as you are my queen, the true conqueror of my heart!
I will soon be with you.
Love,
Eden.”
March 12th, 1710
“Eden,
I recalled that you will soon have your judgment and I wish you shed those evil fetters that bind your feet. However, there is one thing I beg of you. Kindly steer your ship to some other part of the country when you are set free. My heart sinks down like an anchor in the bed of the ocean to tell you the bitter reality that it takes more than just love to maintain a relationship.
Count Monte of Crete has won Beth’s heart. They will be getting married by the ides of April. I beg of you to forgive my sister and let her live happily. I will offer you thirty pieces of gold if you abide by my request.
Lucas.”
March 15th, 1710
“Beth,
This is the last letter I can write this month and it is also my last letter to anyone in this world. My heart is as heavy as lead and the only way to free myself off my sins, is to allow the law of this blind nation to gorge on my soul for no fault of mine. It is now like a harp without strings, a cupid without his arrows. Today my life has become like a rainbow without colors. I have lost my trust in hope, in the structures which people regard as temples and in the adage that truth alone triumphs. Love is the only sin I committed, and is the only shackle that binds my heart. The same love that once gave me wings to soar in the sky has made me plummet to the ground and grovel in the sand. Before it buries me I have chosen to surrender myself to the soil and let you live happily. Even now, something tells me that I belong to you yet Lucas’ word is my decree.
Tomorrow I will set some man who lives free in some corner of this fierce country, by taking the blame for his misdeed, as I find no reason to breathe. The guillotine will liberate me of all the pain that my dying heart bears. Pass on my words of gratitude to Lucas who tried to keep us together. As he said, it takes more than just love to keep a relationship alive.
May you find peace and happiness in the superficial world sans me!
Brokenhearted,
Eden.”
March 19th, 1710
“Eden,
What have you done? What changed after you went to jail? My brother told me that you have taken the blame for Casca’s murder and that you are going to be sent to the gallows; you swore to me that your sword bore not a drop of his blood. Why haven’t you replied to any of my letters? I have patiently waited for you and have endured all the pain my parents have given me for giving my heart to you. Only Lucas has been supportive of me. I hope that this letter finds you before you die, and I hope you untie the deathly knots that you made for no reason.
You still have two letters that you can send for this month. I will wait for five more days for your letters. Else let us find unity in death!
Beth.”
April 1st, 1710
“Casca,
It looks like the sisters of Fate were on our side. No wonder do they say that trifle emotions like love can bend the strongest mettle and make it weak. Today as I stand below the vast firmament, I see only those stars that bear testimony to the fact that Beth and Eden loved each other till their death, yet as they wink fading away into the brightness of the morning, I merely visualize the prosperity of my father flowing into my hands. As I promised, I will give you three hundred pieces of gold when I sail to Morocco next month. Till then, may you be a murdered son and a loyal friend of mine.
Lucas.”
The recalcitrant stars stare at the graves in shame for steering the fate of the true lovers in the direction of betrayal, yet the countenance of the moon brightens up as two newly born stars rise up from the graves of Plymouth and Bristol, which are so far apart. They blink as they approach each other and ensconce in the lap of the firmament when they are close enough. They have finally reached the place where they belonged. Their mutual magnetism is too pure for the contaminated earth that rots below where voracity can only fetter the last bit of purity.
__END__
