Romani Montclaire - Letters Leading to war (6/15)

Romani,

It has been a time since we spoke direct. I have thought a lot about what I may say to you, how I might reminisce, how I might tell you I hate you for abandoning Filia and I, how I might tell you I miss you, and that I'm sorry -

But the safety of Nysea comes first. A reunion, whatever the circumstances, will have to wait.

Nysea did not kill your man Yersin. When we sat with High Lord Finn, and he advised we seek diplomacy with you, we ordered our Knights to cease all hostilities against you and yours. Even if we had held that rage in our hearts, who would have managed it?

Alexander could not best Yersin. Lloyd could not best Yersin. There are none within our boundaries who could have even managed it, let alone wanted to do it.

Nysea offers its condolences for your loss, but we will not assume responsibility and the consequence comes with it for something we had no part in. For years, we have worked toward peace and union. Ever since our misguided attempted upon Baleford Bridge.

We will help you find the killer of Yersin, despite the fate that has befallen our Prince. You have my word on that. Provide us with all the information you have and we will dispatch our men to investigate. The plains have grown heavy with the presences of Witches, Demons and Moonspawn, forces we battle every day, tirelessly.

Do not look for an enemy where there is none, Romani. There are forces at work that would seek to eradicate all notion of peace.

Kindest Regards,
Sethon

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Sethon,

It has been quite a while. Given the presence of Del at the attack on the Baleford bridge, and the words of Nysean youths when they came to Osrona, I thought it would be fruitless to try to contact you and Filia. For that, you have my apology. I had stated the King was banned, and Del, but only those two because I had hopes to see you both one day come to the center of Osrona, and talk to me. You did not, but I also could have reached to you. At that, neither of us are at fault.

I also would tell you I am sorry you feel as if you were abandoned by me. I did not intend to make you feel so. I was told that I was removed and abandoned by the Petrakis empire, and that my wife was called a traitor, twice, and poisoned. I decided I could not follow the King if he would hurt my family, in addition to the other harmful things he did to our people. So I did not return. In the same breath, I felt as if I would not join Myllenoris, knowing they harmed our people as well. So I took a third option, and I started to rebuild the land that the Petrakis lost.

But indeed, let the discussion between nations come first.

Nysea has shown hostilies to Osrona for quite a while. Del, in particular, had attacked several people within the months prior to their execution, who were members of Osrona. This includes the person who ended up capturing them. It was not unimaginable that someone from Nysea might have killed Yersin. In fact, if not for this letter, I would believe they did. But with this letter, there is doubt. Doubt enough to say I am willing to look for other suspects with you.

I do agree. Alexander could not best Yersin. Lloyd could not beat him. I am not certain if Del could, but if they had done it, I imagine it would have been bragged about prior to execution. As such, I will admit you have a valid point.

I would request you come to Osrona, and feel free to bring another along if you wish. As of this letter, Filia has come and I have spoken to her, so I would like to give you on good faith that you will not be harmed. Do not bring Alexander, as he is still banned, however I do think it is worth discussing this, as well as our demands of reperations that have hopefully reached you.

Warm regards,
Romani cos Montclaire

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Dearest Romani,

I do not doubt your plight, and I know it is wrong of me to blame you, as if you had any choice in the matter. You must understand - Osrona is a hostile place. While you may not wish to see me harmed, those beside you would. I would have visited you in a heartbeat, were I not worried of The Family breathing down my neck, desperate to cut our conversation to a close.

You were removed from the Petrakis Empire by Alexander as he believed it would save your life. At a time where August and Kofe were doing their utmost to rally Knights against Alexander, we were unable to stage a proper rescue; it was believed that by stripping you of title, your political value would diminish and you would in time be released. Your death would have been a needless one, borne from rage, and would have inspired the likes of Finley to act out in your favour. He believed these actions would save you.

Please do not condemn him for what he did. The disbanding of the Triumvirate was never to seize power or to forsake you. He believed in doing so, in a time where we were surrounded and unable to launch a proper task force, he was saving your life. His guilt did not leave him.

Nysea will not be held accountable for the actions of a few. I cannot speak on why Del did as she did, but I am aware she had taken in one of the younger warriors for their command of the Occult. She wished to ease them of the burden of the magic that plagued them, and clear their mind of destructive thought. I will not speak on her behalf. I know not why she did as she did, and my heart bleeds to speak about her. I miss her dearly.

