April 2, 2017
Last Hope House
White Owl Island

This is White Owl Island Pier.

Dear Mother,

I’m not even sure if it’s OK for me to call you that. But never mind; I’m doing it, and I may be done with doing what everybody else wants me to do, at least for a little while.

You may have heard that I stepped down from being Queen in the Wylds. Yes, I can do that. Well, I did it, so I guess that means I can do it, yes? 

I don’t know where you are, so I’m going to send this off via the Wisp network and hope it reaches you, wherever you are. I don’t know if you’re still on the run, or if you ever really were on the run. But if you are, even if you think you’re in a place of relative safety right now, I want you to think about relocating. Or at least coming to visit one of the safest places I’ve ever seen.

I know I don’t have any hold over you and what you do, as you have had no hold over me and what I do. But I’d like to talk about our relationship. You know, the one we never had. All that time I was growing up thinking I was a regular mortal kid, you were doing Gods-know-what-all in Faerie, and I can accept that. But what I can’t accept is the fact that we got to know one another so briefly, and not as our true selves. I don’t think you could have had any idea that I was actually your daughter when we met, but I have a feeling Father must have told you about it at some point? Anyway, perhaps this letter will come as a shock to you, but it seems that you and I are related by more than a common, brief past.

But talking about that right now would stir up too many things, so I shall just let you know that I have walked away from the Wylds and I am now living in a place called White Owl Island. The photograph above is of me on the pier at White Owl. This is where the ferry transport lands that carries residents and tourists to the island. It may be that wherever you are, you’ve heard rumours of White Owl as a place of sanctuary, and that it is. 

The Boardwalk.

Here is a photograph of me on the Boardwalk. You can see the bicycle rental station just behind me, and on a sunny day, you’ll find lots of people eating their lunches at these tables. It’s almost normal looking—except that everyone in White Owl is either part of the world of non-humans living among or near mortals, or a mortal who is happy to live among non-humans. 

White Owl exists in a Realm where we are not common knowledge, but the island is cloaked by strong magical redirectors that keep ships from arriving here unless we want them to. It cloaks us entirely to the non-magical population. We are in the American Pacific Northwest, a short ferry trip from Seattle, Washington, and we strive to be a place where non-humans can live together in relative peace.

It probably seems strange, with me coming straight from being a bit player in the unholy love story between Faermorn and Gwythyr Gwynn (no bitterness here, I promise!), but I do desire and have always desired to live in peace, preferably with Nathaniel, preferably near the sea.

Closer-in to the town square.

Does that make me selfish? Probably. Maybe I’m finally manifesting enough of my Fae nature to take selfishness in stride as I always should have done. 

My bookstore!

And I know it will come as only a small surprise to you that my mundane “job” here on the island is owning and operating a small bookstore! It’s called “Codex”. I got a giggle out of making up that name for it when I acquired the building. It’s on the high street, between a restaurant and a coffee shop, across from the greengrocers. Upstairs, I have a little office and a place to chat with people about important matters like how to glamour glittery eyeliner. 

This is my house!

This is my house! I’ll send you more photographs as soon as we have it all decorated. The back wall is all windows and looks out over our bay; you can even see across to the forest on the adjacent island. The house on the beach that you can see in the distance belongs to Dyisi; I’m not sure if you remember her, but she’s been a constant friend and confidante since I met her shortly before you and Blaise and Lady R disappeared from Ashmourne-that-was. 

Here’s a closer look at Dy’s house.

Here’s a closer look at Dy’s house; she has more surfboards than anybody I know. Then again, growing up in London, I didn’t really meet a lot of surfers. Perhaps we’ll change that here. 

Our lighthouse.

On the other side of the island, there’s a lighthouse on a nice, craggy rock. Local kids assure me it’s haunted. 

And here is our town at sunrise.

And here is our town at sunrise. You can see the bookstore in this photograph, as well. 

An aerial shot of the whole island….

Here’s an aerial shot of the whole island, which should give you some idea of the geography of the place. It really is beautiful. There is more than this, of course—the forest is lovely and deep and full of dangers you might find in a forest, and of course there is a Faerie here, though it’s growing organically and hasn’t sprung up in a day like the Wylds did.

Reading and re-reading

It’s late now, and I’ve been up here in the bookshop office reading and re-reading this letter. I know it doesn’t say anything much. But I hope you will take it as an invitation, and maybe think about coming to visit us here in White Owl. Perhaps you might make your way to the Great Faire? It should be starting soon. We could meet there and I could help you find your way to the Island. 

With love,
Your daughter,
Gwyneth

Style Card:
Body: Maitreya
Head: Catwa, Lona Bento Mesh Head
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Paige (Available NOW at Fameshed!)
Eyes: Mesange, Nan Madol Eyes (Omega Appliers) (Available as part of the Men Only Hunt!)
Ears: Swallow, Elf Ears, High Definition
Skin: Lumae, Ruby, for Catwa Mesh Head (Available NOW at The Avenue!)
Hands: Vista, Bento Prohands
Top: Baiastice, Aziry Leather Tank Top (Available NOW at Fameshed!)
Jeans: Swear, Laponte & Bathschild, Dita Jeans
Shoes: Reign, Skye Flats (Available NOW at Shoetopia!)

Spiffy photos taken with the indispensible aid of my LumiPro. I’d never try to put the family back together without it!