User blog comment:The Reptile King/Ask Reps Daughter Questions/@comment-28358106-20161018183614/@comment-28358106-20161018214311

"Hmm.  All right then, I suppose I can give this to you, then." I hand over a very fancy, black envelope with silver gilt lettering, closed with a wax seal of Whitemarch.

To the esteemed Lady Freia,

''I hope this letter finds you in good health and equal spirits. I have entrusted it to my dear friend Thomas, with whom I'm sure you have, by now, a more than passing acquaintance. I hope it is so, for it means that by the time this missive reaches your talented hands, his acumen  in passing it along is justified, as if often is. I do so rely on his judgment in these affairs. If it should not be, I shall be quite cross with him.''

''Because I so detest the formalities of state where simpler options may be considered, I wish for you to hold this letter to be your free and open invitation into an ambassadorial role between the bodies of our beloved nations, should the station become available to you. Given the breadth of your capabilities, of which the good Doctor has spoken many a time in deeply impressed tones, I doubt not your speedy flight into accreditation. ''

''Do not think of this as a means to keep your Father, long may he live, from doing the same. I find the man most charming and his mercurial disposition quite refreshing, and welcome his company as I do all who come in goodwill. However, there are some small matters which may serve to dampen the spirit of any future unannounced visits he may undertake to our humble country, and the mighty King is not one I wish to dampen.''

''Namely, the unsightliness of the as of yet incomplete repairs on the state buildings caused, quite inadvertently I'm sure, by the summoned creature which graced us during his initial visit. The summoning was, again I am QUITE sure, accidental, and I do not wish to sadden the Great King with its memory. In addition, I most certainly do not want to run the risk of the Benevolent One accidentally meeting one of the citizens who happened to be present during said events. The Good Doctor tells me that these citizens, of some one dozen still need varying degrees of mental therapy, are quite well taken care of, and despite this we do not want the Great King to be burdened with their presence, or indeed the therapy bills for their mental care, which are myriad. ''

''No, certainly not. Perish the thought! ''

''So in conclusion, please do not mention the incidents of which I have spoken. I do not want any feelings of ill will between the great Reptile Kingdom and our humble little experiment known as Whitemarch. Consider my doors open for you both. I pray to whatever Gods may listen that our relationship shall begin in fellowship and overtures of good cheer. It warms my heart to think that I may some day soon meet you in person, and to myself, being a humble Regent, that is no small boast. ''

''May your days be as productive as they are lively, my Dear. ''

With all sincerity, Yours truly,

Lady Adelaide Grey, Regent Officium, Whitemarch 

''P.S. If you would be so kind, please tell the Good Doctor to pick a good wine on his return trip. I would ask my seneschal to do it, but the poor dear becomes frozen with indecision, and resorts to choosing based off of an algorithm that determines probability from past purchases.''

I lean on my elbow and sigh. "It has a grocery list attached to the bottom, doesn't it?"