Second Letter

Dearest Astra,

To be frank, you make me laugh. You sound desperate indeed. But I am certain that you are making a Tynnocla out of a Zeed. But I am sorry for leaving you in that dreary place. I really had no intentions of leaving you at first, we have barely left each others side since we were toddlers, but things just seemed to sort of... happen.
I shall tell you explicitly of all my adventures, and this grand city. You may tell what you will to dear Silvia.
Buair is amazing, dear friend! It is like all we ever dreamed and read it would be! The walls surrounding it are truly golden and they glimmer in the Synelight, and the pavement is flecked with emerald stones that twinkle as you walk on them. There are three different streets, each leading to the Palace Vast. I have only been on Emerald Avenue, but Grandfather has promised to take me to Ruby Road in the morn and maybe Sapphire Street the next! Each street is so wide and long, that it took us nearly two and a half hours to reach the palace and when you are on the far side of the street, you cannot see the other side! And the houses that line Emerald Avenue are simply fantastic! Some are so tall that you nearly lose sight of them in the clouds and some are so fat that they seem to knock over the houses on the sides of them.
But dearest friend, best of all, there are no Clouds of Darkness!!! I think that is what truly compelled me to leave you and that awful place. I could not stand those clouds any longer, even though I knew they were due to blow away. And now I am truly glad I left because they have not blown away. But here, the sky is so clear, and I think sometimes I can see my face, glimmering in the silverness of it.
But you always did think me vain. But I have said it once and I will say it again, I cannot help it. It is not entirely my fault that my hair practically shimmers and that everything about me is practically perfect.
Oh dear friend, you know I only kid you. Me, a beauty? Hah! In saying these things I am merely describing you. Sometimes it hurts my eyes to look at you, you positively shine with loveliness.
That is another reason I left. No, I am only trying to make a list of excuses for leaving you because I do not want myself to admit how much I really miss you. But there, it cannot be helped. I miss you ever so much! When I got here, all I could think was that I wanted you to walk along the street with me and we could laugh at all the sparkling everywhere and dance around and not care a whit what anyone thinks. But it seems much harder to not care when you are not with me. But enough melancholy, I must tell you my story for you have not heard the full of it yet.
As you know, Grandfather Melvin came to visit on the night you and Silvia were at Bernards party and I couldn't come becuase I had the headache. Well, he was on his way to Buair, of course, to visit his cousin Albert and talk about something or other with the Duke Gandull. We had not see dear Grandfather Melvin for near to two years and mother was awfully glad to see him and when Grandfather asked if I would like to come along with him to the Capitol and be "introduced into some good society", I really had no choice but to say yes. Mother was so keen on me going and when she thought I would refuse to took me aside and came near to tears with her pleading. So you see, you really cannot blame me, can you? You were awfully mad when I told you I was going in the morning and it near to broke my heart and I really was going to stay with you but mother was so happy that I would be spending some time with Grandfather and she had my things packed and I knew she wouldn't speak to me for months if I were to decide to stay.
Anystar, there is my story and I am sorry if it hurt you and I miss you so very much, but we must make the best of it and I promise to write you very often and tell you all I can, in wonderful detail so you may feel like you are with me.
Oh dear! I must go for Grandfather just got back from speaking with the Duke and he seems in much excitement.

Yours Truly,
Xandra

P.S.
Can you believe it? Grandfather has been asked to meet with the Xar himself one week from tomorrow! How exciting! I will write you all about it, for I am to go too! Grandfather says he will take me along as his Record Keeper! Wish me luck!