When Penelope seemed to be optimistic about his progress too, Crow was pleased. Even if the dreams didn’t go away completely, getting a few good nights of sleep here and there was better than getting none at all. He could feel a big difference in his alertness already. It was good to be fully awake without battling the tug of perpetual weariness every day, making it difficult for him to focus on conversations and lessons with his tutors. If he could even be this energetic every other day, it would make his life a lot easier.

He looked down at the letter she passed to him, suddenly reminded of the other reason why he was excited to sit with her this morning. After going over two weeks without seeing his companions, he was eager to hear back from them. A bright smile crossed his lips. It still fascinated him that since he learned to read and write, he could communicate with other people without physically speaking to them. This was also the first time he would read something that had been written specifically [i]for him[/i]. He couldn’t wait to find out what it said.

“I really am,” he chuckled as he accepted the letter from Penelope. “Things are finally starting to look up around here.” Between everything that had happened today and yesterday, he was beginning to feel a little more at home in the inner kingdom. The newfound comfort left him hopeful that he would be able to adapt to noble life if given enough time.

Too curious to wait any longer, he unfolded the torn parchment to see what was inside. His heart raced excitedly as he recognized the yellowed paper as part of Hazel’s old journal. He had watched her scrawl gibberish in it for years. Now, he would finally be able to understand the symbols she’d been writing the whole time. His eyes followed the letters carefully as he read:

[indent][i]Dear, Collin:

You’ve only been studying for a week, and you can already write? As much as it pains me to admit it, I’m impressed. It sounds like you’re already well on your way to becoming a skilled viceroy. Just don’t let those other noble rats get inside your head while you’re staying at the castle, alright? We’re all counting on you to be the voice for the rest of us in the inner kingdom. Keep Simon’s dream alive and use your power to make the outer villages a better place for the rest of us who still live here.

In regard to your change of name, I’m glad you finally got rid of that stupid alias. Collin fits you much better than Crow ever did, and I appreciate your willingness to finally tell us who you are. Olivia didn’t tell us before she gave us your letter either. She did open it first, but I think she cared more about spending time with Alistair than she did about ruining your secret. I’m sure that must come as a relief to you.

I speak for all of us when I say I’m happy that you and Penelope have been doing well since we last saw you. We weren’t sure how you would adjust to being a noble, since you’ve always been a troublemaker as a peasant—[/i][/indent]
Crow laughed to himself at that.

[indent][i]—but I hope things have gotten easier since you wrote this letter to us. Knowing you, I’m sure you’ll make a great viceroy that the people will respect once they get to know you better. Just give them time.

Life in the outer villages hasn’t changed much since you left. Rikki and Alistair still join in the battles when they’re able to figure out where the fighting is happening, and I’ve finally started procuring all the ingredients I need to cure the villages in Myrefall of their illness. We’ve all been keeping busy, and luckily, we haven’t had any more trouble from the knights. I think they’ve finally decided to ignore us and focus on the war, as they should have been doing all along.

Anyway, it was good to hear from you, Collin. I would include more, but I’m running out of room on this page. Keep writing back to us whenever you have the chance. I don’t think a day goes by when you don’t cross our minds, and getting your last letter was an encouragement to all of us. Rikki, Alistair, and I miss you greatly and hope you’re getting everything you wanted out of the decision you made to become a nobleman.

Best regards,
Hazel[/i][/indent]

Setting the parchment back down on the table, Crow ran his hand over his face with a slow exhale. He hadn’t expected to get emotional over a letter, but after reading about Hazel and the other thieves and hearing about their concern for his wellbeing, his throat felt tight. “Gods, I didn’t realize how much I miss them,” he chuckled bashfully, looking up at Penelope with a half-smile. His eyes felt a little moist, so he rubbed at them with the heel of his palm.

“You got some letters from your comrades too, right?” he asked, changing the subject in an attempt to draw focus away from his own unexpected reaction. “What did they say?”