Dear Prudence,

I am still finding this situation quite troublesome. On the one hand, it is quite difficult for me to believe you "are" in Morrowind. On the other hand, it is quite unlike you to lie, and to lie for so long, leaving so many of your family and friends worried about your disappearance.

On the topic of grandmothers, the way I am now choosing to deal with this reminds me of something my grandmother used to say. Let me lay the scene for you: My grandfather, Joseph, died when I was 11. On his 7th day mass, a big black snake came crawling through the church isle. Everyone, except for this very fierce old lady, shrieked in their seats. The lady grabbed the snake and decidedly threw it out. Later, at home, my grandmother told me that the lady was the village witch. "Do you believe in witches?" I asked. "I don't." replied my grandmother, "But they do exist." The issue died there. Eleven years ago, while I was spending some days with her, she told me of her neighbour, Olivia, and how she transplanted an olive tree from her backyard to the village's Calvary. "She was afraid that a witch was climbing it and cursing her... what nonsense!" said my grandmother. I asked: "And you...do you believe in witches?". "I don't." she replied "But they do exist."

At this point, I am choosing to adopt a somewhat similar attitude to whatever might have happened to you: I still don’t believe it, but it happened. That is the only way I am able to cope and proceed with this correspondence (and our friendship) without entering into some sort of crisis. As such, without further ado, let me dive into (some of) what you have so gracefully shared with me.

Thanks to you, I was stuck with that Red Diamond song in my head for weeks (yes, yes, I could not stand having lyrics with no melody so I did some research). And I ended up researching more than just the melody to the song. I researched EVERYTHING about it. Which is not at all relevant, but that led me through a rabbit hole (are rabbit holes really that deep or is this just a very specific reference to Carroll’s rabbit hole?) and I ended up reading about the loss of the Heart of Lorkhan (which the song references at some point) and how that ends up spelling the downfall of the Tribunal Gods. And guess what? With the loss of her powers, Almalexia grows so paranoid and obsessed with gaining them back that she eventually goes insane. Somebody call the Victorian doctor, we have ourselves a wandering womb. Why is this still such a common trope? Yes, I know (part of) the answer but in all my rage I still sometimes need to ask these rebel 101 questions. Just to let off some steam. Just because I would otherwise bottle up and explode. Anyway, Pru, I know I am preaching to the choir (the converted?). Just last month, we frustratingly witnessed first Brida and then Stiorra go through the terminal stages of wandering womb (although, as well we know, few were the female characters in Last Kingdom that were decently written).

Anyhow, please Pru, please, while dealing with that horrific plague keep yourself at a safe distance, always protect your nose and mouth and wash your hands as much as possible. Green does not agree with you.

Love,
Penelope

P.S.: Do I write too many asides?

P.P.S.: Yes, yes I do.

P.P.P.S.: Do not trust the Maulborn.