When Rhea next enters her office, she will be greeted with a bit of a mess--a small bed sits on the floor, and next to it, a envelope that evidently used to be on the shelf. A small white kitten wearing a forest green bow has knocked over the paper, and is chewing happily on it.
Should she rescue the letter, she will see that it's addressed to "The Most Honorable Lady Rhea," in a practiced, scholarly hand. The contents of the envelope are clearly written by the same person, and wish her a happy holiday before sharing with her some anonymous tales and exploits of individuals. Battles and mundane conversations both are catalogued in detail, though a disclaimer at the bottom says that a few things were changed to maintain anonymity, but reassures her that the emotion and general details are real and true.
The kitten has taken to sitting upon a small stack of books that are also new to Rhea's quarters. One is a scholarly journal detailing the charting of the stars, another a collection of folktales based on constellations and astrology. Both have been neatly tied up in a blue ribbon that the kitten paws at.
Finally, there is a beautiful pendant depicting the logo of the Church of Seiros. The metalwork involved is incredible, not denting or dulling even as the kitten bats it around.
The kitten-specific toys that were thoughtfully included go untouched.
It is truly a blessing of the season that Rhea is the first of the clergy to enter the office next to her audience chamber that morning, for she cannot imagine Seteth or another of her aides being quite as lenient with their new tenant. Rhea for her part is delighted.
“Come now, little one. That’s not food, nor is it for you,” she’s able to distract the kitten long enough to get the letter (envelope destroyed, but contents intact) by untying the ribbon from around its neck and waving it around before having it settle on her lap.
(Most of the time on her lap is actually spent batting and nipping at her heart shaped regalia brooch once the ribbon has fallen to the floor, but Rhea does not overly mind as it has weathered much worse over the years).
Her eyes scan the letter, business-like at first in her reading, but lulled by the intimate tone and intriguing anecdotes she find herself taking more time than usual in perusing it, stroking the kitten as she does so. It has been some time since she has heard stories like these, and though she understands the stranger’s need for anonymity it truly does feel as if they are having a conversation.
It is the kitten who alerts her to the rest of the holiday’s bounty once it has tired of her adoration. Rhea picks up each book one by one, treating each as the precious treasure it is and unbeknownst to herself she has started to smile. Why, she has never heard this variation of the tale before!
The pendant (saved just in time from the kitten who taken to roaming the entirety of the room now) is the last of the gifts but when she sees it she brings it close to her heart and holds it there.
“Thank you,” she says, before putting it on over her cowl, and for the rest of the morning she does not stop smiling.
