"We exchanged letters, Miss Meribella. You know me as Seraphiel." Raven's words made Meribella stop in her tracks. Her eyes widened in shock as her head snapped to look at him. 'This has to be a joke! No, this can't be true,' She thought.
"Y-you are Seraphiel?" she stuttered, a spark of excitement mingled with shock. For years, she had eagerly awaited to meet her pen pal friend whose words had soothed her lonely hours, encouraged her during the low tides and brought a smile to her face with every word. A friend she had only known through letters until now.
**Flashback**
In the warm kitchen of her childhood home, young Meribella asked her mother, brimming with innocent enthusiasm, "Mama, what do you think we will get this time for Christmas?"
Her greenish-blue doe-like eyes looked up at her mother, Sigrid, while her little sister, Melina, stood by her side. They both were filled with anticipation for the mysterious gift-giver who always brought presents to every child.
Sigrid offered a faint smile, masking the heavy truth. How could she tell them that this year, there might be no gift? Her husband had not received any bonus from the landlord, a fate shared by many who toiled on the farm. The thought pained her deeply as she watched her daughters' bright faces.
She wished she could have helped her husband, working alongside him to earn more money for the family, but she could not. In their village, a woman was not meant to work. They were expected to tend to their homes and families. Should she attempt to work outside the house, she will risk the meagre support she received from the few villagers—and worse, the family might be shunned by all.
With a heavy heart, Sigrid finally said, "Meribella, Melina, this year there might not be a gift." The bright expressions on the girls' faces instantly turned into a look of disappointment.
They exchanged confused glances. Why would mother say something like this? It's the Christmas gift they always received from a mysterious gift giver.
"Why, Mama?" Meribella asked, clinging to her mother's hem. Her voice trembled with disappointment. Melina echoed her sister's plea. "Yes, why Mama?" she was as disappointed as Meribella.
Sigrid softened her voice as she explained, "I heard that the person who brings the gifts is ill and could not go out to earn money. So, many children may not receive their gifts this year." Her words, though honest, filled the room with sorrow.
But then she added with a spark of hope, "But I have good news for my girls. I will make pancakes for Christmas on Christmas morning, and on the same night, we will surely have some meat for our feast. Mama promises you that!" Her words were filled with a mother's love and determination, bringing a glimmer of happiness to the girls' hearts. She would go and hunt the animals from the forest if she had to. At least she can do this much for her daughters and husband.
At these words, Meribella and Melina exchanged excited glances. The meat was a rare treat in their household, and their mother's promise lit up their faces with hope. This Christmas, they will have a feast for sure.
"I can't wait, Mama, for Christmas," Melina said, hugging her mother's leg tightly as if to hold onto that promise. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation, and a small smile tugged at the corners of Meilna's lips, starkly contrasting the disappointment that had clouded her face moments ago.
That same night, Meribella woke with a dry throat and an uneasy stir in her heart. Quietly, she slipped out of bed, careful not to wake little Melina, who was sleeping soundly on the bed in the same room. With her bare feet touching the cool wooden floor, Meribella opened the room door and crept silently down the hall.
Tiptoeing through the darkened corridors, Meribella reached the kitchen, where soft voices drifted from the adjacent room. There, in the dim glow of a small lantern, she heard her father and mother deep in conversation.
"Harold, do you think the landlord could spare us even a little extra money for Christmas?" Sigrid whispered, worry lacing her tone.
Her father, Harold, who had already been feeling inadequate as a father and husband, furrowed his brow in disappointment at himself upon hearing his wife's question.
"I have already requested a bit more from Mr Bill Stone, but he was unyielding. He stated that if he gave me extra, others would expect the same. He argues that he made minimal profit this year—even though we toiled hard growing wheat and those costly flowers. He maintains his stance, saying that the produce was spoiled by the time it arrived at the merchants."
There was a touch of bitterness in Harold's voice as he reflected on the struggles of the farm and the memories of his childhood when his father would steal from the less fortunate people, much like any other noble. "All we can do is hope for a miracle from the angels," he concluded, casting a guilty glance at his wife. "I regret that I can't provide more, Sigrid. I... am sorry!"
