My Liege had requested this line of dreaming stop. I asked her for permission to make one final reply, which she has granted. I will speak my peace on this, and then wholly ignore any chatter which follows.
Gwendara, love, do not trouble yourself with this. There will always be those who assault my character: those of my own race, those who have hated my race for centuries, those who simply want to sow hatred to weaken our defense against the darkness. As I have told you, this unfortunately all comes with me, there is nothing I can do to shield you from it. I am sorry my love that your feelings for me have, and will, cause you pain.
Lady Knight Glorianna, I had fought beside you for many years before joining the Court of Nordenn, and before Squiring under you. I have never kept secret that at times we have seen things differently, and at times we have disagreed on the best way to serve Barony, Duchy, and Kingdom. Never, though, have I felt you did not serve, or that you served poorly, or that any of your actions stood against The Code and the people. I am not a Paladin, nor do I have their counsel, but I can only hope and expect they see things as I do.
Walgar- I used your child name because you are acting like one: Carelessly spilling insults like a whelp who yells "I hate you!" when their elders don't let them do something they want. You have gained strength, and you have gained age... but you have learned little. You attack when you would do better to question, and hurl insults when you would to better to look. Do you really think I don't know you, boy? Do you really feel you have surpassed all your elders? That in your short years you have seen and done and learned more than al the skalds and all the cheiftains?
The tribes made me Warchief once for a reason: in that time, we needed a leader who could not only fight, but who could see with compassion. Had one who thought with his sword been placed in charge, all our children would have been held under the axe. Not all battles can be won with a sword, brother. Ask yourself how the children of Snake Tribe would be today had you been in command: how many useless deaths would your sword have caused?
Do you think I don't know the words you speak? That you question if the Glyph has warped my mind completely? That I may be a danger to all because of the Rage? Do you think I have not considered the risks I cause, or that I have not discussed those risks and how to limit them with my Liege and others? During our last encounter with Lochaber- a monster I would easily give my life to destroy- I left the battlefield by my own choosing because many were about to attack the domain-circle-thing with magics that would make me dangerous. As a Squire, as a Warrior, I needed to put the good of the town, the Duchy, and the Kingdom- which includes the good of my Race- above my own goals and wants. It is interesting to me that in all this, the Starcasters have been more helpful in trying to remove the glyph, in trying to learn its secrets, than one who once swore to stand beside me in any battle has.
Do you feel you know better how to serve our people than the Council of Skalds? They are aware of my condition. They are aware of all I do. The skalds, the elders, and the voices of our long dead chiefs support me. Do you really feel you know more for our people than all those who have lead us in the past? Do you have such false pride that you would consider yourself greater than all the leaders of our people? Take care in who offers you such counsel, for that is certainly Bulygar's Work being done.
Do you feel me weak for speaking with those who use Star Galdyr? For using words rather than force? For trying to teach other races the ways of our people, rather than leading uprisings against the kingdom and against evil magics as we have done for centuries, each time crashing like a tide against the stone? The tide fades and is lost, the stone remains. Would you rather our people fight wars and bleed and die needlessly? I work with the Sages to spread our knowledge and wisdom to other races. I work with the Mages to limit the damage done to the Four Primes by those who would rob them of their power. I work with the Nobles to make Icenia greater than Evendarr was or could ever be. Meanwhile, let's look at you: You joined the Stormblades, and were cast out. You joined No Code, how has that fared?
We stood together against the Merax. We have spilled blood, and drank mead together. Who was it that told you that you were still strong without your sword, when the Backlash took the strength from your arms? Who was it that told you this happens for a reason, and that there were lessons here sent by the Fates themselves for you to learn? A Ceremony alone does not make one a Man. A lifetime of choices does. When your skein is tied and cut, what legacy of choices will you leave behind.
Squire Ulthoc of Nordenn, Warrior of Sheep Tribe.