((Sent in 1223, the Summer, shortly after a mysterious wind carried off Mufarjj))
Fiona,
How much do you know of my Founder Flambeau? Odds are, not much. My Founder was known as a great warrior and his especial enemy was the Moorish Sorcerers and their magic and infernal spirit servants. His whole purpose in joining the Order was the hope of forging the Order into an army to attack the Sahirs and wipe them out.
I bring this up as ironically enough, we now have Sahirs in our Order, in your own House. I of course hold no anger towards them or your House, in fact I find the irony both amusing and gratifying. Flambeau in his later years grew old very quickly, and before he died he went off one morn and never returned. Some legends say that he went out one last time to meet the Sahirs in glorious battle, a battle that he lost but at great cost to the sorcerers. Another tale is that he had forgotten his anger and went to spend his days in contemplation of the Lord Christ at a monastery as he was a staunch Christian. I find this tale quite pleasing and it brings me hope when the cold sets into my bones and eyesight strains on the page.
The last tale was that he went to meet the Sahirs, not in battle but to forge a peace, and foster forgiveness towards each other. Those that believe this tale claim either that he was still betrayed by the Sahirs and others say that he was somewhat successful, and what little time he had left was spent forging a path for the Sahirs to meet in peace with the Order in later years.
It’s this last tale that concerns me. My father owed a debt, a debt to an ancient being in the sands of the East while he was on Crusade. And in his haste and folly promised me. This creature has followed me since my birth and later when my father gave me to the Covenant that Tristan dwelled in. His great power and their Aegis protected me. But now it has come back. It will not stop until it has me, and I will not put this Covenant in jeopardy for this inherited debt I owe.
I set forth now to find this creature, I don’t know yet its name. I will bring only a few grogs with me, mainly to enhance my skill, but not enough to weaken the Covenant.
I tell you this, because you are the one who has been here with me the longest. We have not been great friends, on our first meet with you I made a joke and later accused you of cowardice. But you know the stakes very well and I feel and our length of time here and your duty to this Covenant have made us closer than the others.
Should I not return, show this letter to whoever you need to and enter my Sanctum and take what out of it you can to distribute what you will. Helmut can help you in this and he’ll understand once he has seen the letter. You are the executor of my estate, please have Helmut pen a letter to send to my Pater and my Primus of my fate should I not return.
It has been a privilege my Sodale. I wish you and the Covenant the best of fortune.
Alexei Von Kroitsau ex Flambeau, MIlites
‘Though I do not wish it Oh Lord, Thou hast placed the sword in my Hand, and as thou wills it, I shall wield it with all my strength. The Blood of Christ washes away my sins.’
PS: That is one of my favorite prayers, I learned it from a sergeant that served Tristan. I have faith that it is true and it is how I strive to live my life.