A gentle sigh drifted from Sigrid's lips, who replied warmly to her beloved husband, "Don't say such things, my dear. What you do for us is more than enough." Her kind smile, despite the heavy worry in her heart, made it clear that she treasured every effort Harold made, especially in a village where a woman's place was at home and would get bitten up by her husband if she made even a tiny mistake.
Padding back to her room, Meribella climbed to her small desk, where a crisp parchment and a stubby quill awaited. She was determined to help her parents in the only way she knew.
She began writing a letter to the angels.
The following day, the sun peeked through the window as Meribella, Melina, and their mother made their way to Willowmere Square, where St. John's Chapel stood. The air was cool and filled with the soft chatter of early risers and the sweet songs of birds.
Meribella clutched her letter tightly in her hand, her honey-brown hair styled in two neat braids glistening in the sunlight.
"What is it, Meribella?" Sigrid asked with a tender smile as Melina skipped alongside her, her honey-brown ponytails bouncing with every step.
"It's a letter to the angels," Meribella replied excitedly.
As they neared the chapel, Meribella's gaze fell upon a peculiar sight—a crow perched on a tree branch near the chapel, observing all who passed.
Meribella cocked her head. Something about that crow seemed different, intriguing and her curiosity was piqued. Mesmerized, she stopped in her tracks.
At that moment, as her mother and sister stepped through the chapel doors, suddenly, the crow tilted its head and, as if on purpose, flew straight toward her. In a flash, it snatched the letter from her hand and soared away.
"Hey, you bad crow, give it back!" Meribella screamed and ran behind the crow in a short chase.
Several villagers glanced her way, but soon, the murmurs faded as she fell silent. There was no point in chasing the bird since it had already disappeared from her sight. With a heavy heart, she joined her family inside the chapel. As they prayed, a bitter thought echoed in her mind: 'How will the angels help now when that bad crow has taken my wish?'
Despite her disappointment, she silently vowed to write another letter the next day.
Far from Willowmere Square, the crow carried Meribella's letter over winding roads and hidden paths until it alighted at a modest inn in Brindlewood. The crow flew inside the room. In that cramped room, it deposited the letter on a wooden desk. Then, as if by magic, the crow transformed into a young man—Raven Crest, who was in disguise. He invited himself into Raze's room.
Emerging from the steam and wrapped in a towel, Raze found Raven waiting in his room, his presence as disruptive as it was familiar. Shaking his head with amusement, Raze chided, "There's no need to behave like a bird, Raven. One should ask permission before intruding on someone's private space." He remarked as he slipped into his fine doublet.
Raven, feigning innocence, sat on the wooden chair and replied, "What is privacy between brothers, Raze?" He gazed out the window for a moment before responding, "I haven't seen him yet. He's so skilled at masking his scent that I can't track him."
Raze hummed before his eyes sparkled with mischief as he glanced at the letter resting on the desk. "And what might that letter be?"
Raven let out a soft chuckle as he looked at the letter. "Oh, I took it from a little girl. If I'm correct, it's a letter of wishes." He picked up the letter and examined it. "The poor child thinks that if she sends her letter to the divine, her wish will be granted." With a playful twinkle in his eyes, Raven returned the letter to the desk, transformed into a sleek raven, and flew out the window.
Raze sat at his desk for breakfast. His red cloak draped over a chair nearby. Though he tried to avoid it, he could not help but steal glances at the letter on the desk. Yet, he resisted the urge to open it immediately. Instead, he slipped on his red cloak after breakfast and ventured out to gather information about the person he was looking for. By late evening, Raze had returned to the inn without much information.
After a simple dinner and another cleansing bath, Raze settled into bed. But sleep eluded him as his eyes kept drifting back to the letter on his desk. Finally giving in to his curiosity, he retrieved it. With precise, measured care, he unfolded the parchment and began to read:
"Dear Angel,
My name is Meribella Faye, and I am 11 years old. I have long honey-brown hair and stand at a height of 5.2 feet. My eyes are a greenish-blue colour. Now you know what I look like, so you won't confuse me with anyone else. My family and I are poor, but we are a happy family. My father works so hard every day to give us food and clothes, and I am so thankful for him. My mother is so loving and understanding—I feel blessed to be born into such a caring home.
