Summary: After the Coronation Ball, Riley leaves Cordonia. As she travels around Greece, she sends postcards to one of the men she left behind.
Drake,
I don’t know if you’ll even get this. Or if you’ll even read this. I asked Maxwell for your address before (strikethrough). I’ve been writing to you the past few weeks but this is the first one I’ve dared to send. I shouldn’t have left without a goodbye. I should have answered when you called. I just wanted to get away and I thought it would be better if I left the last couple of months behind. What happens in Cordonia stays in Cordonia, right? (That’s not the saying but I thought maybe it should be.)
Riley
—
Drake,
Now that I’ve started sending these, I don’t really want to stop. It’s nice to write things down. It clears my head. And maybe I’m just fooling myself thinking you still care, but I like thinking that you’re the one I’m sharing these thoughts with.
I know I said in the last letter that I wanted to leave everything behind, but I guess writing these shows that I didn’t really manage that. That’s why I didn’t say goodbye, you know? Because I think if I’d gone to see you, I wouldn’t have left.
Do you know why I agreed to come with Maxwell? I never told anyone because there wasn’t really an opportunity, but it wasn’t because I wanted to be Queen or because I wanted to be with Liam. I wanted to get to Europe. And I didn’t want to stay in Cordonia and wait for you to decide for us to feel the way we do (did?) and miss out on my opportunity to see this place.
Riley
—
Drake,
I took the bus to Olympia today. I packed up all my things, left the hostel, and moved on. I used to do this all the time. I’d stay somewhere for a couple of weeks or a couple of months until I got restless and then I’d up and leave.
I think I was starting to hate Cordonia. I didn’t realise until I wasn’t there anymore but I was. It was all forced smiles and tiny portions and as much as I’d have liked to help Maxwell and Bertrand, and as much as Liam deserves to be happy, they were asking too much for me to be happy too. You were the best thing about that place. Maybe if things had been different, maybe I would have stayed. (Are you sick of what if’s? I know I am. But they’re all I think about.)
Riley
—
Drake,
In the first postcard I sent you, I said I wanted to leave Cordonia behind. I’m not doing a very good job of that, am I? Have I managed a single letter without mentioning it? I guess it’s easier said than done, right?
I was so determined to make this a normal postcard – just a few sentences about what I’ve done while I’m here and then signing it off with ‘I’m having a lovely time’ or something like that – but I spent the whole day exploring the ruins of Ancient Delphi. It was wonderful to see and to photograph but every time I saw something new, I thought of the ruins we saw together and what you might say if you were here.
You might not have enjoyed the day at the ruins, but the food here is good. It’s not Sloppy Joes or anything, but the portions here are a good size and I think I could probably eat my own weight in Taramasalata if I had the chance. Ouzo’s a bit too bitter for me though. You have the right idea sticking to whiskey.
Riley
—
Drake,
I’m stopping in Trikala for a bit. I had fewer savings left than I thought after all the dresses the Beaumont’s had me rent, so it’s back to waiting tables and saving up for my next move. I’m just working at a small café and I can’t really read the menu and I’ve only just memorised how to greet the customers. I don’t think I’ll be getting employee of the month any time soon. (Hopefully, I won’t be here for a month).
It’s not the best job I’ve had, but it’s actually quite nice to be working again. It feels like things are going back to normal (except everyone speaks Greek, not English). I guess I just wasn’t cut out for the whole ‘Cinderella Story’ thing.
Riley
—
Drake
It was dark when my shift finished today. I took my camera with me and hiked a short distance from the town to try and get a good view of the sky. It wasn’t as clear as up in the mountains, and I couldn’t go far enough to get away from the light pollution, but it was nice enough. I managed to get a couple of decent night sky photos anyway. It’s a shame I didn’t get any of the meteor shower, but there were a lot of photos I missed while trying and failing to play Princess. The sky that night was more beautiful than anything I’ve seen since. Maybe that was because you were with me.
It was probably the meteors.
It’s boring here. I’m not good staying somewhere so quiet for so long. I might have a lot to say about Cordonia, but I can’t say it was ever boring. I was thinking of crossing the border and stopping in Sofia for a few days, but maybe I’ll go to one of the greek islands instead. I’ve heard Crete’s nice.
I suppose if I did that, I’d be closer to you.
Love, Riley
—
Drake,
Have you ever googled yourself? I haven’t before, but I thought about it the other day and I don’t dare. I don’t want to know what they’re saying about me in the Cordonian gossip magazines. It would be nice to know if everything had settled down enough for me to come back though.
You’re probably wondering why I’d even want to come back. I’m not entirely sure myself, but it’s something I have to do. It’s why I haven’t left Greece yet. Because I have to see Cordonia again. I have to see it properly. I want to take my camera and hike through the hills or walk along the beach at sunset or lie back and watch the stars. I want to be a tourist, not a potential Queen.
I want to make more good memories there. With you. I want to take photos with you scowling in them. (Or smiling, but I think that’s probably too much to ask.).
Anyway.
Do you think you could give me a call when things have settled down over there? I promise I’ll answer my phone this time. I think I’m ready now.
Love,
Riley
—
Drake,
I guess this is the last postcard. It was good to hear your voice. I’m sorry I got all choked up but it overwhelmed me for a moment. I hadn’t realised how much I missed you. I probably should have guessed when I couldn’t stop writing to you.
I couldn’t say it out loud, but you don’t know how relieved I was that you had received my postcards. I didn’t know how worried I was that you weren’t reading them until I knew you were and I finally felt relaxed.
I’m sorry. I know I said it on the phone, but I thought I should write it down. So you have written proof. I’m sorry I left you. I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye. But I don’t think I could ever be sorry that I left. I needed time. I needed to be anywhere but Cordonia. I needed to clear my mind, and I needed to do that somewhere else. Cordonia was confusing. Everyone was telling me what I should want and what I should do and I needed to go and figure out what I really do want.
It’s you. You can have that in writing too, in case before wasn’t enough.
I guess I don’t need a stamp this time. I’ll give this to you when you’re here. (It’ll be too late by the time you read this, but I should warn you. I’m probably going to do that whole cheesy ‘running into your arms’ thing. Don’t worry though, I’ll let you grumble about it afterwards.)
All my love,
Riley