Dear Living: Letters from the Dead, PG-13

[Ankhiale]

Title: Letters from the Dead
Rating: PG-13
Recipient: the living
Notes: Just what it says on the tin. Warning for character deaths, all canon.

***

Alanna,

I'm sorry. I still don't know why I resurrected him.

Love,

Thom

***

Your Majesty,

I don't regret dying for you.

Liam

***

Jonathan,

I'd happily play the villain again if Tortall needed me to. Don't make me come back again.

Your cousin

***

Alanna and Thom,

I wish you had told me. I'm so proud of you both.

Your father

***

Thayet,

I may have prayed daily for a son, but that didn't mean I don't love my daughter. I hope you're happy, and I wish you'd tell my grandchildren about me.

Love,

Your father

***

Dearest Thayet, and Buri as well,

Some things are worth living for, too.

Kalasin

***

Daine,

You're a good girl. I'm glad you're safe.

Grandda

***

Maura,

You're growing up fine. I'm glad I died for you.

Rikash

P.S. - Tell Daine thank you for naming her son after me, even if it is a bit embarrassing for us both.

***

Your Majesty,

You are worth dying for. Rule well.

I wish I could have seen your coronation.

Ulasim

***

Dove,

I would have helped you, had I been able to. Tell Winna your mother and I send our love.

Love,

Papa

***

Nawat,

Stop saying embarrassing things about me or I'll hex you again. Don't think I can't.

Ochobu

P.S. - Girl, what on earth were you thinking, marrying that birdbrain? May all the gods have mercy on us, when your children grow up. . .

***

To anyone,

Please remember me.

Francis of Nond

***

Kaddar,

I knew I should have executed you sooner. Please take care of my birds.

Ozorne Muhassin Tasikhe, Emperor of Carthak, etc.

***

Trebond,

You never did beat me fairly.

Why did you turn on me?

Alex

***

My little Owen,

You've grown up so well. I'm glad you're still so happy.

All my love,

Mama

***

Milady Kel,

None of us regret dying for you, or for Haven.

Gil and everyone

***

To the nice lady with the big stick,

I'm sorry. Thank you for freeing me. It didn't hurt at all.

Susah

***

To Taybur,

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to die on you. Please be happy?

Dunevon

(See? I spelled my name right this time!)

***

Petranne,

I liked your hugs best. Tell Mama I'm sorry, and tell Dove I like her pretty crown.

Elsren

***

To all you self-righteous Tortallans,

When you are forced to sit around and watch your daughters starve, then you can complain about what I do to make money.

Stenmun

***

Alanna,

Oh, for crying out loud. I'm a constellation. I can't really die.

Faithful

***

Dear Kara and Kourrem,

I know I was an ass. I'm sorry. You two are awesome shamans, even if you are girls. I have it on good authority that there are some handsome men interested in you, too, if you ever do want to get married.

That school looks like fun.

Ishak

***

Mindelan,

You're still not as good as you think you are.

Joren of Stone Mountain

***

Katya,

I won't be coming home. Tell the boys their father loves them.

I miss you.

Your Inar

***

Your Majesty,

Boy, did you pick one fine wife. Perfect for you, too, since Mithros knows you need someone to keep you on your toes. Don't worry about us so much - you got the bastard who did this to us, and the afterlife is one hell of a party. You'll be joining us soon enough.

Any excuse, eh?

All of us from the Dove

***

Alanna,

Don't be too angry at your father. It's not his fault.

I'm proud of you.

Love,

Your mother

***

Roald,

I miss you so much. Don't follow me; I can wait forever now. It's not like we didn't know this was coming.

Lianne

***

Jon,

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to die; it really was an accident.

You're doing a fine job. Keep listening to your wife.

Love,

Your father

***

My Sarai,

I understand why you left. Your boys are beautiful.

I'm glad Carthak agrees with you. Remember to write to your sister.

Love,

Your mother

***

Arram,

What, by the Goddess, is up with your name? Wasn't the one your ma gave you good enough? And listen to you - you sound like one of those old fuddy-duddies who pontificate in the squares at all hours. And seriously, boy, sparkles? The black is bad enough, surely? I knew sending you off to university was a bad idea.

Good for you, standing up to that smarmy Ozorne fellow. You were always worth ten of him.

Bet you didn't even realize I was dead yet,

Your grandmother

P.S. - Bring that girl of yours home sometime. In fact, boy, you should've done that before you went and knocked her up. Didn't we teach you manners? I hope you at least asked her parents' permission, first. . .

***

Neal,

Weren't you happy at the university? If you weren't, there were other things you could've done. We didn't want you to have to be a knight too.

We're still proud of you. Especially for not getting yourself killed by the Lioness.

Love,

Your brothers, who else?

P.S. - Tell Father we're sorry.

***

Tobe,

I love you so much. Listen to that Lady Kel, okay?

Love,

Your mama

***

Great Kraken,

You were awe-inspiring. If I had to get killed by something, I am honored to have been killed by you.

Sincerely,

Captain of the Third Galley

***

To whoever you are,

Did you have to kill my sister again, too?

Blayce

***

Dovasary,

I would be careful, were I you. The Isles will chew you up and spit you out. No matter how much good you are doing for the people, they will turn on you in the end.

