Letters to Hinrik

[Costin Dracula]

From: Vis. Costin Dracula
New Sighișoara Manor
Greater Wallachia
Antares 4

To: Hinrik Beowulfson

The Beowulf Family Home

England

Earth

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Hinrik - 

I hope this letter finds you in good health and good spirits. I hope you don't find it strange that I am writing a letter - I know you are generally a man of few words (which I find admirable), but I must confess to you that I am bored to the point of excruciation here at home with my fathers, so I have begun writing letters in the hopes that someone will write back with something to capture my interest, even for a moment. 

My home itself is not an especially dull place, but my fathers are somewhat notorious here, and while they have an uneasy peace with the local population, absolutely no one wants to befriend the son of the vampires who live in the dark foreboding manor in the hills, and as you know, I have little interest in most friendships anyway. So here I am, at home in our dark, dismal library, writing letters to anyone I can possibly think of, hoping that someone will respond. 

Would you like to talk about girls?

Regards,
Costin

[Hinrik]

To: Vis. Costin Dracula
New Sighisoara Manor
Greater Wallachia
Antares 4

From: Hinrik Beowulfson
Sugarbowl Hollow
England
Earth

Costin,

It’s good to hear from you, mate. My Mum and Father are quiet. They’ve got their house and their back garden and there’s tea and gardening. It’s very English on the whole if you don’t count the row of battle axes just hanging inside the front door. It’s only polite to hang up one’s weapons after all. There’s also a bullseye in the back garden for our throwing knives and axes. It’s pleasant to be at home overall though I must confess that it would be nice to be back at school. Mum fusses a bit over my comings and goings. Same for my sister, Bryn. I’m trying to make the best of it though. It’s nice to be at home.

We could talk about girls if you’d like. My sister Bryn has taken over the bathroom that we're supposed to share. I keep finding hair ties and pins everywhere so I've taken to stealing them when I find them and piling them on her windowsill. So far she hasn't noticed. But she has told me to stop playing my guitar so loudly when her friends are over. So I've switched to playing the overture from Phantom of the Opera on the piano instead. I'm waiting for too get me back for that. Girls right?

I'm sure if we fight Father will simply make us spar until we're too tired to do much more than that.

Any girls you want to discuss?

If you're looking to get away to someone quiet, you're welcome to come for a weekend. Mum and Father won't mind and if you're looking for some noise we can walk down to the pub.

Best Regards,
Hinrik

P.S. Didn’t know you were a viscount.

[Costin Dracula]

From: Vis. Costin Dracula
New Sighișoara Manor
Greater Wallachia
Antares 4

To: Hinrik Beowulfson
Sugarbowl Hollow
England
Earth

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Hinrik - 

Thank you for your prompt reply. It brought a spot of brightness to the darkness of my day (there is nothing in particular that is dark about today, but most of our days are dark here; our location on the planet and the tilt of the planet itself and its orbit result in short days and lengthy nights). I am glad you enjoy being at home. I do not enjoy my visits home a great deal, I'm afraid. Every time I am here with my parents, I am reminded of the things they are denying me, and I believe my father enjoys antagonizing me, doing things in front of me that he knows I am not capable of (such as flying, hypnosis, etc). 

Your home sounds much more enjoyable than mine, and if I can arrange the travel, I may take you up on your kind invitation to visit. I do not have any annoying sisters here, but I also have very little companionship to speak of, so it is a bit of a tradeoff in that manner. 

I have been communicating with Gwyn Locksley this summer. I enjoy it, and her. I think she is a strong, intelligent young woman with many admirable qualities, and she has actually helped me make more of the tiresome human phase of my existence than I initially thought possible. Anyway, that is all I wanted to say about girls. 

I have been cooking a great deal over the summer (we do have a large kitchen, and as my fathers do not need human food, they never enter it, so I am able to practice my craft undisturbed). Do you have any favorite foods?

Kind Regards,
Costin

P.S. I am a viscount here on Antares 4 only, I do not think any other realm would recognize the title or care that I have it, so you need not be concerned by it. 

[Hinrik]

To : Vis Costin Dracula
New Sighisoara Manor
Greater Wallachia
Antares 4

From: Hinrik Beowulfson 

Sugarbowl Hollow 

England 

Earth 

Costin,

Sounds like you’re having a bit of a rough time. Sorry about that mate. It’s not exactly sunny here in England, unless you’re my mum, who’s name is Sunny. The weather has been a bit drizzly here. Annoying my sister aside, I do enjoy spending time at home, especially since the war is over. We play a lot of cards together as a family. We can’t play poker together anymore because we know each other’s tells too well. We’re not always much for speaking.

