Untold Tales RPG

A note passed from the knight healers to Armsmaster Essam and then to Undercaptain Aráto.



Aráto,

Remember when I said that I would not apologize until the day I died if ever I decided to? It seems that you are getting your apology much sooner than we thought. No one’s said anything about dying to me, but if I am going to face facts, then I’ll say I’m about as badly off as those who succumbed yesterday had gotten and there’s been nothing so far that’s seemed to work on any of us.

…I guess it’s going to be mortality for me in the end after all, but before that happens, before I never have the chance, I want at least, to try to make things right with you. It was…wrong of me to say the things I did and even worse that I refused to speak to you even after your apology. If I could take that back, I would, if you would let me do it now even though I don’t think they’re going to let you come here to hear me say the words.

Lucky for you at least, you’ve been staying with the Armsmaster, even if I drove you to the reason for it. At least you might not get sick, at least you might make it through this. Knowing that one of us still has that chance, even though it hasn’t been ‘us’ for a while, makes me feel better somehow. Maybe it’s that you were meant to ask me if I’d court you and I was meant to refuse it so abruptly and so cruelly so that your life could be spared that we may not both die still at odds with each other.

I…whatever they’ve given me is making me a little sleepy so forgive me if the rest of this doesn’t make any sense, but I wanted to tell you more than anyone else that I don’t mind dying now, as long as I think there’s a chance you aren’t going to hate me forever. It was wrong of me to do what I did and I thought then that I’d willingly keep my vow, I was so angry, my pride so strong.

…I suppose that here and now, there’s been an end to all my pride. It’s funny how relying on the healers for just about everything has changed my tune. I’m not going to say I love you the same as you love me, we both know what a lie that would be and there’s no point in losing my honesty now, is there? But I don’t hate you either, I COULD never hate you who have been so much to me from the day we met as squires.

Do you remember that, Aráto? Both of us were new and facing down the Armsmaster. …Please tell him I appreciate all that he’s done for me, for both of us, and tell my uncle, cousins and my mother that…Well you’re better at finding the words for that than I am, since right now all of my words are just for you, my dearest, and my best friend through everything.

I never hated you. You scared me and I didn’t want you, but I never hated you. Forgive me for making you think I ever did.

…It’s weird to think that soon I won’t be here anymore. This is the first great journey I’ll be taking where you won’t be by my side, but don’t you dare come after me Aráto, not for anything in the world would I have you do that. They’re not allowed to give you this until after I’m dead just so you don’t come here and increase that chance. What does it mean to not exist at all anymore? What does it mean if we do go on to exist somewhere else where those we cared for most are not with us just now? Which one of them is right?

I fear it is the first one, but I hope against all other hope it is the latter, that someday we can be close again, and by each other’s sides for all the days we can imagine and then some. I’d like to think that it’s that way, I can’t imagine anything without you there to tease, whine or encourage me along through all the paths we walk.

I never have married, I’ve never known a man, and don’t regret the choice, because instead of that I had the knights, instead of that, I was given you. I got the better deal than most girls do by far and I am grateful to you most of all, for giving that to me. I’m sorry and I love you, you meant the world to me in this life and will again in any other if we are lucky enough to find one.

Thank you for everything my friend. If I can miss anyone where I’m going, I’m going to miss you most of all.

For eternity and beyond,

Kira

…There‘s something in my tack trunk for you. It was put there just before Pelanor in the case…that this would happen…Look for the small green pouch and you will see it.

True to her word, by the time Aráto has received the letter and rushed to the healers, his best friend is already gone, and he is not allowed to see the body. Nothing at the time makes sense, other than rushing to her trunk, retrieving the green pouch and finding inside it, a lock of golden hair. It’s only then that things began to hit him.