To my Darling,

While the battle was not as dire at this forum, morale was low after battle. Spring has barely touched the frozen forests of the Njordr, and even while I took part in yelling at trees to wake them, my mornings are still spent huddled under a cloak.

But you were on my mind, as often you are, when I remembered a story I read while at House Delacroix. It was tucked away between two tomes of great history: a small novella that told the tale of the Prince of the Gems. I told it to my comrades, but I do not believe I have shared it with you.

Please, allow me to correct that atrocious mistake!

A long long time ago, in the realm before the Witch Kings and presumably when malefic were more bountiful: There lived a Prince. He was coined the Prince of Gems because that was all he wished for. He would tax his people to find them across the land, he would send all laborers deep into the Earth, and he would slay any who dared to touch his growing horde.

But, eventually, his cruelty rose higher than his people could tolerate. Using great spells and knowledge they created a trap that would twist the Prince’s form into a beautiful blue diamond. The people then, insidiously, set it in a crown and presented it to him as a gift.

And once he put the crown on he was devoured by the stone, trapped inside it. And once he was caught the people of the town had a great parade all the way to the dock, where they then took a ship and cast him into the ocean. And the story goes that he is still down there, in the permanent darkness of the ocean in purgatory where he is with his own true love: Greed.

It is a story to trick nobility into kindness and to give to others, even if they have rights to the gold of their people.

NOW I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THE STORY ENDS THERE. How could it? A love of greed is not love enough!

And, so much like I did to the book in the library, I added an Epilogue to the tale for my comrades, to cheer them up! Love can fix any curse, and it can save this Prince from their purgatory. I amended the story with a caveat that, if the Prince found love in anything other than greed, that he would be transformed back into his human form.

So while he suffered for his crimes for many decades at the bottom of the ocean, one day a creature of the deep oceans stumbled upon the crown. She was beautiful, with eyes that sparkled like pearls and hair that even in the deepest dark shone like silver. It took only a moment for him to stare upon her until he fell in love.

And so when he turned back into his human form he was able to spend the rest of his life with her, drowning under the sea with his true love. He truly did love her until the day he died.

A romantic ending to such a tale!!! I told this to my comrade Silvester and while he was not a romantic like you or I and missed the simple beauty of unearthly love, he did seem to fare a little better after the tale, and, even better, it inspired my Lady to sing a sonnet of love!

So we together shared two songs of Romance to the people of House Valerian.

Alas, my candle grows weak this evening and I do not have another to spare: While we did just fortify ourselves in a more permanent residence of Fort Hrafnikastli, there is much to still do before I can waste two candles in one evening.

But, know this. I miss the sunrises in Capacionne. The moment at dawn when the sun would hit the hills, when the soft light purple would touch the dew covered flowers? I knew that Berceau de Artère was a wealthy land, but I thought it was in the gold of the pockets. I would pay any amount to be there again: riding our horses through what appeared to be fields of gem and precious stones. I remember that moment fondly when we first slipped from the castle away from prying eyes. It is because it is the moment I fell in love.

And I hope that if I am to die on this battlefield, my last moments are filled with thoughts of that moment, when the sun hit your face and I knew bliss had found me.

With all my heart,

Lorelei