Dear Lynnie,

Teacher says I should practice writing things. I thought it might be fun to send you letters.

I am very happy to hear that you are going to be a big sister! I gotta tell you that there will be times when you want to hide under your covers with a flashlight and read a book by yourself!

We are getting ready for Christmas and Yule at our house. Mama taught me about some other holidays that people celebrate. There's one called Hanukkah where people get presents for eight whole days! Some people call it the Festival of Lights.

I'm a Squire for Seaside like Aunt Rhi was for Old Temple and Battlefield Park. I'm learning to use this thing called a glaive. It feels different than my staff.

Trix has learned to play hide and seek. Mostly she looks for toys that got lost, but she learn more soon enough. Mama says Riddle used to play find the baby when Aunt Diana was little and tried to hide in Gran's flower bushes.

I'm learning to ice skate this winter time. Do you think your Mama and Da might let you join up, too?

Your friend,

Maggie

Dear Lynnie,

I'm sorry I haven't written in a while. Things have been very busy! I know we talk at school, but writing letters is still good practice and fun.

Congratulations on being a big sister! I know you will do a good job of helping your mama and da make sure your new brother is happy and loved. Mama, Aunt Rhi, and Gran helped me put together a few things that you and your family might need.

I picked out the wagon so you can give him rides when he's big enough to sit up and see more of the world. There's a blanket to for you to cozy up in and a bear to cuddle. Dogs are better snugglers, but sometimes, they aren't allowed on a bed. The music thing is for those times when you just need to hide and be by yourself. As great as having a little sister or brother can be, there are times when they cry a lot. I know it is all the voice they have, but it can be hard on the mama and da sometimes to figure it out. Sometimes, the best thing a big sister can do is make sandwiches and pour some juice or milk for the big people for when they are hungry and tired from taking care of the baby.

Gran sent the flying unicorn ornament. She said it's to help keep Baby Dylan safe from things the grown ups don't always see. It's sposta go on his bed frame.

Aunt Rhi and Uncle Eregor sent the stroller bike thing. It looks like fun to me!

I'm sending you a set of those walkie talkie things so if you need another big sister to talk to, I'm on the other end!

Your Friend,

Maggie

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Dear Lynnie,

My Gran says that babies sleep really good when they feel safe. Mama and Da used to ride us in a wagon for things like zoo trips. Maybe when Dylan is big enough us big sisters could make a picnic for the grown ups and littler kids. The big garden downtown or the zoo would be a fun thing!

I like grilled cheese lots! I think it's very very good with tomato soup. Aunt Nikki says it's her comfort food. I think that means makes her feel happy when she's not so happy. Me, I like ice cream for that. Who can't be happy if they got ice cream?

I know the Burny man, too! Aunt Rhi's says his name is Johnny. His wife is very pretty and she has a sister that's ....I forget the word, but they look just like each other. That's gotta be brain spinny sometimes!

Maybe we should ask to have a signing class at school. I learned to finger spell and sign 'cause Doran's Mama can't talk. She hears really good, but she talks with her hands lots of the time.

A bad daddy is not a good thing. Dads are supposed to love and take care of their kids. The unicorn charm is supposed to help keep bad magic away from babies. Gran says some faery magic is stronger than hers even though she's old and very good at it. Ask your Mom and Da if it's ok and I'll ask Uncle Heph about special magic for a staff and stuff. We learn to defend ourselves in school, but you got a special worry and need to be extra ready in case that bad daddy comes.

Your Friend,

Maggie

Dear Lyneth,

I'm glad that bad daddy is gone. I'm glad your family is safe. Mostly, I'm glad you stuck up for yourself! That's a very important thing. Couldn't they wait until you grow up to be a queen? Seems really silly to rush you along.

How do you like being a big sister and little sister, too' Closest I have to a big brother is my cousin, Jacen.

I won a barony because I got a special thing called a grant that let me challenge a Baron. Rand was the Overlord and he could have given it to anybody he wanted. He said that I had proven myself to him, so, he gave me a chance. I don't get a crown, but I do get to wear a really nice ring.

Next time you come to the theater when I'm in a show, please have your Mama or Da ask the box office people or an usher to let me know! I can find you during intermission and say hello. You will be old enough for STARS after two more birthdays. That seems like a very long time, but it'll go by quick enough.

Big doings coming up for school soon! Mama said she will send notes home and put a note on the big notice board.

See you soon!

Love,

Maggie

P.S. Gran says to tell your Mama that she is very welcome.

Dear Lyneth,

I'm sorry I haven't sent you a letter in a long time. I've been busy with school, you know that part, and other stuff. I'm the Baroness of Old Market. Old Temple is where Mama and Grandpa Tass used to be Barons. Mama had a fire station built over there, I don't know if it's the same one that Burny Man works at or not, but my Da says that having more fire stations means people can get help faster. That's a very good thing. I think that's why they are one of the projects Mama picked to do.

