Dear M,
My beloved, fair M. I miss you so much it hurts my heart with a pain beyond the shrapnel bits that the enemy has lodged in me. I ache to live a day more that I may reach you safe. Each day my arms cry out for more strength that I may reach you and hold you in my embrace. We are in the wrong times, M. There is nothing I want more than to someday raise the kids we will have, on a quiet farmyard, with your love and warmth guiding my days.
Wars are a cruel and unjust means of politics, M. So many men shed their blood, and to what avail? To allow a bench of narrow-minded, deep-pocketed bureaucrats to live better? It is hard to watch my men being demoralized at the hands of this travesty my love. My love for you is only superseded by my love for my country, and it still is a battle that rages on. The only hope I have is to end this war and come home to you.
Oh, how the days pass by M.. It seems years ago that I last saw you, and I keep hurting within. I keep praying that the scars of the war do not erase my visage from your heart. For now and ever more, I have only loved you with every nerve in my body. Even now, frail and battered by the beating of the battle I return from, my heart still beats your name. M. I remember the time when we walked up the fields on the river banks. It was nearing twilight. For years, I have travelled the world and have seen many wondrous things, but I cannot ever recall seeing anything as wonderful and beauteous as your visage that day. I can remember it like it happened yesterday. Oh, the agony of passing hours, M. I kept hoping and praying for the hours to pass by slower so I may walk with you for a little longer. Your gentle, caring hands in my strong hands, clasped ever so firm that I should never let go. And I will never let go, M.
The beating of time is hard, no matter what the outcome of this war, we shall all be beaten. There is an uncanny sense of guilt to being here. While my heart is at guilt being away from the woman who inhabits my senses, my mind is at war with the reasons for being here for more time. I do not know these enemies anymore than they know me. Someone among them may be writing a letter this moment to their love as I am writing this moment. Yet tomorrow, at the break of day, we shall fight each other till one of us no longer lives. I despise being in this war M.
There are a few hours to daybreak, and I must return to rest for the day ahead. I could not rest until I wrote to you my love. The war’s end is nearing. Sometime soon, this will all be over, and we shall be one again. I hope you will await me as I run across the fields to your door. I hope to walk with you once more along the river banks, hand in hand for days at a stretch, if time would let us be. Until that day, M, hope is all we have. And love.. Strong, abundant and loyal love. Take care of my love, M.
Yours forever,
J.
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My eternal love J,
I received your letter today and it is still with moist eyes that I focus on the words I now write. It pains me to spend each moment away from you, hoping and wishing for your return. I pine in the moments that bring your memories to flood my thoughts, because there are so many memories of you, and so many fond ones. I wish it were easier, I wish I was stronger to endure this separation in time.
The weather has turned gloomier than ever before. It has been 3 months since I last saw you. The light dancing off your face when you left that summer morning still haunts me, for I believe you took the light along with you. It is easier to know that each passing day brings me one day closer to being with you, but each hour passes by in count of that one day when you shall return. When will you return home, my love?
I pray each day for your life and my love. I pray for the battle wounds to heal quickly or pass their pain to me to endure. The pain of being without you has made me stronger to pain. With every news that comes into being, I pray that it has the end of war in its content. I await in open arms to the day you will return, my love.
Of course, I do remember that day, when we walked along the river bank. I had never felt such warmth in my hand before. It was as though the warmth was surreal, it was emanating from your strong loving heart. These are much colder days without you here. It is still summer, and yet neither its light nor warmth has ever been close in compare to your warmth, your light.
I know that the times are trying, my love. I wish it were easier for us both. We will persist on this path, for this is the path that similar kindred spirits have walked before us. Love is the quiet, soothing balm for a hundred wounds, and I pray that my love will soothe your wounds as your love soothes the hurt I harbor within me.
May Glory be yours and the Gods by your side. May the valiant strength of your arms strike down upon those that stand before the country that we both love so deeply. Now and forever more, I will be strong knowing how you will be safe because you will be guarded by your brethren as they will be guarded by you.
I will await with my ears to the ground, your mere footsteps shall awake my spirits and I shall run to meet you across the fields. Until then, guard thee well. And fight valiantly, my love.
Eternally yours,
M.
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---TELEGRAM----
Respected Madam,
It is with a heavy heart and a broken spirit that we write this to you. We regret to inform you that Col. J has passed into heavenly abode this morning.
The war has ended this morning, but has come with a severe loss to us. It was a death that he valiantly embraced. He fought for several hours, rallying around his men and guarding the honor of his country and his battalion. He fought till his last breath could. The country has lost one of its bravest sons and its finest soldier. He will be revered in our memories forever more.
Please accept our heartfelt condolences. Members of the battalion will escort Col. J and his possessions home by this Friday.
Maj.Gen. K
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