Standard disclaimers-characters are somebody else's and I'm not getting paid to abuse them-apply. Archiving permission to www.fkfanfic.com. Roasted chestnuts and extravagant presents (I really want the 'How to Insult, Abuse and Insinuate in Classical Latin' book) to [EMAIL PROTECTED] This is in response to the FK Christmas fanfic challenge posted by KC Smith on forkni-l. Please note that the phrasings of the following letters are not intended to be historically accurate-if I had done that much research, this would be a 'Christmas in July' tale! (For the initialed one. :) ) Christmas Letters By Molly Schneider Copyright 1998 XIV Kalends Janus In the 9th year of the Imperator of Vespasian At the River Sequana, Gallia Cometia >From Lucius Divius Porcellus to his daughter Divia. I trust you have progressed far enough in your studies to read this letter without the help of your tutor, or perhaps with just a little help. I hope that your Saturnalia gifts have arrived in time; it is a very long way from the camp here in Gallia to Pompeii. If you behave yourself well while I am gone and obey your mother then I shall bring you another, very special present. Your father wishes you the best this Saturnalia, little Divia. ******************** 17th December, 1178 Paris >From Lucien LaCroix to his daughter-in-blood, Janette duCharme, greetings. Your letter of protest reached me this morning. If you object to our being parted during the course of what your term the Christmas season, please remember that these holy days, being both Christian and mortal, mean nothing to me. Nor, my dark beauty, should they mean anything to you, or to any of our kind. However, to spare myself your wrath, which I fear is more vehement even in person than in your letter, I shall endeavor to rejoin you before the 25th of this month. Hoping further to appease you, I shall bring both gifts and embraces in great abundance. Until that day, I commend myself to your good graces. ******************* 17 December, 1678 Paris To Janette and Nicholas, from LaCroix, greetings- As we agreed, I have gone ahead to Paris and opened our house there; all is now in readiness for this season of silly festivities. The decorating of the house for your Christmas, though, I will leave to the two of you. As I have told you countless times over the centuries, such mortal follies are beneath our kind. The court of the Sun King, is, however, the perfect setting for many an amusing game. I must confess that I would never have imagined such a dreary little town to have ever earned the title of 'city'--yet a cultured city it has become. Awaiting your arrival, and the sheer pleasure of the companionship of my beautiful children, I remain, Lucien LaCroix ******************* 17 December, 1878 Paris My dear Nicholas, Your behaviour in this matter is both absurd and impolite to the point of being churlish. While I might find this 'Christmas season', with all its sickening mortal hypocrisy, only an irritant, your sister sets great store by it and by our family spending the holidays together. I insist that for once you set her feelings over your own and join us in Paris at once. She has gone to great trouble with her plans and you will not disappoint her! Your father, Lucien LaCroix ******************* 17 December, 1998 Toronto, Ontario My dearest Janette, I know that we have always, in the past, spent the Christmas season in Paris, and you are right in saying that her lights are never more lovely than in December. Yet I urge you, this once, to come spend it in Toronto. It is not the holiday itself that concerns me, as you know; it is Nicholas. The lost of many of his friends these past few years, and the ongoing situation with our 'good doctor' have lent even darker shadings to his countenance. You have been sister, lover, mother to him as he needed; please come to Toronto for Christmas and perhaps you can give to him the comfort he will not take from me. I, of course, am always glad of your presence; of your beauty and charm. Yours always, Lucien FIN
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