The Future To Come

[Jade_Emen 203]

[!] A letter has been tacked onto the noticeboard, signed by the Thain

 

"My people,

 

I have served you for a very long time. By my count, I have been your Thain longer than I haven't been. When Micah O'Connell wrote me into his will many years ago, I was honored to even be mentioned. At the time I was the Sheriff, and before that I was Deputy to Anne Sunbrook. For the first couple of days I was in shock. I was to be Thain, and I had to shoulder this burden with a stranger and a child. The stranger would grow to be my friend, and the child to be my daughter. Still, I had never led anything. I didn't feel worthy of such a task, and I felt all eyes on me. 

 

I have been accused of being many things. A tyrant. A witch. A fake. And a few other words not fit to be mentioned. Maybe I deserve these accusations. I did not lead to be remembered. I did not stand in front of my people as a shield to be memorialized. I do not crave power or glory or control. I have remained in my position as Thain for so long, only because I feared that my stepping down would be the end of us. Maybe that is my pride talking. I was afraid that there would be no one else to take control that would do the people justice.

 

Now, we shall see if I was right or wrong. At my meeting, I had a plan. I thought it was a good plan, a plan that would stabilize our would-be government once and for all. Before I even had a chance to implement it, to see if it would work, I was halted in my tracks. No one was happy with my plan, and the louder voice has won. That voice is the voice of the people. You, dear reader, are that louder voice. I admit, my pride took a blow today. My feelings are hurt, and I am upset. However, that doesn't matter. How I feel doesn't matter. What matters is that we survive, and that we thrive. If the plan that the people have chosen leads up to a brighter future, then my pride can take the hit. My pride will heal.

 

Soon, I will be stepping down as Thain. I don't want to, I admit. I thought I had for so long, but once Thainship was taken away, I realized something. I am a Thain. I am a leader of my people, not because I was born to be one, but because that is the role I grew into. And soon, I will grow into a new role. My identity was being the Thain, and now I am no longer that. Have no fear, I will find a new one. I will find a new identity, and I will use that to serve you again.

 

Take heart, dear reader. Change is upon us, and it will hurt. It will be uncomfortable at times, and we might find ourselves yearning for the past. But the past is behind us, and we can only move forward. Moving forward, I will not be the Thain. I will be Isalie Gardner, and I promise I will always be there with my shovel in hand. Whether you need someone to shovel the snow from your lawn or beat back the squirrels from your garden, I will be there. 

 

This might be the last time I use the Thain's Seal. I do not know what we will do with it, but I will treasure this moment. And we will treasure many more in the future to come.

 

-Your Thain, Isalie Gardner."

[HalflingPrincess 411]

Greta read the letter several times, light tears streaming down her face as she regarded Isalie's signature at the bottom with the utmost admiration for her friend; the Thain who held her people above herself; who supported efforts to create a democracy in the face of ignorance and resistance; and who, when called upon to do so, willingly yielded her power for the greater good of the community. As Greta turned to walk back to her burrow and finish the new constitution, she hoped that Isalie would forgive her for speaking on the people's behalf and would come to realize just how respected she would be for going home. Most of all, Greta hoped that the rest of Isalie's life would be happier and more prosperous than all the years that preceeded this one.

[Notic 953]

"What a toime." Sean said from the Wheat Fields, "Yew 'a' a goo' run. W'at a toime."

[Jade_Emen 203]

5 minutes ago, FakeNotic said:

"What a toime." Sean said from the Wheat Fields, "Yew 'a' a goo' run. W'at a toime."

 

How dare you make me cry about Sean Sr