The Interlude
From the Diary
of Kiran,
Princess of the Elven Borderlands
..oOo..
Rephegar, 9th in the Month of Harmony, Year 489
Today, I had a visitor to my court. Normally, I do not invite strangers
into my realm, but this visitor was no stranger, although it has been
years since I last saw him. Time doesn't touch my people easily, but Ciryath,
my sister's son, has changed over these years. But I digress.
He responded to my summons and appeared before me, not as one of my subjects, but rather as an emissary. Fascinated, I treated him as one, and bade him to tell us news, for although we do keep ourselves isolated from the rest of the world, we haven't by any means lost interest in it. And news did he tell us. No bard is he, yet his news rippled across our community like a wildfire. I do wish we had a court bard.
Only later did I learn from him that he now follows the Elven Goddess Kleothera. We do not know much of the Circle, but her we know and her name is spoken with reverence among my people. This Circle fascinates me greatly. Their ideals, particulary their desire for freedom, interest me, and their actions are commendable, if I am to believe in what Ciryath told us, and I have no reason to doubt him. I have assigned him quarters, as I would any emissary. Despite what he says about their Clan Council, my court now recognizes him as a representative for his Circle. I simply have to talk with this young warrior again.
Something in his stories sounded familiar. The ogres do not concern us. They may be strong fighters, but none fight better in the woods than my people. And although it shames me to admit it, our treasuries are quite not as large as those of the cities the ogres are already raiding. Which reminds me that I still have not heard a reply from that snobbish so-called King of Arnath, Adrian. The fool just does not see that the trade agreement would benefit us both. Our people need that trade route if we are to prosper further. We need a wise mediator to win us this agreement, but do we know anyone we can trust in that area?
Ogres. Portals. Demons. Something familiar, yet it eludes me. No matter. My librarian will have to take a look at our records. Old, dusty things. It is time to have my court refurnished. Perhaps some foreign tapestries would be in order. We do need that trade agreement.
..oOo..
- Diary of Princess Kiran (by Ciryath)