I will not come to Nysea. We wish for nothing but peace. We do not want your Shimmering City. We do not want your bridge. We do not want your lands. We do not want to strip you of your religion or force upon you the reign of Alexander rei Petrakis.

We want to live our lives. We want to thrive within Nysea. We want to unify to rid Esshar of its true threat - the Demons, Witches and Moonspawn.

It is not for lack of desire to see our situation resolved that I refuse to visit you, Romani. You are a good man, if misguided. Those around you have bent you to their will, and I fear they do not have your best interests at heart. Were I to step foot within your city, I would almost certainly forfeit my life.

We would welcome you within our own boundaries with guard of your own, as we did High Lord Finn, or within neutral territory. But I will not subject myself to the fate that awaits me within my old home. I will not.

We will consider your reparations, but the likelihood of them being adhered to in full is slim. We have thousands of people to protect and to feed; thousands of people to shelter and care for.

I hope you understand. I do miss you, Romani, and do not forget what you did for Filia and I when we were younger. We are who we are in part thanks to you, and for all I detest your current actions, I cannot bring myself to hate you. I miss you.

Kindest regards,
Sethon

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Dear Sethon,

I would like to talk in person, and we might have the chance to in the future perhaps, if not Osrona, then elsewhere. I can understand your worry towards The Family doing you harm, and as such I will be considerate. They have listened to me, and have not harmed people when I was there to ask them not to, but I could see things becoming problematic if you were to show up without my presence.

I will be honest with you; My life was not in danger. Ophelia's life was not in danger. Thalis' life was not in danger. Myllenoris had a tendency not to kill their prisoners. Serea was killed by Sythearyn, and that was after Asta had released her collar and let her roam freely. Siegfried was executed because he engaged in a fight after he was captured. By the time that the order, severing us from the empire came? Thalis had already been freed. Ophelia already had her collar's remote. And they had told me that I would only be kept until the end of the war.

Ophelia had already come back to Osrona. She had already told Alexander he was safe when he disowned us. And he told her NOTHING about her plans, nothing about our severance to her face, waiting until she was back with me to do so. And then? As I was forced to stay in Myllenoris, had asked Ophelia to stay with me in the city, to have at least my wife in my capture? She returned to Osrona, and was labeled a traitor twice, and forced to eat poisoned bread. He ripped away my wife, took her away from me when I needed her most, for the words and whims of a Witch.

If all he had done was been disown us, I would have understood. But he disowned us when he was told we were not at risk. We were removed after Ophelia had told him our situation. For that, I can condemn him.

A city is held accountable for the actions of their leaders. When Del attacks our people, the Stellus of another city strikes our people, it reflects as Nysea's stance as a whole if they are not disowned publicly by the city. That is what leadership is. And if it were just occultists, it might be more understandable as well, but Del attacked Thalis, attacked one of the people who were disowned by Alexander, and was decidedly not an occultist. Again, when the Stellus attacks people, it reflects badly on those who follow them. I miss how Del was in the past, but they were certainly swallowed in zealous pursuit all around.

I would also rather focus on the threats, and live life. I would like for the families torn apart to be fixed. I would like for there to be peace among good nations. However, I will say this. My will is my own. It is not bent by anyone, it is focused, and it is a desire for peace. I am offended you would think otherwise, but I will not ask you to come to Osrona, nor will I come to Nysea. A meeting in Myllenoris may indeed be viable in the future, however.

The reparations need to be responded to in full, or not at all. The money will be used to help build Osrona more, and to pay our people, after the attack on the bridge, and serves as a hefty reminder not to do so again. Demands two, three, four, and six should be self explanatory. Demand five ends the schism. I need only be recognized as Stellus in the west, and for people in the clergy to be able to move back and forth between the churches to talk and converse. Demand seven is for the Coalition as a whole to judge Alexander for his actions in the past at Starfall. Myllenoris, and Theria should be there to also oversee it, as they had stake in the war.

I miss you as well, Sethon. I miss you, Filia, and the times we had together. Although I was only nineteen? I almost saw you and Filia like my children. I am happy to have had a part in helping you both become who you are. While some actions of Nysea I can not support, I hope you do not commit them, and that you stay safe. I hope we can see each other again in the future.

