Resignation

[Zorana]

Dawn. He could feel the sunlight streaming in the window, like a heavy weight upon his shoulders. "I have been sitting at this desk all night.." he said, quietly to himself. He stared at his shadow, cast across the sheets of paper strewn about his desk, as it slowly shortened and the sun drew higher in the sky. He rubbed his temple, and streaked ink over his skin once more. He smiled faintly, remembering her hands, as she'd cleaned the inkstains from his temple, just hours before.

"Finish your letter.."

He had agreed, of course. It would never get any easier to write. He did not want to leave this place, despite all of the horrors it held.. Did not want to return to New Dauntless, to become it's Prince.

"I have often thought, my.. dear.. that the best man to be such a thing is the one who does not wish to be."

He inhaled, slowly, and after a moment, exhaled in a soft whoosh of breath, letting her words echo softly in his mind. He flexed the inkstained fingers of his calloused hand, and picked up the quill again. He squared his shoulders, and prayed that sleepless inspiration for the right words would fill him... If only so that he might go home, to her, and explore the concept of -hats-.

Slowly, after three more false starts, the words began to spill from his hand. Elegant, his handwriting, of a man well trained to scripting, and he simply let the words flow from his fingertips. After the letter was signed, he looked back over it. Not quite right... Two more copies, and several small changes later, and he was satisfied. "That wasn't so hard..." He tried to admonish himself, and did not succeed. He shook his head, and finished sealing the small, official form he planned to send with the letter.

He leaned back in his chair, and looked at the parchment pieces sitting there. To be delivered to Gad Phuri, by a messenger...

"Goodbye, Myrken Wood..." he whispered, faintly, as he stood, picked up the letters, and strode towards the door of his office. He wasn't wearing his indigo tunic... It was, he supposed, a silent statement... of the very intentions of the letter in his hand.

[Zorana]

From Gareth Rayin Taliaferro, Prince of New Dauntless, Viscount of Malandra; to Gad Phuri, Honorable Governor of Myrken Wood and presiding Judiciar:

Greetings.

I am enclosing, with this letter, my official resignation as Captain of the Order of Straka, effective immediately upon the nomination of my replacement. I regret that I must set aside my position as the protector of Myrken Wood, and take on the mantle of protector of the people of New Dauntless.

I offer my most humble apologies, and will gladly seek to remedy any distress that the situation involving my brother and myself might have caused the governments of Myrken Wood. The difficulties between New Dauntless and Thessilane are even now on their way to resolution, and it is my hope that their political relations will no longer cause the Councilors of this province any unrest.

As to the nomination of a new Captain, I would like to recommend two very esteemed Lieutenants: Lieutenant Matthew Duvall, and Lieutenant Joshua Kilborn. Both men are of exemplary character and talent. I will be certain to send both Lt. Duvall and Lt. Kilborn to the regular council meeting on the 1st, so that you might meet them for yourself, and decide if you will consider them.

I shall be returning to New Dauntless as soon as the Council makes it's decision, so that I might handle funerary ceremonies for my brother, and settle other important political matters. I will be keeping my property here in Myrken Wood, and plan to return when I may. I hope that relations between New Dauntless and Myrken Wood will prosper, and will be prepared to speak of such things upon my return.

I will always hold great respect for you, the men of your Council, and the people of Myrken Wood. I am pleased to have been the Captain of the Order of Straka.


My most sincere thanks for allowing me the opportunity,

By my hand, this twenty seventh day of March.

Gareth Rayin Taliaferro

[Zorana]

I, Gareth Rayin Taliaferro, do hereby resign from the position of Captain of the Order of Straka, Myrken Wood Guard, effective immediately upon the nomination of a new Captain.

27, March


Written in the smooth script of a practiced, and elegant hand, the official resignation bore two seals on the bottom of the sheet of paper. On the right was the gleaming silver seal of the Order of Straka, over a field of indigo. On the left, the seal of the province of New Dauntless, in black, over a field of azure, dappled with red.