Letters: a writing project from the past

Hello, and welcome to my writing blog! If you enjoy historical fiction and tastes from lives of the past, then you're in the right place.

Letters from Yore is an ongoing project created entirely by myself, an amateur writer and history fanatic. It explores the everyday happenings of counties, duchies, kingdoms, and more through writings from individuals' perspectives, one letter at a time.

I cannot guarantee all information I write will be historically accurate. I'm here to have fun and play with my counts and countesses like they're Barbies.

All characters are made up! None of these people or places are real (at least, noot on purpose)! Any resemblance to real people or events is entirely coincidental!

This blog is AI-free! I do not support the use of AI in any creative industry, and all content on this blog is made from pure human creativity.

26 October 1543

Sender: Agnèse de Rainé, maid of Lady Marie Louise de Terreville 

Recipient: Vincent de Rainé, secretary to Count Antoine II de Terreville 

Vincent, 

Worry not. You of all people should know that I've always got more than one plan. 

Your sister, 

26 October 1543

Sender: Marchioness Juana de Soltierra

Recipient: Lady Inès von Ortstadt formerly de Soltierra

Lady Inès, 

I understand that later this week, you are to travel to Westshire with your husband to witness the wedding of the young noble couple of Westshire and Terreville. Though I understand you may be busy for the extent of your time there, I ask that you try to maintain and perhaps rebuild some of the fragile relations currently existing between Soltierra and Westshire. I wish you good luck in witnessing their marriage as well as surviving your own. 

Your aunt,

26 October 1543

Sender: Lord Eberhard von Ortstadt

Recipient: Lady Marie Lucie de Terreville

My dearest,

I am assuming that you have already begun to travel to Côté-du-Mer, and thus I will keep this letter brief: my wife Inès will indeed be coming with me to the wedding of your sister. Know though, that I still do and forever will love you.

Your love,

26 October 1543

Sender: Vincent de Rainé, second secretary of Count Antoine II de Terreville

Recipient: Agnèse de Rainé, maid to Lady Marie Louise de Terreville

Agnèse,

Now how could you miss an opportunity such as this?

Your brother,

26 October 1543

Sender: Lady Marie Louise de Terreville

Recipient: Lady Marie Laure de Terreville

My dearest sister Laure,

As I sit here in my carriage, awaiting my wedding, I can only wish you were well enough to be here with us. I can only think of it; my two younger sisters and myself, on a grand journey, all of us to be changed for good. Lucie also wishes that you could be here with us; the ride has made her somewhat uncomfortable and this has exacerbated her longing for you and our trio. God bless Mlle Grégoire however, Lucie's dress was inconveniencing her so the Mlle offered so kindly to switch dresses as to make her more comfortable and less ill. Now Lucie knows what it feels like to be a maid and Mlle Grégoire a Lady, if only you were here to see it! I hope that these minute details of our existence satiate your fear of missing out, and I hope that you can share some moments from your life in a letter to come. I miss you.

Your dear sister,

26 October 1543

Sender: Count Antoine II de Terreville

Recipient: Lady Marie Lucie de Terreville

Marie Lucie,

As you travel to Westshire with your sister to witness her wedding, I would ask that you learn to follow her example. Marrying a good man, never trying to step outside her role or contest with the best interests of the court… what you and every young lady in Terreville should strive for. I will never go so far as to say your mother would be disappointed in you right now, but I will say that you would have some work to do to make her proud of you. Attend your sister's wedding, do not cause conflict, find a good man if you have time… do not throw scorn upon my name.

God be with ye,

26 October 1543

Sender: Étienne de Goudry, stable manager

Recipient: Guillaume Pastoureau, stable worker

Guillaume,

I hope well that you are prepared to take care of the stables while I am gone; I trust in your skills as well as your memory of what I have previously told you. Remember, you will have all the assistance you need in the form of our fellow workers as well as the court secretaries, if they feel so inclined. As well, feel free to write to me if a true emergency comes up; I should respond as soon as I am able. Of course, though, that is not to happen. I will return on the nineteenth day of November, and all will be well until then. Good luck, Monsieur Pastoureau.

God be with ye,

26 October 1543

Sender: Lady Marie Lucie de Terreville

Recipient: Lord Eberhard von Ortstadt

Oh my Eberhard,

Who do you think you are to write to me while I prepare to travel? You have indeed never been a timely man, in your politics nor in our relations. Alas, I do find this about you to be endearing. Don't you think that is odd, that I find you endearing au lieu du the other way around? In any case, I am excited to see you as well on the wedding night.

Well now, my sister is requesting - rather impolitely - that I finish writing this letter quickly as we must take off for Côté-du-Mer to catch our ferry in time. As a final question, however - will your wife be attending the wedding along with you?

Your love,

26 October 1543

Sender: Lord Eberhard von Ortstadt

Recipient: Lady Marie Lucie de Terreville

O dear Lady,

I have heard that you are to attend the wedding of your sister, the Lady Marie Louise, in Westshire very soon. I look forward to seeing you there, as I have thought of you every day since we first met. I am somewhat exhausted with yearning for you from afar, and am eagerly anticipating regaining the ability to yearn for you in person. The time that is soon to come is one which I await impatiently, even though my own sense of timing, even concerning myself, is not exactly magnificent, as I'm sure you could tell for yourself the last time we met, so long ago in July. Has it really been such a long time? O Love, lovely Lady… I will see you very soon.

Love from mine to you,

25 October 1543

Sender: Count Antoine II de Terreville 

Recipient: Court of Terreville 

To all who reside in the court of Terreville, 

Effective immediately, the positions of our top two secretaries are to be switched: Louis Chartier will henceforth serve as our first secretary, and Vincent de Rainé as my second. Further questions surrounding this matter will not be discussed until after the wedding of my daughter. We ask kindly that no speculation surrounding this event takes place.

God be with all, 

25 October 1543

Sender: Aveline Fontaine, maid of Lady Marie Lucie de Terreville

Recipient: Étienne de Goudry, stable manager

Dearest Étiennot,

If we are sinners, let us spend eternity in hell together. I cannot wait to see you tonight.

Love,

25 October 1543

Sender: Étienne de Goudry, stable manager

Recipient: Aveline Fontaine, maid of Lady Marie Lucie de Terreville

My dearest Aveline,

I must admit that your strong will is one of your idiosyncratic qualities that I find the most attractive. O, I cannot wait to see how this quality presents itself on our wedding night! While I am admitting things to you, I must say now that I have been unable to purge your image from my mind since seeing your face this morning. Your face framed by your luscious ginger hair, the thoughts I had when your gorgeous brown eyes met mine have since poisoned my mind with thoughts which would make the Lord above strike me down for sin. How I wish I could take every part of your body in my arms from where I stand right now; how tragic that I cannot and must wait until you stand in front of me. No other thing in my life has made me want to violate the word of God more than you; you make me wish more and more every day to commit the most lecherous of the seven deadly sins: lust.

Miss and love you dearly,