But I have one small wish: please help my father earn a little more money. It will make him and my mother very happy. I heard that the kind person who brings gifts is sick. Please make him feel well so that he can bring gifts to me, my little sister, and all the children next Christmas. And please, help me grow strong and fast so I can one day support my family, too.
Thank you, Angel.
Love,
Meribella Faye"
Raze read the letter quietly, his ordinarily expressionless face revealing nothing—yet inside, a quiet whirlwind of curiosity and something resembling pity began to emerge. He couldn't explain it, but he felt compelled to respond to the girl. He took a sheet of parchment and started writing to Meribella. As he finished writing, he rolled it up and secured it with a thick red thread before returning to sleep.
The following evening, after returning to his room, he brought a wooden box with him and set it on the desk. As usual, Raven entered through the window with no sense of manners taught to him.
"What is that?" Raven asked as soon as he transformed into human form.
"This. Raven, you are going to deliver this letter," he said, taking the box in his hand and showing it to Raven, "to the girl from whom you snatched it."
"You read the letter?" Raven's jaw dropped, "And you brought her a gift?" It was another surprise for Raven. Raze typically doesn't do anything for others. Not unless someone asks for his help. And even then, he only assists if he sees fit; otherwise, he wouldn't care to help someone dying in front of him or offer water to someone thirsty, even if he has some.
"Don't make a big fuss about it, Raven. Did you not say I need to show some compassion towards humans?" He placed the letter over the box and put both hands behind him, "This is me trying." Making his face serious, he added, "Now go and give this to the girl. Of course, no one should know about it." Raze made his intentions clear.
Raven couldn't pass up this opportunity and quickly took the gift and the letter from Raze's desk before he could change his mind. It was nighttime already, and all the villagers' homes appeared dark, indicating everyone had turned in for the night. He followed Meribella's scent and placed the gift and the letter near the window. He knocked on the wooden door of the window, and when no one came to answer, he knocked again. He could tell it was Meribella's room because her scent was more potent than in any other part of the house at that moment.
Meribella stirred in sleep. Rubbing her eyes, she sat on the bed.
"What is this sound?" She murmured. The sound came again, drawing her attention to the window.
Meribella got out of bed and opened the window to find the wooden gift box and the letter tied with red thread. Her eyes widened in surprise. She looked around, peeking out of her window to see if anyone was there. However, she saw nothing but darkness.
Carefully, she took the box, which was slightly larger and heavy to carry, along with the letter inside and closed the wooden door of the window.
She lit a candle to read the letter and check the box. Being a curious girl, she couldn't wait until morning.
"Meribella, it's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for describing how you look. Otherwise, I might have mistakenly thought you were someone else. I appreciate you making it easy for me to find you." Meribella tilted her head as she read the letter with furrowed brows. She didn't understand who wrote the letter and why until she reached the following line.
Her mother had taught her how to read and write. Coming from a fallen noble family, it was the mother who took it upon herself to ensure their children could read and write because those who were not noble were not permitted to study or employ a governess. Also, they could not afford one.
"I have received your letter. The Raven brought it to me." Now Meribella understood that the Raven was the angel's pet who took the letter from her to deliver it to the angel, which made her smile. The letter continued as she read further.
"I am sending you and your sister Christmas gifts. I hope you like them.
Seraphiel."
Meribella couldn't have been happier that the angel wrote to her and even sent a gift for her and her sister. She looked at her sister Melina, who was sleeping peacefully. She opened the wooden box and found clothes and two cotton dolls dressed in beautiful garments.
She instantly brought her hands to her mouth in surprise. This was the best gift she had ever received. Her angel Seraphiel was so kind to her.
She took out the contents from the box and noticed there were two pairs of dresses a little bigger than the other two pairs. They were beautiful! Meribella couldn't contain her happiness. The corners of her eyes turned moist in glee. She immediately went to the window, opened it, and looked outside toward the sky. "Thank you, angel!" she said before heading to her desk to write another letter to her angel.
She placed the letter by the window before closing it. She hoped the Raven would come to take the letter and deliver it to her angel.
When she woke up the next morning, the letter was gone. It brought a big smile to her face.
Since then, this exchange of letters has become a habit and a part of their lives. Meribella and her secret angel decided to write a letter once every two weeks. She would always keep the letter on her window and the next day it would be gone.