May your path be eternally bright Sethon,
Romani cos Montclaire

Ps. There is someone selling a dangerous drug in your city, you may wish to look into that. It has been a topic of gossip in Osrona.

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To the accusations against His Majesty King Alexander rei Petrakis of Nysea,

On the accusation of approving the poisoning of Ophelia cos Montclaire:

- Ophelia cos Montclaire submitted herself to Crown Law for her act of treason against the Crown. This punishment was deferred to Dellarossa mer Joyau, late Stellus of the Western Church. To prove her loyalty to Osrona, Stellus Joyau asked Ophelia cos Montclaire to eat poisoned bread, which she did so willingly. In this, Alexander Petrakis played no part. He was still recovering from the infliction of the Witch Nebula Lockwood after being willingly cleansed of her intrusion by the Celestial Church. Alexander Petrakis was pulled away to see to the recovery of Prince Odin ras Petrakis, who had been kidnapped and held ransom by 'The Family', current officials of Osrona. Stellus Joyau led this trial from start to finish.

On the accusation of the murder of Eric Salis:

- Eric Salis was accused of treason, after receiving numerous reports that he drew his sword and killed Osronan Soldiers alongside the Coalition in the conquest of Osrona. Eric Salis admitted to all crimes. Eric Salis further agreed to serve trial by combat, where he would be allowed to live in victory. Eric Salis fell, and was granted a merciful death by the High Keeper of the Faith, Sethon. His body was given to his sister who buried him respectfully. We regret the loss of Eric Salis, but he fought nobly and admitted to all crimes. May his soul find peace in the Heavens.

On the accusation of allowing Witches to enter Osrona:

- His Majesty King Alexander rei Petrakis of Nysea did not willingly or knowingly allow Witches to enter Osrona. Many were fooled by the facade of Nebula Lockwood and those that followed her. Alexander Petrakis, following our expansion within Nysea, consistently and tirelessly dispatched his strongest forces to hunt and execute Nebula Lockwood and her Coven. By this accusation, all who supported Nebula Lockwood prior to the reveal of her true nature are accused, including Romani cos Montclaire, the High Keepers of the Faith, and all those that served within the Order of the First Light. This accusation is unreasonable, and the true nature of the Witches is something we were all oblivious to.

On the accusation of allowing Marie to die:

- Nebula Lockwood, prior to the reveal of her true nature, declared her intention to arrest Marie for an act of treason. This act of treason was witnessed by many, and a sentence was appropriate. Nebula later reneged on this, and upon the reveal of her true nature, slew Marie Petrakis. Alexander was not given time to respond to this before foul magic was utilized upon him, forcing the manifestation of Wrath, thralling him, and locking him off from his own rational thought. Alexander rei Petrakis, immediately after the incident, begged the Celestial Church to cleanse him of whatever magic his mind had been prevaded with. The Celestial Church adhered to these wishes, and cleansed him in holy fires, whereby they were forced to fight a physical manifestation of Wrath.

On the accusation that Alexander Petrakis allowed the Baleford Bridge attack:

- Alexander Petrakis did not allow the attack. High Keeper Sethon coordinated and launched the attack. The intention in doing so was to cut Osrona off from the West, as Nysea anticipated swift and immediate retaliation following our retreat to Nysea. Despite the accusation, Nysea did not attack nor did it intend to attack innocents on Baleford Bridge. High Keeper Sethon accepts fault in this, and apologizes to Osrona profusely for their misguided efforts. Furthermore, Nysea agrees to pay monetary reparations for any damage caused to the bridge should it be desired.

Alexander rei Petrakis is innocent of all crimes against Osrona. His intention always has been and always will be the protection and longevity of his people. He has since pleaded to the stars consistently for atonement, and asks for forgiveness for the transgressions of himself and the Petrakis lineage.

Nysea's only intention is peace and union. There is no desire to conquer. There is no desire to force faith on others. There is no desire to force the rule of the Petrakis upon Esshar. We wish to live our lives comfortably in our corner of the world, free of war.

We pledge that we fight and continue to fight tirelessly against the Demons, Witches, and Moonspawn that inhabit the Western plains.

[THIS IS A COPY!]
Sethon
High Keeper of the Celestial Faith