[This comes to her room handwritten on paper. By the complete lack of marks of hesitation, it is not the first draft.]
Lady Alayne,
I write you this not because I wish you to regret your words; I write you this because I beg you to reconsider your prior position. Please do not share this letter or what I have said herein with anyone, because it's not something I want anyone to know.
What you hoped would not come to pass already did so long ago. My father was murdered before me, and the guilty party walked free because there was insufficient evidence. I was a child and therefore an incompetent witness, and the murderer's defense attorney was immoral and scheming, so he was free to continue his life when everyone else's life came to a stop. To this day I detest him, and I detest all criminals who would harm the innocent, like those who hurt my father, and like those who hurt you.
I therefore also detest this woman, without ever having known her or spoken with her. But here more than anywhere else, we cannot act from hatred. If Robb Stark takes his justice out on her without due process, then perhaps Jaime Lannister will take his justice out on Robb, or on you. If we don't bow to one authority, then we will begin to feud at best, war at worst. Our authority must be separate from any individual on board; it must be the rule of the law.
I cannot stress to you how much I would like to see punishment meted out. Indeed, at times my hands ache with the desire to take the lives of those who would do people like you harm. I eagerly anticipate the day when she suffers for what she has done. But that day cannot be today, lest blood be spilled.
We spoke both in the heat of emotion. I beg you to consider all of this with cold rationality. It is all right if you come to detest me for saying such things; I am accustomed to that, and I am unbothered by sentiments of hatred, as I know well that sometimes feeling such sentiments is deeply satisfying, even comforting. If I might provide that release to you, I'll not feel regret.
I am deeply sorry for any pain I might have caused, because it is not ever my wish to cause pain. My hopes for your happiness and continuing health. My regards also to Sansa Stark; I hope that she will feel safe enough soon to show herself. I hope someday that we can build some sort of society upon this ship that will allow people like her to stand without fear, without defenses, where she can live with joy.
[A letter!]
Lady Alayne,
I write you this not because I wish you to regret your words; I write you this because I beg you to reconsider your prior position. Please do not share this letter or what I have said herein with anyone, because it's not something I want anyone to know.
What you hoped would not come to pass already did so long ago. My father was murdered before me, and the guilty party walked free because there was insufficient evidence. I was a child and therefore an incompetent witness, and the murderer's defense attorney was immoral and scheming, so he was free to continue his life when everyone else's life came to a stop. To this day I detest him, and I detest all criminals who would harm the innocent, like those who hurt my father, and like those who hurt you.
I therefore also detest this woman, without ever having known her or spoken with her. But here more than anywhere else, we cannot act from hatred. If Robb Stark takes his justice out on her without due process, then perhaps Jaime Lannister will take his justice out on Robb, or on you. If we don't bow to one authority, then we will begin to feud at best, war at worst. Our authority must be separate from any individual on board; it must be the rule of the law.
I cannot stress to you how much I would like to see punishment meted out. Indeed, at times my hands ache with the desire to take the lives of those who would do people like you harm. I eagerly anticipate the day when she suffers for what she has done. But that day cannot be today, lest blood be spilled.
We spoke both in the heat of emotion. I beg you to consider all of this with cold rationality. It is all right if you come to detest me for saying such things; I am accustomed to that, and I am unbothered by sentiments of hatred, as I know well that sometimes feeling such sentiments is deeply satisfying, even comforting. If I might provide that release to you, I'll not feel regret.
I am deeply sorry for any pain I might have caused, because it is not ever my wish to cause pain. My hopes for your happiness and continuing health. My regards also to Sansa Stark; I hope that she will feel safe enough soon to show herself. I hope someday that we can build some sort of society upon this ship that will allow people like her to stand without fear, without defenses, where she can live with joy.
With deepest respect,
M. Edgeworth