**How it began.... or at least a place to start our story**
Dearest Carolina,
I beg you please, do not throw this letter away, or stop reading it until you have heard what I have to say. All I am asking for is a chance to tell my side of what happened, and I implore you to give that to me dear heart. By now I am sure you have heard all of what happened whilst you were out on patrol, but how twisted it has been, that I cannot tell, so I must speak of it, you may then weigh it and decide which is the correct version of events.
It was never my intention to kill Wilhelm, nor even in fact to fight him again, despite what was said following our last duel where he scarred my face. You know me well enough by now to know that revenge for that was never something that I would seek, unjustified vengeance is wrong, and I am man enough to admit that he had beaten me fairly that time. Carolina, he would not stop the fight, even now I burn with the memory of it, but I had to protect myself, and now my cousin is dead because of me. What else could I have done though? I keep asking myself this, replaying what happened, but there is no other way that I see.
** Now dear reader, I suspect that you may fear that our intrepid hero is giving in to sorrow and melancholy. But fear not... I your ever present narrator have a secret to share, that will restore your hope for our friend. Alassir, poor lad, coming as he does from a remote clan, cut off from the outside world has had a rather meager literary background, consisting mainly of some rather questionable Mistonian epic hero sagas, and some old romance novels, that could be best described as err.. "bodice rippers". So with only this to base his writing style upon, I think you'll agree he's actually doing rather well... anyway, we digress do we not? Back to the letter.... **
Wilhelm and I fought, this much is true, the reason, well if I be honest with you, it was our pride which brought us to it, you know only too well the fire with which we used to compete with one another, and so we fought again, at first for love of the test. This time I had the better day, and had the victory... Wilhelm was never one to accept defeat, as well you know.. and so he cast aside the practice foils we had used and came at me with his sword. The rest you know already, and his death shall be my burden to bear, and I would not pass any of it on to you.
**Goodness me but he's a noble and self suffering sort isn't he? See I told you, those Mistonian hero sagas... enough said dear friends, enough said.**
Carolina, I place my life in your hands with this, should you wish to reach me, I am to be found at the temple of Rofirein in Vehl. I am sure that uncle Dragnar would be most keen to find me, and I would not deny him the satisfaction of revenge for his son, so if you want to tell him, I would not blame you, in fact there are times when it almost seems a better fate than living with this shame. As I say, my life is in your hands now.
~Alassir~
