A Rose Withers at Last [PK]

[EmiliainWonderland 1526]

My name? I almost don’t remember it at this point since it’s been so long since I first came to Almaris. Most people have forgotten me to time, so I wrote a book for people like me, except the only difference was I’m not dead… yet. 

 

Enclosed is the book, for whomever it may concern. Sent out to the citizens where every branch of my family resides, as a reminder of their history and the people who came before them.

 

 

As I write this, I know my time is inevitably coming, something I had been prepared for since I was in my 40s. So other than that, if you’re receiving this, perhaps these letters pertain to you in some fashion and enclosed also, are letters that will never be received by the people who are written in my book. 

To Anton, 

Spoiler

“Dear Anton, 

 

 My sweet sweet Anton. You shimmered when others failed to shine, you were too wonderful and wise for this world and I pray every day that I will return to see you again. I know that day is soon, when I will get to hold your hand and tell you the joyous news of how the final d’Azor who was responsible for your wife’s death is gone and does not haunt the souls of the waking any longer. All the life that I have lived while you were gone, all the children I have borne, I cannot wait to tell you it all word for word. We have gone too long without seeing each other, and I pray you feel that same bond of kinship before you passed and to this day that I felt for you every day of my life, living on without you. I finally did it, I wrote your story for the world to see as I always knew I could do. They may not read it, they may not even care… but I did it! The one thing I couldn’t leave before doing, and now that it is finished, I am ready to embrace you with open arms in the Seven Skies. 

 

 

Love always, 

 

Your dearest friend, 

Maria de Rosius/Alice Thorn” 

To Elodie, 

Spoiler

“Dear Elodie, 

 

  I miss you. There is so much I have to apologize for, you will know soon.

 

Sincerely, 

Your favorite niece.”

To Sylvie, 

Spoiler

“Dear Sylvie, 

 

I admit I wasn’t the nicest to you when we met, but I had a goal in mind and for you I have a request. For helping you get to Haense, I’d like to ask you to please spread the words in my book, please make sure these people, your ancestors, my friends, all of them… don’t go unnoticed. If not you, who will Elara? I have not known you for long, but in you, I see myself before everything went wrong. I see my aunt, who I know would’ve been so proud of all that you and your sister’s family have become. Tell them I’m sorry I was never able to get to know them, but I’ve never been good at talking to people, not unless I was lying to them all. You, I will not lie to, I will be truthful. We will not see each other again for some time as it is my time to go, Elara. Please do me this favor, for it is all I ask of you. 

 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Your elderly cousin and a wonderful wingwoman, 

Maria de Rosius”

To Adeline d'Azor, 

Spoiler

“Dear Adeline d’Azor, 

As if I could ever forget about you, sweet child. You gave Anton meaning in his darkest of times. You did what you wanted for the sake of love, and for that I have nothing but the utmost respect. I hope to see you again in the Seven Skies, for surely you are there alongside Anton, reminding him that he is loved for the rest of eternity.

 

With love, 

 

Maria de Rosius”

To Anna Mariya, 

Spoiler

“Dear Anna Mariya, 

I am forever grateful for your friendship and you are another I hope to see in the seven skies when we finally reunite. I will forever be sorry for the loss of your daughter and I hope to see her again soon. You were always a true friend, Anna, do not forget that.

 

Sincerely, 

 

An old friend, 

Maria de Rosius”

To Elaine d'Arkent,

Spoiler

 “Dear Elaine,

Admittedly, this is one of the hardest letters to write, for you deserved so much more than the world handed to you. For years, I couldn’t live with that feeling of you dying while I remained. Every secret I ever told you that day died with you, but it will not die with me. Thank you Elaine, for keeping my secrets for keeping everything I told you to your chest and guarding it until the bitter end. Tell your boy, who no doubt followed with you into the seven skies, that I am sorry I never got to meet him and that I will be so very happy when I do.

 

From your dearest Aunt, 

 

Maria de Rosius.”

To Elizavetta de Rosius, 

Spoiler

“My dearest Elizavetta whose life was cut too short, 

I never forgot you. I could never forget the woman who I held in such a high regard. For all those words I never got to say to you, I’ll say them now. You are worth so much more than a man who doesn’t choose you and I wished you realized it sooner. Whether you loved men or women, you were and will always be my auntie. Anton and I bonded over our shared loss and for that I am grateful, but I wish we could’ve bounded over our shared friendship with YOU. If you had not taken your life so soon, I can only imagine the things we could’ve done together. I love you, Aunt Elizavetta. I will always cherish the time we spent together however little it was. 

 

Love always, 

 

The one who never forgot.”

