Letter to Warmaster Colmes

[WriterX]

Warmaster,

 The situation feels dire, and I worry we are not doing enough to prepare for what is to come. Yataghan informed me he was concerned about the lack of preparations on our side. Lack of war council meetings, and so forth. We must change that.

 I understand that you are a busy man, and I know you heard of the matter of me offering myself as a Warmaster, but as it stands the Legates are both clashing with one another, and things are going nowhere.

 As such, I beseech you, if you are unable to pursue your duties as Warmaster at this time, choose one of your men, or anybody else, to act on your behalf. We are at War, decisions will have to be made, battles fought. If our own allies are starting to doubt our own preparedness I fear for the future of our campaign.

  Act on the words of this letter as you deem fit, but please heed my pleas. We are at War, and we cannot afford to stand idle. Time passes by us when we should be acting.

Please.

Marcellus Saenus

[Blue41]

Legate,

I'm not necessarily opposed to handing off the responsibilities of this role to one who can withstand it. The Wheel knows I've got more than enough to keep me occupied in the Well. And given the role you've played in Iakmes' ascent, your own visions of meeting him in battle and our history, there is a part of me that could see you as that successor. But I've always-- in my mind, at least-- treated you fairly. Dealt with you, even when we didn't see eye to eye. When I left the League of Purple, and you asked me why, I told you exactly why without any polish or grease on that pig.

Which is why it infuriates me that you've gone after this position like a snake. I've fought at your side numerous times. I nearly died right next to you on that mission in Banafsi. There are men-- my men--who did die keeping you alive. Some men have claimed that Samton Ashworth would still be alive if it hadn't been for you forcing him to split his forces at the Gap with your reckless charges into the breach-- too important for him to leave alone. I didn't believe them. Now I don't know what to believe.

If you wanted to be named my second, I would've been happy to do so. But that's not what you're after, is it? You're biding your time like the rest of them, waiting to hold this up as some example of why you deserve to sit where I do.

You sicken me.

Lt. R. Colmes
Warmaster

[WriterX]

Warmaster,

 Listen to me well then. I am not without flaw, and I wrote my bid to the Legates because at the time we were in the middle of a conflict between the Rose and the Janissaries. The last thing I'd want is for those divisions to rip us apart before the crossing of the Scald, before finally facing off against Iakmes.

 The choices between Warmasters that the Legates could had done was either you, or Mirielle. At the time, it was either another protest from the Rose, as they have done at least twice before, or if Mirielle was named then the Legion would refuse to aid. Neither of these options an acceptable one. If you want to tell me that the Legion would had served anyway, regardless of who was Warmaster. Let me remind you of the shit storm the entire Well was standing in, and forced to endure. I stood forth as the third neutral option, somebody who, I hoped, could placate both sides.

 Do you think I enjoy the crushing weight of responsibility, that I find some distinct pleasure in being faced with choices that spell the doom of people? If you think I went behind your back, you can think that, I could had spoken to you directly about it, but what would that had changed? The Legates make the decision, and I knew in the past election whomever I voted for the opposite side would bid against me.

 I may have sealed my fate as somebody who will not have a major role in this War, other than a rallying cry against the Orcs, but you are the one who is the Warmaster. And these past weeks you showed a stillness that worries not only me, but others, our allies.

 My letter was not a bid to convince you to make me anything, but to get off your arse. If you do not trust me, if you think me a prick, fine. But do your god damn job. Find somebody who can help you in your work. Push the war effort forward. Do something.

 I have chosen you as Warmaster all those months back, and I still believe you a suitable choice. But if you are being overwhelmed by your duties, find a second.

Marcellus Saenus

[Blue41]

Legate Saenus,

I stood forth as the third neutral option, somebody who, I hoped, could placate both sides.

This has always been my issue. I said as much weeks ago when I left the League. You can't please everyone and it's foolish to try. This citadel doesn't need a Warmaster who fears conflict. 

If you think I went behind your back, you can think that, I could had spoken to you directly about it, but what would that had changed?

My opinion of you, for one.

Yataghan doesn't march at my command, and every Orc raid I've been able to attend, I've thrown myself into the front lines. The men under my command have ensured that the shards recovered from the titans have gone to the Tenth Legion rather than to those who would waste them.

We're ready to depart at any time. Until the Great Serdar is ready to leave, I'm sure your new card game will keep them entertained.

Colmes