[Balladeer Alejandro Benjazar]

[Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi]

[Amelie leaves a letter at the College in person, addressed to "Balladeer Alejandro Benjazar."]


Alejandro,

We not had the opportunity to speak since the terrible events upon the edge of Hudifah's Caldera. Know that I am grateful to you for all that you did to aid me. I anticipated the battle upon the volcano's rim. I did not anticipate what happened after.

Please know that I was not immune to the horror and sorrow that others felt at the fates of Lojir and Pirou. In the moment, I believed that if I looked too long, or listened to long, or thought too long about it that I should cease to be effective. Having led our company into that place, I held it firm in my mind to find a way out, that did not involve the ends of any others who had so nobly accompanied me. This meant organizing we arcanists who would crack the runes upon that accursed Urn and attempting to ensure our warriors stood fast in the egresses.

But for this focus I did not hear Pirouette's last words.

She will be memorialized. A work that shall recall this battle in errantry and that shall bear up the names of those we lost. So many of the Cinquefoil fallen are recorded in honor as "ye the dead." But we must know their names and stories also.

I ask that you find me and speak to me of Pirou as you knew her, so that I may craft some introduction to this soul that stands now in the Cinquefoil canon. I also ask that you prepare a poem in her name and commend this to me that it be entered into those annals as the centerpiece. Who she was, what she stood for, and why she chose to brave that place. I have elements of this but none shall do her greater honor than you.

Yours,

Amelie

[Don Nadie]

S/ra mia,

It shall be done. She was a friend, one of the oldest ones  had. I shall do my best to honor her.

Yours,

Alejandro Benjazar

[Don Nadie]

S/ra mia,

I have attempted to do justice to Pirou in verse. I have also attempted to follow your advice. This is perhaps a draft, so excuse the capitalization of what I believe stressed words are. I fear that, not being a native speaker of the tongue (and Common lacking any indication in writing as to intonation) I feel exceedingly clumsy attempting this "iambic" meter.

Perhaps you may indulge me, and ensuring my calculations were correct?  I have also taken the liberty to include a copy of my latest poem, inspired by my visit to the Sublime Terrace.

Were that these were easier days, and poetry the only thing in my mind.

Yours,

Alejandro Benjazar

[Two parcels are included in the letter. The first, a copy of Meditations Upon the Sublime Garden. The second, a draft of another poem, as of yet lacking in title.]

[hide]A8 beHOLD beSIDES the PILgrim's GAZE
B8 on HUMble STONE and BENCH reCLINED
A8 a FRIEND theREIN enDURED her DAYS
B8 in BOTH her WORD and DEED too KIND

C8 beNEATH her BLAtant BEAUty LAID
D8 the LOVE to SET a HEART at REST
C8 and GUILE which NEver FEARED to WADE
D8 aGAINST the DARkest KIND of TEST

E8 my LIFE was SHARED with FRIEND so DEAR
F8 aLAS, to END here SUCH deLIGHT:
E8 herSELF she RISked to DJInni SEAR
F8 beLOW a THOUsand YEARS of BLIGHT

G8 aLONE i HOLD her HIdden SMILE
H8 and LATE the HOur INto DAWN
G8 when WHISpered SEcrets WE'D comPILE
H8 for KNOWledge SHARED is NEver GONE[/hide]

[Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi]

[Attached is a complete copy of the first edition of "Of Errantry Upon the Sands".]

Alejandro,

Why should I make any alteration to such spirited verse?

You shall find it included herein. Thank you, my friend, for the service you did to see me through to be able to write this. And I have found your markers in the wilds. They brought a smile to my face.

Yours,

Amelie