428 - Before the Party

Dear Chevenga,

I need to write you, even as I am only an eight-day away from you.  If I can overcome my squirming, shameful fear of speaking in public and win my Regency and Minis’s Ascension, I will be writing you every day.

First of all, love, I know you, my alesinas, are probably working too hard.  Please listen to Skorsas and Niku and Surya and get enough rest, hmmm?

A smallish rainstorm blew up off the sea and put us on the ground for a day and I am taking advantage of the day’s delay to train with the solas in town. I get the feeling that I am doing better campaigning that way rather than by talking.  I’m talking to voters through my sword.

I hear that some solas are even making noises as if they were considering, as a family, that husband and wife might vote for Minis and I, which is interesting.  It is funny how many sola's are coming to watch their boys and their husbands train.

I hear that Kallen is speaking his way out toward me, a short loop from the city.  Even with this delay I am assuming I shall stand on the same platform somewhere around Rim Rock.  I am hearing good reports of Minis and I hope he is hearing good report of me.  Apparently Kazien was speaking toe-to-toe with him and an exchange of political opinion between them was very obvious.  I admit that a sneaking, nasty part of me wanted the boy to actually vomit upon the man’s boots but that would have been politically not a good move.  I laud him for using his brief illness so well as to use the vomiting upon the stage incident, and am a little ashamed of myself for being proud of that move.

Itzan seems to still be throwing the most massive party on that barge of his on the Lake.  I am not sure it has stopped since he launched his bid.  So I do not expect to face him on the same platform until I get back.

I hold hard to the idea that I am already half way through this circuit and will be home in time for the big party. I allow myself imaginings of my homecoming and I hope you are looking after yourself well, because you will certainly require all the energy you have, love.  I blush to myself that I am so forward.  Look at how you and your wild Yeolis have corrupted me!

I am, of course, writing to my young Kallijas and I hope he and the other children are applying themselves diligently and not getting in too much trouble.  Skorsas has told me that the price of the lace under-loincloth is being well and thoroughly worked off by my son, with minimum complaint.  I wish I had seen it fluttering from the beak of the Iron Tower Eagle, but you know me.  I would have blushed at that too.

That lewd little artist that did that series of us, is offering to do a small marble of Kall Jr. and I together... in a sense I think it is his way of making up to me the rudeness of those bronzes.

I send thoughts of my bare hands in your direction, Cheng, and loving, warm intentions, with all my strength.  I am only an eight-day away and tomorrow I will be starting my winging back down to the city.  All my love and respect,

Your Kall

**

Dear Kall,

Kallijas, you are a fine speaker.  When you let yourself speak from the heart, you're brilliant.  Just be yourself up there!  Just pretend you are talking to each person there one to one - that's how they're hearing you, in truth.

Mil doesn't seem much inclined to making speeches, except from the head of a table or a ballroom dais.  The thing you might have to worry about is that he seems to have gained the backing of the Yeoli hawks. That means he's made some sort of deal with them, probably not to throw them out on their butts once he's Imperator, to overlook past and present crimes--to leave them the power they have. Look for them to urge him to do a campaign of insults--or do it for him themselves.  They did that to me.

Get enough rest?  That was a joke, right?  When I'm done with Arko, perhaps. 

Corrupted you, us?  I couldn't in a thousand years, trying incessantly.  This is why I must continue trying incessantly.

Rudeness of the bronzes?  I thought they were beautiful.  I have one on my office window-sill.

I apologize for my offsprings' part in the pranks of your offspring, with all their aiding and abetting.  Their only excuse is that they came by it honestly. 

Our spawn are active, as usual.  The other day I’d just finished and was skating in late, and I come into the Imperial bedchamber and see a house donkey suspended in the harness over the bed, dressed in various bits of our clothing and a paper mask and hat on his head.  There was a bag of sweet feed there, that they’d obviously used to keep him quiet.

The poor little thing was braying his tiny head off, Niku was lying on the floor laughing, Skorsas was acting utterly blasé and Shaina and Etana were both sitting down.  I joined Niku on the floor.  I don’t know who instigated it, so I’m making the lot of them work with the house donkeys and the servants for an eight-day, despite much braying about “injustice.”

Not much excitement happening here, with the candidates all out of town drumming up support.  I am doing nothing but the constitution all day anyway and going flabby with no training.  You'll thrash me when we spar next, probably.

And then I will have to submit utterly to you in bed. I don't know how I will stand it.  You might gather I miss you desperately.  I'm trying not to think about having to be without you, except for daily letters, for two years.  A sacrifice we both make, for Arko.

Maybe I will take a sabbatical from the semanakraseyesin for my thirtieth year, just so that I can laze around, fly when I feel like it, and get you, Niku and Skorsas to sip pehahka out of my navel frequently.

Oh Kall!  You are so beautiful when you blush! I need not see it.  I can imagine.

Go on speaking well, my love, safe journey everywhere, good campaigning, make those voters love you (it should be effortless).  I will be here when you come home to take you into my arms.

Know I ache for missing you but am taking heart that it won't be long now. My naked hands touch yours... then run all over your body mercilessly... in spirit.

All my love, your

Chevenga

**

Dear Minis,

I am almost back to the city and I heard about you vomiting upon the platform and how you said it was because of the vileness of what he said.  I believe I have been able to handle the rude men in the crowds better than I thought.  I find my experience dealing as an unofficial officer is actually standing me in good stead.

My son is apparently being a very naughty boy while I am off speaking, making Chevenga and Skorsas’s and Niku’s and Shaina and Etana’s lives more difficult, but I am still very proud of him, since his teachers tell me he’s still being diligent.  Of course he tells me only of his diligence in his letters.  Ask him about the house donkey when you get home.

I am endeavoring to make our win a sure one, to the best of my abilities.

Good speech, lad.  I hope I can match you when I face Kallen on the platform… it should be tomorrow.  I am glad to hear that your illness is minor. Get well soon and I will see you when I get back to the city.

Kallijas

**

Dear, Honoured Sire,

I hope you are keeping well in your speaking tour.  I am doing my best with my scholastic work and my war-training.  Mama has gone off for her wedding trip with her new husband and they send me letters from where ever their ship puts into port.

No matter what they say, Honourable Father, I really, really didn’t have that much to do with the donkey. I mean… I only got the platform out to protect the bed… and the sweet feed… Not much at all!

I won't even tell you it wasn't my idea at all.  I won't tell you whose idea it was because that would be dishonourable!

And he made us... I mean, he persuaded us.. I mean... well he said it and we all laughed really hard and decided we had to do it.

We're all taking the punishment equally. I promise I won't do anything like this to you when you're Imperator, Dad.

Your dutiful and faithful son,

Kallijas Itrean [I can sign that to you, Dad because you won’t get confused!]

__________________________

AN: Thanks to Karen for Chevenga's letter and lots of...certain... well most of... innocent protestations from Kallijas Jr.