The Love Letters: A Novella
Read The Love Letters: A Novella Online
Authors: Ashley Pullo
The Love Letters, by Ashley Pullo
. . . . . .
Copyright © 2015 by Ashley Pullo
Cover Design © Nick Fantini
Book formatting by
Erika Q. Stokes
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system without the prior consent from the publisher, except in the instance of quotes for reviews. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded, or distributed via the Internet without the publisher’s permission and is a violation of the International copyright law, which subjects the violator to severe fines and imprisonment.
This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, incidents and places are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead or actual events are entirely coincidental.
For Eros
Historically, love letters exist as an intimate form of communication. Subconscious and sentient feelings converge together to establish a relationship that is not set by physical boundaries, but rather a union that is dependent on expression. And it’s from these hand-written letters that the greatest love stories unfold.
For example, the following is a preserved papyrus letter from Ancient Egypt. Relying on the secrecy of a sealed correspondence, Queen Cleopatra expressed some of her sexual fantasies to her lover.
Mark Antony,
My heart and loins ache for another surreptitious romp by the Nile. One day soon, we’ll lounge on a tufted bed as a beautiful slave girl feeds us figs and ostrich eggs. Reunited at last, you shall ravage my ravenous soul with your mighty sword, leaving me sated and exalted.
Cleo
Sometimes love letters can be an immature response in conveying thoughts of jealousy – as displayed in this desperate plea of two star-crossed lovers gone astray.
Romeo, Romeo, where for art thou Romeo?
Seriously, dude. How can we have a scandalous love affair if you doth not show up? If you are sneaking behind my back to kiss that whore, Rosaline, I will find out. I’m a Capulet – I have eyes and ears working for me all over the land. You have until the midsummer’s night to profess your love, or else prepare to endure a serious tragedy.
Hugs and kisses, not threats,
Juliet
Before the modern invention of the text-dump, the 17
th
century relied on the breakup letter for cutting ties. Notoriously known for his lack of romantic devotion, King Henry VIII sent his fourth wife a very impersonal note.
Anne of Cleves:
Congratulations! I like you enough NOT to behead your ugly face. Pack your bags and goeth far away.
All the best,
Henry VIII I am, I am.
Love letters can also purport shame and humility – carefully chosen words begging for forgiveness and acceptance. The following is a very humble and apologetic love note intended for the future Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln.
Shorty,
Tomorrow we will be married. Cowardliness tore us apart in the past, but eternal love will solidify our future. Your fire burns brightly, Mary – too bright sometimes. Like, maybe take a chill pill every few days and stop breaking all the Pre-Civil War dishes.
But with all your shortcomings (see what I did there?) you honestly make me a better person. And despite your hot temper and your snobby, over-educated family, I adore you.
Meet me in the parlor tomorrow at noon. I’ll be the weary-eyed chump in a stovepipe hat.
Love is eternal. xx
Abe
Love needs passion, and often times, passion evolves from pain. The most torrid love affairs in history were frequently volatile, and usually teetering on the crazy/normal scale. In the following letter, F. Scott Fitzgerald admits that his need for Zelda was all-consuming. And even though they were residing less than a mile apart at the time, the longing for his muse was bigger than he could mentally handle.
Zelda,
I gave up the gin.
Love,
Fitz
Carefully validated and certified by the
Historical Society of Hearts and Flowers
, the introductory excerpts are perfect examples of proclamations of love from several continuums. However, these examples could be considered shallow in comparison to the most poignant form of love letter – war letters.
Ernest Hemingway is perceived as one of the most influential writers of the Twentieth Century. He often credited WWI for planting the inspirational and emotional fortitude to write
The Sun Also Rises
and
A Farewell to Arms.
These works exemplify the themes of love, loss, depravity, and the idea that a generation can be
lost
as a product of war.
Although they knew each other less than a year and were crippled with problems, the love affair between Ernest Hemingway and Agnes Von Kurowsky will live indefinitely in Literature.
Aggie,
Cowards die a thousand deaths, but the brave die only once. Unless the cowardly lover marries another man, then she, too, will die in my upcoming novel – available in several translations in most booksellers across the world. Unjustly, some of the text was censored to spare your feelings. But I never censor my writing. FUCK YOU, AGNES.
Ernie
Love letters do not guarantee a happy ending. Reliant on fading memories and uncertain futures, lovers are forced to turn to the written word to document their affair. The raw emotions mixed with the euphoria of a fairy tale-romance can often fizzle into oblivion when met by the harsh reality of war. Years can pass, individuals can change, circumstances can alter the outcome, and time apart can be detrimental to a healthy pre-war relationship. Love letters, quite simply, tell an intimate story.
One of the most tender and moving examples of a relationship sustained beyond the division of war is the romance between Zacharie Parker and Natalie LeGrange. Inside a fading green United States Marine Corps footlocker, approximately two-hundred love letters are bound with ribbon and protected by keepsakes.
Love works in mysterious ways – a single touch, a mutual desire, or an honest friendship – perhaps the mystery is as simple as two people sharing a dream. For Natalie and Zach, their love began with a fateful train ride and a special book. And because of
Le Petit Prince
, their story lives eternally among the stars.
THE LOVE STORY