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<P>Another messenger boy, this one a teen, arrives at the guardhouse. His hair disheveled, his cheeks burning bright red, sweat trickling down the sides of his face and beaded against his forehead. He's been running and running hard by the looks of him.</P>
<P>"Captain Von Stahl!" </P>
<P>He shouts, snapping his wide, expressive eyes to and fro, searching for the Captain of the Guards. He was told to leave this letter with him and only him; how he hopes the man is around to take it.</P>
<P>But, his Ma needed him home right away. They were leaving to visit family up north, for Sendepentahest (which is celebrated on the 17th. <A href="http://www.blkdragon.com/calendar.htm">www.blkdragon.com/calendar.htm</A> ). For fear of getting a whooping, he leaves the letter on one of the guards desks, then bolts off towards home.</P>
<P>The guard that notices the letter on his/her desk will notice the symbol emblazoned in the wax seal; that of a sickle and scythe crossed and a sword stabbed down directly dead center. The contents inside read:</P>
<P align=center><STRONG><EM>Upon a field of gold she lies<BR>Staring up at the bright, summer skies</EM></STRONG></P>
<P align=center><STRONG><EM>Her innocence, I did not take<BR>Such a lovely lass to foresake</EM></STRONG></P>
<P align=center><STRONG><EM>Travel up the long, long road<BR>And there you shall find her</EM></STRONG></P>
<P align=center><STRONG><EM>Upon a field of gold </EM></STRONG></P>
<P align=center><STRONG><EM>Off I go on my merry way<BR>To find the one whom shall pay</EM></STRONG></P>
<P align=center><STRONG><EM>For the misery and grief<BR>She bore into my heart</EM></STRONG></P>
<P align=center><STRONG><EM>This young, fair maiden <BR>so soon shall part</EM></STRONG></P>
<P align=center><STRONG><EM>From the land of the living<BR>Her soul for the giving</EM></STRONG></P>
<P align=center><STRONG><EM>So before I bid you a good day<BR>Heed my words, soon she shall pay ..</EM></STRONG></P>
<P>There is nothing else. The script is neatly penned, there is no signature. <BR><BR><BR></P>
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<P><FONT face="Garamond, Times, Serif" color=#330099> ~Smidget~</FONT></P>
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<P><EM><FONT color=#000099 size=2>The three hardest tasks in the world are neither physical feats nor intellectual achievements, but moral acts: 1) To return love for hate; 2) To include the excluded; and 3) To say 'I was wrong.'" - Ernst Heinrich Haeckel</FONT></EM></P>
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<P><EM><FONT color=#0000cc size=2>"When his life was ruined, his family killed, his farm destroyed, Job knelt down on the ground and yelled up to the heavens, "Why god? Why me?" and the thundering voice of God answered, "There's just something about you that pisses me off." - Stephen King. </FONT></EM></P>
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