We’d be delighted to have you at your earliest convenience. Our little corner of England isn’t very exciting, but it is pretty. And it’ll get you away from your dads for a bit, which sounds like it would be a welcome change.

I think I’ve heard that name before, Gwyn. She’s athletic. I’m glad to know that you’ve made friends with such a young lady. I’m sure she’s deserving of your kind words. I’ve never met her, but I’ve heard good things. You’ll have to tell me how she improving your human experience though. You can’t just give me that and then nothing else. Now I’m curious.

I’ve always enjoyed a good stew. Doesn’t matter what kind of meat or vegetables you have, you can throw them in the pot. And it’s something easy to cook at home or out on campaign. There’s nothing like a good stew. What kinds of things have you been cooking?

Hinrik

P.S. My father was the nephew of a king which makes me something important, but Viking politics were never my strong suit. Plus, there’s a significant amount of regicide so I might not be that important after all.

[Costin Dracula]

From: Vis. Costin Dracula
New Sighișoara Manor
Greater Wallachia
Antares 4

To: Hinrik Beowulfson

Sugarbowl Hollow

England

Earth

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Hinrik.

I am sorry it is not sunny in England (but I am not sorry your mother's name is Sunny, which is a pleasant name). I have come to appreciate the sun during my time at the school, and I think I will be glad to be back beneath it once we go back for the new term. I know you say your part of England is not exciting, but I assure you, it cannot possibly be more boring than this part of Antares 4, where the locals come around for the high of being bitten by a vampire and leave in a daze once they are done. They aren't good company, I must say.

Gwyn sent me a bow and some arrows, which I have been learning to use. I have the privilege of having access to a great number of learning resources due to the technological advances of my planet, so I have been studying the many videos available to me, and I think I am getting a little better at it. At any rate, I have begun to hit the target, though I have not yet quite perfected the art of hitting the centre of it. 

As far as my human experience, I will let you know when I am able to provide details. Since you ask, I find myself at a loss for an actual description of what has changed, I only know that when I speak to her, I find myself a little less in a hurry to begin my immortal existence. It is immortality, is it not? It can wait a little while. Only a little while, though. 

I will attempt to make a good stew. I read a recipe for one the other day that incorporated a stout beer, so I think I will experiment with that. If I come to visit your family, is there anything I should bring with me? I can make a bread, or perhaps brew something if I have enough time to learn how to brew things and to do the brewing. When you say campaign, what do you mean? Are you and your family politicians?

I know nothing of Viking politics, but if I am ever important enough to bestow titles, I will see to it that you receive one, you have my word. 

Be well,
Costin

[Hinrik]

To : Vis Costin Dracula
New Sighisoara Manor
Greater Wallachia
Antares 4

From: Hinrik Beowulfson

Sugarbowl Hollow

England

Earth

Dear Costin,

We do have a bit of sun here, especially now that it’s summer, but it’s certainly not the sunniest corner of the world. Your home planet sounds bloody awful mate. You’re welcome here at any time, seriously. We don’t get much in the way of company, but that’s what pubs are for. Thought Bryn does bring her friends round plenty often. Plus, we never run out of tea or biscuits here. It’s always nice to share a cup of tea with a mate.

Ah, archery. Father let us try it, but never let us pursue it much. It’s too long range for our family. We prefer to be in the thick of battle. Plus, swords and axes are much better close range weapons. This Gwyn must think a lot of you if she went to such lengths to send you such a gift. I hope she told you not to shoot anyone. An arrow in the backside is not a good look for anyone.

At any rate you’ll get better with practice as long as you’re consistent with it. Keep it up mate and you’ll get a bullseye eventually!

I can understand that, mate. I’ve felt the same way more than once. She’s a lucky girl, that Gwyn.

Yeah, that’s a staple around these parts, though that’s usually when the weather gets a bit chilly. You can find a good stew in just about any good English home. When you come just bring yourself. Although we wouldn’t say no to bread. We eat bread for practically every meal. But otherwise just bring yourself and let me know ahead of time if you have any food allergies or food sensitivities. Mum will want to know that.

We are definitely not politically minded, but we do go on war campaigns sometimes. We’re Vikings afterall, mate.

Hinrik

[Costin Dracula]

From: Vis. Costin Dracula
New Sighișoara Manor
Greater Wallachia
Antares 4

To: Hinrik Beowulfson
The Beowulf Family Home
England
Earth

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Hinrik -

I would not say my home planet is awful, simply because it is the only home I can remember having (though I do remember traveling quite a lot in my younger years before I was old enough for my fathers to leave me at home to look after myself in their absence). But having spent time in another place with substantially more sun, I do find myself wishing for a little more of it when I am here.

