[A folded letter left for Hypatia]

[cmenden]

Dear Hypatia,

I hope this letter finds you well. I recently finished reading your work, "Secret Histories, or Threads of Higher Splendour," and I must say I have some strong disagreements with your thesis.

I understand that your work explores the idea of different Histories and their interconnections, but I cannot help but feel that this is nothing more than speculation and conjecture. I do not believe that the visions of the madmen or fools hold any truth or validity, and their theories should not be taken seriously.

Furthermore, even if such a thing were possible, the idea of tampering with histories besides our own seems like a dangerous and unpredictable path to take. How would one even go about communing with a present world that possessed a divergent history? How could this even help us, who live in this one?

We should discuss these matters further, perhaps over coffee. I have found a way to make the substance mostly palatable, and I look forward to discussing this topic further with you.

Regards,
Estellise Azimi

P. S. Congratulations on winning the fashion competition.

[Astra]

Dear Estellise,

I am deeply glad you took the time to read my treatise. Few things would please me more than speaking on it over a warm cup of coffee, and I will surely make time for it when next I am available. Your concerns echo those which the learned scholars of Isphi would often debate in their halls; the tension between theory and practice was often a chief subject of discussion. As Eramentheou wrote, "The study of Histories is a dialogue as much as it is a science."

I eagerly look forward to our discussion.

Your friend,
Hypatia