Anstarra grimaced as she folded up Enju's letter. Against most odds, things had congealed into a bizarre stalemate of sorts over the past few weeks, but she did not take this with any kind of relief. Inevitably it meant that everyone was stewing their own little pots, coming up with Twelve-knows-what solutions or notions. This letter was a symptom of that, of the frustration of inactivity and stasis. It might get things moving in a positive way, it might not, but either way it would certainly kick the hive.
She looked at the fresh piece of paper beside it on her desk, and sighed. Time to extend an olive branch... after a point, pride became only a hindrance.
Dear Miss Summerfield,
I hope this letter finds you in good health. It has been too long since we have conversed, and I fear the events of our last parting have settled in memory as something far more dire than they ever should have. Thus, I would like to formally and sincerely extend my apologies for my actions in that moment. I could cite hubris, or frustration, or fear, but in truth there is no valid excuse for my behavior. What began as an intention to lightly reprimand a valued ally whom I felt had betrayed our trust, became something far more aggressive, and even physically hurtful. Something unacceptable.
I wish I could say it is the sort of thing that could never happen again. That I will always retain self-control in the future. But for all airs and intent, there remains within me some part little better than a beast, a thing willing to lash out when I am given harm. And because of that, until the day that I may fully subsume it, I give my word that I will never again come within arm's reach of you, even if we do come to work together once more. I have lost that right.
For all that, I implore you to see that we must indeed work together once more. This period of quiet can be none other than the calm before the storm, and our division has created a basis for cracks in our entire alliance's union against the threats facing the Shroud. This.. factional infighting, keeping of secrets, collusion and worst, outright opposition between parties who should be tightly-knit in face of a common adversary, can only lead to ruin.
Despite calls for blood from various quarters, I will state at the outset that I am not convinced of O-Rehn-Fahn's irredeemable guilt or villainy. I come from a childhood of murder and cruelty. It is a sordid tale, which I am sure holds no interest for you, except in this; if one such as me can seek redemption, should not everyone else get that chance, at least once? If that is not enough, remember to whom I am betrothed. Nihka is a gentle soul, one who would spare and lend succor even to those who have caused her grievous harm in the past. I would rip off my own arm before I lent aid to a cause that would cause her grief, as O-Rehn's murder would.
There is little time for deliberation. I implore you to remember the numerous times we worked together, the successes we achieved. I urge you to recall that I personally carried you out of Lord Ramuh's vengeful storm, moments before it would have been your end. And that I stood and helped defend you as the ritual was wrought that saved the souls of six men and women. And that even before that, back in the beginning, I stood alongside Nihka and Tengri as we held back angered stone golems from you and O-Rehn himself as you cleansed the area of corruption.
A moment's frustration and ill behavior should not, must not negate all the good we have wrought and must yet perform. As you said, there is at least one final battle to fight... but in truth, we are in the midst of the penultimate one, perhaps even more important to the future of the Shroud. So many fear what O-Rehn is, or might be, that they are willing to destroy him out of hand in order to prevent what harm he could do. Others believe that what he has already done is so unforgivable that there can be no redemption. On my love for Nihka, I swear I am not one such. Can you afford to turn away my aid?
Let us set aside our childish differences, and work together once more, for the safety and bright future of the Shroud.
With utmost sincerity,
Anstarra Silverain.
She leaned back, skimming over it once more. Then, she dried the ink, carefully folded it, set it into a sealed envelope, and left to find a courier. Her name was not upon the envelope; hopefully Liadan would at least read it. Everything had started to stall, it felt like, when they had their fight. If nothing else, opening communications might stymie some of the backstabbing and spying that had sprung up with truly disappointing alacrity in the wake of it all. It did not help that all these rumors and tales of O-Rehn's supposedly monstrous nature had arisen exactly when Liadan began to isolate herself.
Anstarra returned to her desk, penning a much briefer affirmative response to Enju's desire for a meeting. Time for the stalemate to end, it seemed, one way or the other...
She looked at the fresh piece of paper beside it on her desk, and sighed. Time to extend an olive branch... after a point, pride became only a hindrance.
Dear Miss Summerfield,
I hope this letter finds you in good health. It has been too long since we have conversed, and I fear the events of our last parting have settled in memory as something far more dire than they ever should have. Thus, I would like to formally and sincerely extend my apologies for my actions in that moment. I could cite hubris, or frustration, or fear, but in truth there is no valid excuse for my behavior. What began as an intention to lightly reprimand a valued ally whom I felt had betrayed our trust, became something far more aggressive, and even physically hurtful. Something unacceptable.
I wish I could say it is the sort of thing that could never happen again. That I will always retain self-control in the future. But for all airs and intent, there remains within me some part little better than a beast, a thing willing to lash out when I am given harm. And because of that, until the day that I may fully subsume it, I give my word that I will never again come within arm's reach of you, even if we do come to work together once more. I have lost that right.
For all that, I implore you to see that we must indeed work together once more. This period of quiet can be none other than the calm before the storm, and our division has created a basis for cracks in our entire alliance's union against the threats facing the Shroud. This.. factional infighting, keeping of secrets, collusion and worst, outright opposition between parties who should be tightly-knit in face of a common adversary, can only lead to ruin.
Despite calls for blood from various quarters, I will state at the outset that I am not convinced of O-Rehn-Fahn's irredeemable guilt or villainy. I come from a childhood of murder and cruelty. It is a sordid tale, which I am sure holds no interest for you, except in this; if one such as me can seek redemption, should not everyone else get that chance, at least once? If that is not enough, remember to whom I am betrothed. Nihka is a gentle soul, one who would spare and lend succor even to those who have caused her grievous harm in the past. I would rip off my own arm before I lent aid to a cause that would cause her grief, as O-Rehn's murder would.
There is little time for deliberation. I implore you to remember the numerous times we worked together, the successes we achieved. I urge you to recall that I personally carried you out of Lord Ramuh's vengeful storm, moments before it would have been your end. And that I stood and helped defend you as the ritual was wrought that saved the souls of six men and women. And that even before that, back in the beginning, I stood alongside Nihka and Tengri as we held back angered stone golems from you and O-Rehn himself as you cleansed the area of corruption.
A moment's frustration and ill behavior should not, must not negate all the good we have wrought and must yet perform. As you said, there is at least one final battle to fight... but in truth, we are in the midst of the penultimate one, perhaps even more important to the future of the Shroud. So many fear what O-Rehn is, or might be, that they are willing to destroy him out of hand in order to prevent what harm he could do. Others believe that what he has already done is so unforgivable that there can be no redemption. On my love for Nihka, I swear I am not one such. Can you afford to turn away my aid?
Let us set aside our childish differences, and work together once more, for the safety and bright future of the Shroud.
With utmost sincerity,
Anstarra Silverain.
She leaned back, skimming over it once more. Then, she dried the ink, carefully folded it, set it into a sealed envelope, and left to find a courier. Her name was not upon the envelope; hopefully Liadan would at least read it. Everything had started to stall, it felt like, when they had their fight. If nothing else, opening communications might stymie some of the backstabbing and spying that had sprung up with truly disappointing alacrity in the wake of it all. It did not help that all these rumors and tales of O-Rehn's supposedly monstrous nature had arisen exactly when Liadan began to isolate herself.
Anstarra returned to her desk, penning a much briefer affirmative response to Enju's desire for a meeting. Time for the stalemate to end, it seemed, one way or the other...