It's not a kingdom. It's more like winning a prize thing. While I have my title, I have a place to stay called the Cardinal Inn and as long as I keep winning, I get to keep it. My Squire is named Andre Esmond, he's very nice, works hard, and likes to read books! I am learning to speak French from him.

While I am Baroness, I picked to have Da build a care center next to the West Side Old Market fire station. Mama had that one built when she was Baroness in Old Market. Dr. Valkonan over at Riverview is helping me with care center. She's got the ideas on what should be there that I didn't know. I need to write a letter to your Aunt Caroline, the one that used to be on the council with Aunt Rhi. I think she would know best what bedding and other stuff we'd need. Do you remember that big snow they called Hannibal? Mama and I figured out that the basement space under the fire station and care center can be used to help keep people safe if there's another storm or something and they can't get home.

I think I understand some about you being half Fae. Mama is half Fae and half Greek goddess. My Da is human. I think it makes me confused sometimes, but Gran reminds me that I don't need to worry about being anyone but Maggie.

I'm sending you some blue rose flowers to plant and grow, this kind likes the winter time best, and some silk ones for a hair wreath. I named you and some of my other family and friends as my honor people for my challenges matches.

Love,

Maggie

Dear Maggie,

I'm sorry you lost your title, but you was the youngest ever, and no one is ever gonna take that away from you! My daddy says that it isn't the winning that matters, it is the taking part, and even though I don't really understand that, I think he means that if you enjoy doing something, you should keep doing it, even if you're not very good at it. I think. But you're really good at dueling! Everyone has times when they are not so very good. Like Dylan ....he was really good at sleeping for a couple of weeks, and now he is not. Mummy says he has colic and that means he can't sleep proper, but that it won't last long, and I have to stop Knip from sitting on his head when he cries, even if I kind of understand why he does it.

The blue rose flowers are growing really well! I have not seed the fairies for them yet, but Nanny, my big brother, he says that sometimes fairies don't come out until they have been alive for over a year, so we have to make sure they have a good year and maybe next year they will come out and play. And the fairies at the Botox Gardings will be having fun. Fairies ride on bees sometimes when they visit each other, and bees get all cleaned up when they get too covered in pollen with fairies to look after them!

Mummy says I have to say that Nanny is atchlee called Tiernan, and he is a half-Fae like me, and he has a mate, and she is a weer woof called Faolan, but we call her Fay. We fought the bad daddy together at the Halloween, and it's all good now. No more bad daddy coming back to get us!

I ask my mummy and daddy questions all the time, and sometimes they don't know the answer, but they always answer. Doing it on TV sounds like fun! If I could do it, I would want to ask Mr Ebon, or Mrs Vicki, or the man who runs the Museum. I would ask everyone!

And I writted soon! Yay for me!

Love, Lynnie

Dear Maggie,

Yay for Children's Day!

The fairies at the botanical thingy love all the visitors, and they like children, because children can see them playing. They just don't like their flowers getting picked without permission, that hurts them. I could ask them to do something for the day! Maybe they could show how to make flower crowns or something, and I could show people how to make friends with their fairies even if they can't see them!

I'm not very good with words still, but if it's a recorded message, I could do it over until it sounds right, couldn't I"

Oh! My Mummy is having another baby! Me and Dyl knew first - Oisin told me, and I told Dyl, and then Mummy knew, and she told Daddy, and we're having a baby sister! I will have one of each. Isn't that exciting"

Love, Lynnie

The note was tucked into an envelope with tickets for Lyneth and her family to attend the weekend performance of the RCCA's show at the Vivant Theater.

Dear Lynnie,

I am sending you some tickets so you and your family can go to the circus show this weekend! I hope you can go, it should be lots of fun! I'm having a skating thing on Saturday night at the Cardinal Inn, maybe your family can all come to that, too!

Love,

Maggie

Dear Maggie,

Isn't it essiting" Peter and me reckon all the growed ups have gone boring. So we want to have fun again, like, for a whole year! Carnivals and fun fairs and stuff for famblies!

And, and if we're not guvnors, we might still do the Christmas in July thingy, 'cos that would be fun, only we got to wait and see, Mummy says. Mummy and Daddy have roolz. Which is okay, 'cos if I don't keep the roolz, then Dyl and Mia won't, and that's a bad thing.

She's all worried bout the debate thingy, 'cos she says every year it starts after bedtime, and that's one of the roolz, and I said I don't mind not being at the debate thingy, 'cos I don't like being tired and grumpy. You done the guvnor thingy, dint you? Does we have to fight people, too?

Love, Lynnie