Letter Game {number 3}

So here we are!

Amy's reply to my letter! Just to reiterate and make things clear.... I am posting Amy's letters on my blog, and she is posting  mine on hers in an effort to try to get that real "letter" feel.

And if you're new and haven't read any of the story yet, you can find the beginning the the Letter Game page.


From: Miss Peggy Douglas
To: Miss Joan MacTavish
October the thirtieth, 1924




Dear Joan.

     I knew it! You took the hardest test and aced it. Really, my dear, must you show off? And me in such a dreary position?

     I do but jest... I am very proud of you. Congratulations! How grand to be a part of the Palace Guard! And it might just surprise you and turn out to be a very adventurous job. What with all the discontentment in parliament between the magicians and the philosophers. Trouble has been brewing for a while, my dear, and we both know that at some point, the King will have to step in.
     At any rate, I wish you all the best and hope you settle in quickly and without too much bother. It’s never easy being the new girl. Even if you are a Master Assassin now. In all events, it’s bound to be more exciting than working as a barista.

      Now, I’m not saying that I’m unhappy in my position. There are worse jobs than making coffee all day. But the longer I’m away from the University, the angrier I get. I mean, to go through three years of Uni, just to be kicked out right before my mid-point testing! It’s pretty hard to swallow.
Not that I’d have been likely to pass any test with my Powers being so wonky, but I’d have liked to have had the chance. I find it strange that no one has taken the time to try and figure out why my Powers have gone all out of control. I mean, am I the only one that finds it strange?
     I can’t help but wonder if I hadn't waited for three years to go to Uni... if things would have turned out differently. But I couldn't very well have just left with Mum being so ill. I had to be there for her. And then Dad was so grief-stricken I was worried to leave him…

     Oh well, never mind.

     I’m trying to keep my chin up in all this and enjoy some of the advantages of this new life. Such as exploring the city. I loved growing up in the country and hope to settle in the country again someday, but to live in such a busy, colorful city is exciting, especially after all the rules at Uni. They were rather up-tight about keeping to the school grounds. It is fantastic to not have a curfew.

     The thing is, I’m already becoming bored with my job and my life! And that’s not good. You know me, I've always needed interesting things in my life, otherwise I seem to get in trouble. You remember that deadly-dull summer when I accidentally set the hay-stack on fire? Being bored makes me do unpredictable things. It makes me play with my Powers.
     To help with the boredom, I’ve started to do some rather serious people-watching. It helps pass the time and I enjoy it. I’ve taken to carrying around a small journal and I jot down things I find interesting or unusual. Or rude. Joan, I never realized before how many people are rude! I don’t like rude people. They make me want to put some discomfort spell on them. But I can’t. While I’m at work, I have to wear a protective bracelet so that my Powers don’t interfere with the coffee machines and such. The downside is that I can’t actually work my Powers at all while wearing the blasted thing! I never thought it would come to this point—make coffee and have no Powers.

     Hey-ho, I don’t mean to gripe and I will stop this second!

     Let’s see…there must be something fun to tell you about. Ah yes, Dad came by for a visit a few days ago. He is such a dear. He was in quite a hurry since he was on his way to a conference, but he wanted to make sure I was getting along aright.

     “Things aren’t too bad for you, are they, my goose?” he asked as he straightened his wire spectacles to look at me better.
     I assured him that I am quite well and will figure out a new plan for my life as soon as I can. He smiled and patted my head in his absent minded way and muttered something about the many defects of the educations system. He sighed deeply and plunged his hand into his coat pocket. “Ah, never mind” he said and he handed me a small parcel. He got me a lovely pocket-watch with a tiny compartment hidden in the back. I don’t know what I could hide in a compartment that small, but it is still a lovely watch. Dad said it was once used by a spy (Whose name I’ve forgotten) to smuggle messages across the border during the War. I don’t know where he got it. Dad’s always finding these sorts of things.
     Then he was off. He’s promised to visit again as soon as he can. He has been unusually busy for the past few months. I can’t help wondering what it could be that keeps a humble historian so on his toes.

     Before I go, I have a confession to make. I have been asking around and doing some research of my own about wands, and though I haven’t found out anything useful, I did find out that occasionally a person will experience something known as a Power-Shift. Have you ever heard about this? It seems that once in a very rare while, someone’s powers change, either for good or ill, but no one seems to know why. Isn’t that strange?

      And now I must go. Good luck on your new job. I hope you have adventures in abundance. Perhaps someone will try and steal the crown jewels. I know I should not wish for such things, but it would make things lively for you.

I must sign off or I will be late for work.

Till next time,

Peggy.