3 September 2000

It feels odd to be writing this, but good. The counselor at the Knight's Hall suggested it, I had mentioned to him that I wrote you during the early years of the Patternfall Wars, knowing there was a good chance you would never see them. I remember reading them as I wrote, visualizing your reactions to the words, the way your beard would twitch as you tried to supress a smile at some absurd mess I had managed to get myself into. That smile was my shield, I knew that no matter how bad things became when I saw that smile I knew your strength would be with me as we made it better.

That smile is gone now; a lot of things are gone now.

Where to begin, it's been years since the armies returned from Chaos, we have rebuilt a great deal. Amber is almost as you would have remembered it, near the city anyway. It can still be grim farther out. I spend most of my time on the Estate or in the City, it does the people good to see a Knight, to know the Unicorn is with them, triumphant in adversity.

It is while attending one of these city events that the latest rash of events began.

One of Julian's men was getting married, and I had been asked to Witness during the ceremony. Not anything that would normally be an event of note however after the ceremony, during the following revels a strange woman appeared, began shrieking prophecy and then keeled over.

I don't think the guest knew whether to applaud or run screaming.

I got her pulled off to one side and figured out she wasn't carrying hostile majick, then got the revels going again. No reason to ruin the poor couples wedding day because of the questionable manners of some deceased prophetess.

Her delivery went as follows:

What you hold will never last,
Amber's luck is fading fast
Winding curls growing tight
Throbbing with a greater light
Mother cries and mirror breaks
Brother's seed shall sorrow make
As depths below grow opaque and land above rends and quakes
White face hides, long night bides
Morning dawns and grief reigns
Amber's luck by love is slain

Yes, I know, it won't make the literary top 20, but what she lacked in prose she made up for in sincerity. I think the force of delivering the prophecy pretty much killed her, she died shortly after I got her moved off the punch table. I won't bore you with the details of the investigation. Needless to say the researchers in the Prophecy Archives are like a child with a new bauble. I did manage to discover that the woman herself was a member of some outland cult of women who live in the Kelp forests outside of Rebma. Apparently Llewella has dealings with them and was able, after some reminding of her priorities, to arrange me discovering them.

The meeting went less than well. The women were immediately belligerent and while I respect the fact that some outside force seemed to be preventing them from answering all my questions they certainly could have been more helpful than they were. After but a few minutes they had become violently threatening and I was forced to retreat lest I put Mallory, whom I had asked to come with me, in danger.

The witches concern me Father. I know you consider me something of a conservative, that your views on non-Unicornian theologies were somewhat looser. I still remember sitting up till the wee hours of the morning debating the spiritual ramifications of lycanthropes; and I think it best we don't even mention the "puppy" you sent to Bishop Rigellan. But this is different, these women don't just have quaint local beliefs, they visible and vemenently reject the Unicorn and came very close to violently rejecting Her representative. I honestly think they might have attacked me, unthinkable as that may have been. Could they truly not understand what the ramifications of that act would have meant for them? This is not some obscure Golden Circle backcountry, this was Rebma, one of the Heartlands and blessed to be in the First Shadow of Her Will as Manifested in the Pattern of Order.

I can't decide if they are truly under the Serpent's influence or if they are simple woefully naove. His influence may have explained why they seemed unable to answer some questions. They claim to wish secrecy yet send members of their sect to shriek prophecies of Doom at a wedding of all places, then drop dead in the buffet. Did they truly expect we would do nothing? Could this visit truly be a surprise to them? I could have taken a squad of Knights with me and demanded an explanation, they did threaten Amber, however poetically, yet I attempted to respect their desire for secrecy and came with but one trusted friend. I made sure one of their members was well aware of my intentions so they would have ample warning. Yet despite all these efforts I was rejected and threatened. If it is not the influence of the Serpent it is at best dementia. I can not help but think that it were best these women were rounded up and contained, for the good of both themselves and whatever poor traveler they may decide to accost in the Kelp forests.

Ahhh, but Mallory bids me wait. Rash pride is a sin in Her eyes, and if I strike these women without allowing him the chance to bring them to grace peaceably then I take the chance that I act out of this and not Her Proper Wrath. So be it then, I have phrased things in the report in such a way that we can be ready for action without taking any. Mallory shall have his opportunity. See what a politician I have become in my dotage Father? She and you are now doubt toasting my conversion together, try not to spill too much of your wine as you laugh together.

The evening prayer bells toll, and as I am in the city it would behoove me to attend. I will write again, it is good to speak with you Father, even if you answer me only in memories.

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