The Lover's Return

The Lover's Return is a message pyrographed into a flat piece of wood from an Izbranan man named Viko to an Izbranan woman named Nalita that has been preserved since it was written at the end of the Crying Times. The letter was written in Izbranan and is an important piece of heritage for the Izbranan tribe. While the intention of the letter was to communicate Viko's love for Nalita and that he will be returning soon, it has become seen as both an aspiration towards love and an example of the desire for peace in Izbranan culture due to the way it was written, circumstances it was written under, and age of the letter.

Background

Very little is known about Viko and Nalita due to the fact that neither were Izbranans with significant power or influence. It is known that Viko was a warrior in the Izbranan Nikavador, likely a member of the Jatvani, serving under Osnovoy Tigane of Lucha Slunte. It is unknown where Viko and Nalita were from, whether they were Soulbound, and what Nalita's role in the tribe was.
After Chief Heni of Izbra-Svetkamuk took over and came to an agreement for peace with Chieftess Esila of Maasuda, fighting more or less stopped between the Izbranans and the Metsanans. Viko was on this front and would have been one of the first Izbranans told peace had finally been achieved between the two tribes, which would have spurred the writing of The Lover's Return. While negotiations for peace with the Esterrideans were still in progress and there was no agreement with the Ciomani or Kamenen tribes yet, there was finally a glimmer of hope for lasting peace for the first time in centuries.

Contents of the Letter

The Lover's Return is not a poetic document, but it shows such passionate excitement and love that many Izbranans resonated with the feelings in it when it was first publicized. Viko writes about how much he has missed Nalita, how excited he is to see her again, and his plans to have children with her if she accepts him. In particular, the following quote has become widely known in Izbrana and is commonly shared between newly Soulbound couples, with slight differences in tense:

Though we may have been apart, my soul has never left yours. I swear to you, my shining light, my soul has never left you and never will. Yours is the only love I need to be whole for the rest of my life. - Viko, The Lover's Return

While The Lover's Return is usually considered influential due to being the most popular and well known piece of Izbranan romantic literature, it is also important for the feelings it conveys regarding the ending of the war with the Metsanans and the hope for the future of a common Izbranan warrior at the end of the Crying Times. The Lover's Return is commonly associated with anti-war and anti-lethal combat sentiment in Izbrana due to its frequent mention of the hope for happiness in peace. As opposed to most of the surviving records and stories from the time, The Lover's Return does not simply have a miserable message about the realities of the Crying Times but a hopeful tone for peace and the happiness that comes with it.

I have never felt such hope for tomorrow in my life as when I think of life at peace with you. Maybe we can live in a better world. Maybe we can leave it better than we were born into it. The future is bright, and I am so excited to hold your hand in it. - Viko, The Lover's Return

While it is written that Viko is not returning to Nalita just yet, as the Izbranan Nikavador remained defensive and ready to respond to an attack until the agreement to the Five Tribe System by all five tribes, Viko writes that he will return soon. It is unknown when or if Viko returned home, although some less common stories say that he returned home and had a peaceful and happy life with Nalita.

Impact

The Lover's Return gained popularity soon after it was given to the Izbranan Chiefs, although it is unknown exactly how long after its writing that was. It is generally thought that it was made public by either Chief Calo of Izbra-Svetkamuk or Chieftess Orati of Izbra-Svetkamuk due to both of their focuses on pacifism and building Izbranan cultural pride. The Lover's Return became popularized soon after and within 50 years was common knowledge and a cherished piece of Izbranan culture. While it is hard to measure, it is likely that The Lover's Return was an important factor in the demilitarization of Izbranan society, especially within the first generations after the end of the Crying Times.
The Lover's Return is the most widely known piece of romantic literature in Izbrana and is commonly quoted at rituals for the newly Soulbound. Pledges from one Izbranan to another that their soul will never leave their Soulbound are extremely common, to the point they are included in the vast majority of these rituals. Additionally, "my shining light" became an extremely popular nickname for romantic partners for a few generations after The Lover's Return became popular, although it has waned in popularity over time.
While Izbranan pyrography was never uncommon, it is generally thought that the practice of using pyrography to write letters became significantly more common after The Lover's Return became popular. Additionally, the popularization of The Lover's Return is considered a factor in Izbranan culture shifting towards Izbranan bookmaking instead of relying entirely on carvings and oral storytelling.

Item type

Book / Document