I don’t know if Gwyn thinks a lot of me, but I would like it if she did, I think. That’s an odd feeling. I’ve never put much thought into what other people think of me, because they’ll all be dead sooner or later and I’ll be immortal and when that happens, I don’t think it will matter much what someone thought of me in school.

I’ll be honest with you, Hinrik, and I am only telling you this because you are my closest friend, I have had…strange thoughts of late. All of the things I have dreaded for so long and tried to avoid are coming true. I feel like I have friends now, and things I enjoy doing, and it has made me think that perhaps I do not have to spend my whole mortal life staying miserable to avoid getting attached to any of it. Of course I’ll leave it all behind one day, but I am finding that it is not such a terrible thing to enjoy oneself.

I think I will take you up on your offer to come and visit your family. I cannot promise I will be very good company, because I have learned to keep quiet and out of the way at gatherings (mostly because all of the gatherings that take place in my home are gatherings of vampires), but I would enjoy the time away from home, and I am sure my fathers would be happy to have me out of the house so they can have one of their blood orgies or some such thing.

Is there a time that would be best for me to come and visit? I am free at quite literally any time between now and the start of school, but I would prefer to avoid coming when you are on a war campaign because I am not much for fighting in my current human form, and I would not like to die.

Your friend,
Costin

[Hinrik]

To : Vis Costin Dracula
New Sighisoara Manor
Greater Wallachia
Antares 4

From: Hinrik Beowulfson

Sugarbowl Hollow

England

Earth

Dear Costin,

I live in England. I understand that sentiment completely. I do enjoy the sunshine when I can get it.

Sorry to tell you this mate, but it sounds like you are human after all. I'm not particularly shocked by that. In fact, I'm proud of you, mate. I was wondering how long it would take you to blossom a bit. You'll need some friends before you're immortal, after all. Get a human experience first and live a little.

You sound like you'll for right in here. My family is generally very quiet. Mostly uncomfortably so. We like small quiet activities like puzzles or cards.

Costin, I wouldn't invite you to come visit if we were at war. You can come anytime you like and stay as long as you like. I promise we will not go on a war campaign while you are with us. But we will definitely go to the pub for a quiet evening of drinking.

Your mate,

Hinrik

[Costin Dracula]

From: Vis. Costin Dracula
New Sighișoara Manor
Greater Wallachia
Antares 4

To: Hinrik Beowulfson
The Beowulf Family Home
England
Earth

 

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Hinrik -

I have never claimed to be anything other than human - in fact, I have been highly vocal about the fact that my humanity is my least favorite thing about myself. What has changed is that even though it is still not something I am…excited about, I am trying to keep myself from dwelling on it constantly. As long as I am not endangering my life, I do not see the harm in enjoying myself a little. After all, I would hate to reach my immortal existence with no idea of the things I enjoy and want to spend all that time doing.

I appreciate that you are not inviting me to a war, so I will accept your invitation. If I come in three weeks’ time is that adequate for you and your family to prepare for my arrival? (I do not expect any special treatment, but I know people often like to have advance warning of these things so they can put special pillows on their couches or some such thing, though I do not know if Vikings have special pillows).

I am looking forward to our night out drinking, and to the puzzles and cards. Perhaps I can help with some cooking as well. Hopefully there will be some pleasant weather and at least one sunny day. How long should I plan to stay? I should begin packing to ensure I have adequate clothing for the journey.

Your friend,
Costin

[Hinrik]

To : Vis Costin Dracula
New Sighisoara Manor
Greater Wallachia
Antares 4

From: Hinrik Beowulfson
Sugarbowl Hollow
England
Earth

Costin,

I’m well aware that you’re human but mate, you have to know that there’s a rumor floating around that you’re not human. And those delightful little stories where you’re a space vampire pirate or whatever certainly don’t help. Plus, you like to lurk in dark corners. Most humans don’t lurk in dark corners.

Yes, three weeks is fine. Mum doesn’t have special pillows, but she will want to clean before you arrive. And we’ll have to get a bed set up for you. The cottage is small so you can bunk in with me unless you’d prefer the sofa.

Why don't you come for a week. Then you'll have plenty of time to experience life in a small English village. And hopefully we'll get one good day with sunshine. Mum will probably suggest a picnic. I'll have Bryn pick out our favorite puzzles for you.

I probably should have asked this before, but do you hate dogs? We have a dog. Her name is Grendel. She’s mostly well trained and very friendly. She’s only got three legs but she’s a lovely dog. She usually sleeps with me but she’s happy to sleep with Bryn instead. She's not terribly picky.

Your mate,
Hinrik