To Geoff Turgon, 

Spoiler

“Dear Geoff, 

I have no idea where you went, but I hope if you are still alive, this letter will find you in good spirits. No doubt you’re gone now, and if you are I hope you and Elodie are having tea. Our relationship was never easy, but loving you was. I know you never felt the same for me, despite our affair, but I want you to know that I genuinely did care for you, I just had a strange way of showing it. You are the only man I can say that I ever TRULY loved though again you did not feel the same. Whatever you’re doing, wherever you are. I miss you. 

 

With true and ardent love, 

 

Maria”

To my son, Lucius,

Spoiler

“Dear Lucius, 

All I could ever say to you is that I’m sorry I was such a rotten mother, but you were the only one I truly had faith in. To say that I cherish you is an understatement. In you, I saw everything that I could’ve been. How you turned your life around for a moment before it was taken from you, I could’ve only dreamed of doing so when I was young enough to enjoy the benefits. I will always be remembered as the mother who abandoned you, but know this, Lucius. If I had kept you, the horrors of my world would have swallowed you whole. 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Your Mother”

To Rosemary who eventually became a Vuiller,

Spoiler

“Dear Rosemary, 

You were the one good deed I had ever truly done in my life, and for that I’m grateful. I apologize greatly for Anton keeping you from getting help sooner, but I’m glad you survived. 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Maria de Rosius.”

To Amelia Hughes, 

Spoiler

“Dear Amelia, 

My dear, sweet friend. You were a wonderful woman and I envied you. You ended up with a good man with a good family. If I should ever see you again, I want to tell you all about what happened after our paths split. If I could go back and do it all over again, I’d have chosen so differently and truly cherished your friendship when I had it. 

 

Forever your friend, 

 

Maria de Rosius.”

To Damien Hughes, 

Spoiler

“Dear Damien,

I hope to see you again soon. Thank you for the friendship you showed me even in my hardest of times. You were there for me when Darius was not, and for that I am grateful. I will see you in the Seven Skies, mon ami.

 

From your favorite Auvergnian, 

 

Maria de Rosius.”

To Viktor Romstun, 

Spoiler

“Dear Viktor Romstun,

 

Though your brother and I did not get along, you were kind to me. As kind as one can be to their brother’s spouse without overstepping any boundaries. You were a good soul, and I hope wherever you are, you are happy now. You deserved so much more than what life gave you, Viktor. 

 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Maria de Rosius.”

To Philip de Rosius, 

Spoiler

“To Philip de Rosius, 

 

Oh sweet Nephew, the family curse was not friendly to either of us. I should’ve believed Elodie when she told me my actions would have consequences. I could not have asked for a better Nephew. You meant the world to me, even if I did not show it. That day in the carriage, I’m so sorry for your loss, and I wish there was more I could’ve done. If I could save you the heartache of what it feels like to lose someone. I would’ve done it in a heartbeat. I miss you, you became so much different than me in the best of ways and so much like me in the worst. Never forget me, Philip.

 

 

Signed, 

 

Your aunt, 

Maria de Rosius.”

To Anne de Rosius, 

Spoiler

“Dear Anne de Rosius,

 

We did not know each other for long, but you were a wonderful woman. You made me proud of your accomplishments and meeting Faeviel was one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever had in my life. You are cherished, and you are loved.

 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Maria de Rosius.”

To Alicia de Rosius, 

Spoiler

“Dear Alicia, 

I miss you. If by some miracle you still live to this day, I want you to know that despite the vampiric curse you put on me, I still appreciated you for trying to help me live my life to the fullest. You were there for me when I needed you most and wherever you are, I hope you’re as happy as you were when we were children. You deserved a better family than what you got.

 

Sincerely, 

 

Maria de Rosius.”

 

To my uncle, Otis, 

Spoiler

“Dear Otis, 

Do not think I forgot you, dear uncle. Thank you for raising me when my father could not, tell him I said hello when you get the chance and that I’m sorry I never got to truly meet him. Tell him I met Anton, and that he was lovely. Tell Louise I’m sorry for my slights against her, tell Elodie I love her, tell everyone with you that I love them and I will be there with them soon. I know my time is near and I want to tell you everything I never got to say to you. That day in the accident, I realized the truth. Despite how uncaring you acted, you loved me and though I’d never have said it when I was younger, I love you too Uncle. I love you more than you could’ve ever known. I resented that you tried to push me into politics, I resented all the things you tried to make me do but I understand it now. You only wanted the best for me, and for that I’ll forever be in your debt. You and Elodie are the reason I lived on for so long, because I truly wanted to make sure despite everything I did, no one ever forgot all you did for this family. You were the thing that brought us together, in life and in death. 