Imajane

***

Sir Alanna,

Delia was right. You are a self-righteous bitch.

I'd have killed you, too, if you weren't so god-touched. Tell me, how is this fair to the rest of us?

Well, the Goddess will lift her hand from you eventually. Even heroes fall, in the end.

Josiane Rittevon, princess of the Copper Isles

***

Halef,

I love you, my friend.

Ana

***

Shinkokami,

It is fortunate I died, I think. You are more suited to the prince than I was.

May your life be long and happy, and may you be blessed with many children.

Chisakami

***

Seaver,

Don't ever pull that kind of bone-headed stunt again. I don't want to see you until you're bald and toothless, you hear me?

Your father

***

Aly,

I don't regret watching your back.

Junai

***

Daine,

Don't cry over us. Freedom is worth dying for.

Leaf and Jelly

***

Skysong,

Mind your foster mother. I only fought for her because I knew she'd do right by you. And stop eating that mage's supplies. There are things that can disagree with us.

Mama

***

Squire Alan Sir Alanna,

Thank you.

Thor

***

Lindhall,

This is one fun afterlife!

Bone

***

To you brats,

Do you think you're the first to have "vanquished" us?

We the Ysandir

***

To the small redhead,

I am glad the sword proved useful. It is good to know my art survives.

You wouldn't know my name.

***

Sir Raoul,

I knew your opinion of me; I was determined to prove you wrong. Unfortunately, I proved you right instead.

Glaisdan of Haryse

***

Thom,

We never hated you. We were just frustrated you kept faking stupidity.

I regret that you never realized, after all those years, that you could come to me for help, and I would give it.

Master Si-cham

***

To whoever listens,

You think of us as monsters. I wonder what your cattle think of you.

"Just" a spidren

***

To that scapegrace grandson of mine,

Damn, boy. You get into more wars than I did.

Grandpa Jasson

[Verasque]

Standing ovation, here.

This is simply outstanding, Alix. I don't have any other coherent words at the moment, but it's impossible to choose a favourite. The one from Thor was the first to make my breath hitch.

[Ankhiale]

OMG. Thank you. *blushes*

[Katty]

Wonderful!!! I especially love the Kalasin one about there being things to live for - mind if I borrow the idea for a plot bunny? ;D

[Ankhiale]

Not at all!

I'm glad you liked this.

[kiz]

This is beyond awesome! At first I was stockpiling my favorites as I read so that I could point then out here, but by the end, there were too many!!!

I will try though. Faithful's made me laugh out loud, and so did Joren's, and so did the Ysandir's (the latter also has me brewing a srs plot bunny).

Leaf and Jelly's was so poignant, and Glaisdan's broke my heart. Francis' just made me think "Franciiiiiiiis!"

I am so impressed by how many character voices you are able to nail down within a sentence!

[Ankhiale]

Thank you!

[Milla]

Wow Imajane and the letter to the Kraken and Numair's Grandma. Damn I loved them all.

[Ankhiale]

...Numair's grandma was ridiculously fun to write.

Thank you!

[Lisa]

Beyond brilliant. I love how you've balanced laugh-out-loud humor with extreme poignancy. I think my favorite (at the moment) is either Stenmun's or King Jasson's. Or the kraken.

(do I have permission to link this?)

[Ankhiale]

Thank you! *blushes* Jasson just sort of popped in there at the end and was all, ok, the buck stops here. ;D

(Of course! I'm flattered you want to.)

[journeycat]

This is exceptional - wonderful job! Sometimes I was overwhelmed with sadness and other times I was suppressing giggles; like Lisa said, you balanced deep emotion with comedy extremely well. Beautifully done!

[Ankhiale]

Thank you!

[Elsceetaria]

This is wonderful. It was happy and wonderful and amazing and junk. There were so many that I loved.

[Seek]

;______;

[jazzyjess]

Like the others, I'd been noting my favourites to mention, but by the end I'd lost track! What a wonderful list <3 Francis was so tragic! And so was Glaisdan. And the kraken was by far the funniest Excellent job, Alix!

[ubiquitous]

These are amazing, I adore them all. Wonderfully done!

[Ankhiale]

Thank you all!

[wordy]

You almost made me cry.

[Ankhiale]

[ev]

This is so good, I can't even explain.
I loved them all, the darkings, Francis, an I really liked the one with "dear small red head", which was about the sword.
Heck, I love them all. ;D

[Ankhiale]

Thank you.

[Slone of Snow Mt.]

Oh Alix you rule!

[Ankhiale]

Thank you.

[nealnotdom]

I bet you didn't even know I was dead yet.

Best line EVER!

And I loved the spidren one and Si-cham's letter. He sounds like a vaguely frustrated teacher. Who's dead.

[Ankhiale]

Thank you! (Come on, you know Numair's grandma was a wonderfully snarky lady...)

Si-cham's letter ... may have inspired a longer fic. If I can stop writing my new AU long enough to give it some attention.

[nealnotdom]

Oooh yesyesyes! Si-cham fic! ;D

[greenie]

Oh, these are fantastic! I think that pretty much all the ones involving Alanna were my favourites.

[Alliecat]

These are phenomenal, Alix.

[Ankhiale]

Thank you all.