09/042025 

Dear Claire, 

I know! A letter! How fitting for Aunty Irene. I thought it would be fun to give you something to read. Just like when Aunty Irene would write us those stories we loved to read. 

Also, this classical hotel I’m staying at gives you pen, paper, envelopes, and stamps. All that, and there’s this pretty mailbox with jewels, and precious metals, outside. You got to see it if you ever come to Peetsurg. 

I think it’s also a good idea for me to right, too. All this mess with Aunty’s court case is troubling me. I’m starting to question if Aunty Irene was really murdered or not. And by her husband? At first, I did think it was Uncle Bernard who did it. But I don’t know if it’s right to just jump to conclusions, especially when there are sides that are so adamant to accuse him. 

I don’t understand why Mom is making me go to these court hearings. It just makes me so sad that things have come to this. But you know Grandma. Always so pushy about everything. I wish she could see how sad this situation is and let things rest. Or maybe that’s why Mom didn’t want to go. I don’t blame her now. 

I guess I’ll lay out all the details. And then maybe you’ll see what I can’t seem to put my finger on. 

So, Aunty Irene was found dead at her home. Grandma says that she came by to visit, only to find Aunty dead and Uncle Bernard standing next to her body. 

The cause of death is that she fell off the ladder of her library bookshelf. 

Now Grandma is accusing Uncle of having pushed her off in anger. And she’s been making a whole case of how he’s been an abusive husband, and how the family has been trying to keep her away from him ever since he started getting ‘worse’. 

I mean, I could kinda see where Grandma was coming from. You remember how drunk and crazy Uncle Bernard got at Grandpa’s Death Anniversary. It was pretty scary how no one could hold him down. I mean, an ex-King’s Guard isn’t someone any normal person is gonna be able to handle. 

But Aunty Irene believed he was just having a hard time after losing his job, Like, I sort of get it. He was supposed to keep their king alive. So, he probably felt like a failure. But he didn’t have to lose his shit at one of our family parties. I don’t know. This all seems messy. 

So, Grandma’s been bringing up all these different things against him. Some bad incidents with him, how he’s become a bad drunk, the nature of his old job, and that different family members have seen him yelling at Aunty. It’s just not a good picture. 

But now there’s this undeterminable piece that’s been added to the puzzle. And I don’t know if it’s truly helping the court case. 

Aunty Irene has been writing this new story, and it has been sort of colouring things in a certain way. 

So far, the story is about a princess who has been trapped in a castle that’s protected by a ferocious dragon. 

Grandma knows that the princess is symbolic of Aunty Irene, and that the dragon is likely Uncle Bernard. 

Now hear me out. I said, ‘the story so far’, and I know you know what I mean. We know Aunty Irene doesn’t just write simple stories. We know there is always an interesting twist to her stories. And as far as I know, she hasn’t finished the story. We both would have heard if she finished this story. You and I are some of her main readers. And because of this, It’s been really making me think. 

This is all we have of the court case so far. Uncle Bernard will likely get to speak tomorrow. And I tell you, Claire. I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle hearing Uncle Bernard speak tomorrow. Aunty Irene just died. And this whole thing is so sad. It’s going to be so heartbreaking tomorrow. 

Now I have to tell you about something that’s really got me thinking. I might be getting too lost in nothing, but it’s making me think a whole lot. 

I was downstairs at the hotel today, and I saw this little girl dancing around. She was probably 8 or 9 years old, so she wasn’t a baby. And she was in this adorable green dress. She was so cute. 

I guess she saw me smiling as I watched her, so she started dancing around closer to me. Now I know you might say it’s just coincidence, but do know what she said to me? 

“What kind eyes and a magical smile.” 

It scared me, Claire. I’m sure the girl saw my face change at that. But this little girl said the exact same thing that Aunty Irene says when she sees us. 

I didn’t want to scare her with my sudden shock, so I told her that she looked magical in her lovely dress. The little girl then told me, 

“I’m a princess.” 

This was all startling me, and so I don’t know why, but I tried to joke with her. I said, 

“Aren’t you lucky there isn’t a scary dragon around.” 

She shook her head and told me, 

“No. It’s sad. I love dragons.” 

I could hear that she truly meant it. Something in my just wanted to hear what she had to say, so I asked her, 

“Dragons are dangerous. Won’t they hurt a princess like you?” 

The little girl shook her head again. She then said, 

“Dragons are a princess’ best-friend. If they were going to hurt a princess, they would have hurt her from the very start. Dragons protect the princess from the scary family and all those weird princes that want to marry her.” 

The little girl laughed and danced around again. 

I know you’ll probably say I’m thinking too much into it, but I think this little girl was supposed to tell me all this. 

Can you see why I’m so confused about the case now, Claire? There might be something we don’t know. 

I’m scared about the case tomorrow. What if justice is not truly served? I don’t know how to feel about all this mess. 

I’ll probably tell you all about it when I finally get back. 

And maybe don’t show Mom about this letter. 

Let’s hope the case works out the way it truly should. \

Lots of Love, 

Colette 

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