 

With all the love you never realized, 

 

Your niece, 

Maria de Rosius”

To my father, Valent, 

Spoiler

“Dear Pere, 

 

Valent, I never really knew you, but I really wish that I did. Your expertise in politics was unparalleled. I’m so sorry I disappointed you as you watched on from the Seven Skies. If I could take it all back, I would. I met Anton, and I understand why you felt the way you did about him. He was wonderful, and still is even now he’s gone. I want to see you; I want to meet you; I want to talk to you and tell you all about the life that you missed up there so far away from me. I was ungrateful to you and all that you gave me before I even knew how to talk. I love you Papa, thank you for being my dad.

 

 

Love always, 

 

Your one and only daughter, 

Maria.”

To the rest of my family, even those who receieved their own letters, 

Spoiler

“Dear family, every single one of you

I was a dreadful child and an even more dreadful young adult and for that I apologize. I love you, every single one is a beautiful person who grew up to be more than I could’ve ever hoped for, the old and the new. Anne, Alicia, Aliria, Valent, Otis, Elodie, all of my many many children and even those who I have not mentioned yet in this letter. I love you so very much and I wish every single day I could’ve done better for you. For those of you who still live to this day, thank you for keeping our memory alive. Thank you for remembering my father, my uncles, my aunts, everyone who helped make us what we are today. Even if I do not know you, young or old, I love you. Remember me as I will watch over you for the rest of your days and see those of you in the Seven Skies when I finally make it. Do not fret that the era of old is finally over, dear de Rosius. 

 

This letter is my longest letter by far and yet I will not mention most of you by name.

 

 

You are our future, if you want to know of my mistakes you need only ask those who remain in this world who remember my name, and be sure to never repeat them. You are strong young men and women who are the future of this family and the future of our world. You are the one thing in this cruel world that truly gives me hope. Whether we are nobles, or commoners, we are all united under one common thing. Our blood, our family, and our bond. Whether you hate or love one another, it does not matter, but do not let yourselves go gently from this world. Fight with all of your might to make sure you are remembered for the people you truly were, lest you be forgotten like the rest of us. You have given an old woman a gift she will never forget, not even after I pass on. 

 

 

The gift of family.

 

 

To my children specifically, I apologize gravely. 

 

You deserved better than me, I could not give you what you truly needed. I could never give you the love you deserved. I hope you can find it in someone much better than I.

 

When it is your time, I will see you again and apologize as fervently as I can. For now, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors. 

 

 

Sincerely, 

 

The one and only, 

Maria de Rosius.”

 

To all of my friends, as many as there were throughout my nearing 90 years of life, 

Spoiler

“To all of the friends I have had through my numerous years of life, 

You know who you were, you know what you’ve done for me, but if you don’t remember. You taught me what it was like to have a family I chose for myself, to be cared about despite our bickering. You may not remember our times together, but I do and I will never forget them. May I see you again in the Seven Skies. 

 

Your friend, former or present, 

 

Maria de Rosius.”

To the dreadful family who killed Adeline, and by proxy Anton. d'Azor, 

 

Spoiler

“To d’Azor, 

I truly hope I do not see you in the seven skies, except Adeline. The rest of you can rot in a bucket of piss for all I care. 

 

With great hatred, 

 

Maria de Rosius.”

And as I finished writing my letters, numerous they were, I realized something. I had done everything that I had ever needed to do. My wishes were fulfilled. The only thing left to do now? Sleep and pray to God for forgiveness that he would be a fool to grant me. I finally got to be the person I’d always wanted to be, true and authentic, Maria.

 

Though this in itself is not a letter, I will sign it just the same. 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Maria de Rosius and her writer alter ego, Alice Thorne

 

Goodnight, 

 

 

 

Spoiler

An absolutely massive thanks to those who made roleplaying Maria fun and everyone who she ever met along the way, thanks to Matti and Valecius for giving me the character and all of her family. Thanks to RubyAnnaStar for the letter formatting idea because without her last pk post I would've had no idea what to write for the woman who's said almost everything she ever wanted to say. If I didn't mention you, yes, I sure did. Read the family or friends letters, those are for YOU. Yes you!

 

Maria was a blast to play and I loved every moment I had with her.  Thank you so much. 

 

Emi OUT

 

[Fawnytheturtle 703]

Anne de Rosius welcomes Maria to the seven skies with a hug and smile, joining them was her daughter Faeviel they all sit and have long chats

[EmiliainWonderland 1526]

3 hours ago, Fawnytheturtle said:

Anne de Rosius welcomes Maria to the seven skies with a hug and smile, joining them was her daughter Faeviel they all sit and have long chats

Maria smiled seeing her aunt. "Oh Anne, you'll simply never believe all the stories I have for you. You should see your ancestors Anne."