AN APOLOGY

[indiana105 2126]

AN APOLOGY

TO THE PEOPLE OF HANSETI-RUSKA

 

 

Issued by the

BARON OF ROSTIG

On this 12th day of Tov ag Yermey of 419 ES

 

---

 

OMAR SZAM,

 

Despite my signature, I write to you as Mikhail var Ruthern, the man. Not the Baron of Rostig, nor the heir to my father’s title. I will be the first to admit that my behavior does not reflect this station, nor is it befitting of one of my blood. In childhood, I was arrogant. Belligerent. Vindictive. Violent. Dishonourable. My actions were despicable and for this I offer a most heartfelt apology to any who I have wronged. As I write, I am filled with regret for lost relationships and bridges burned. I have reached manhood, isolated and scorned. And for this I have none to blame but myself.

 

I shall take this opportunity to apologize personally to those who have been most impacted by my behavior, publicly. If any of those mentioned wish to speak to myself privately, I extend an invitation to do so. All you must do is send a letter, or approach me on the streets of Karosgrad. 

 

VA VE HERZENASZ ERIKA AG SYBILLA I BARCLAY, 

 

My insults toward you were both unfounded and wholly unnecessary. You are not, as I said, “wenches,” nor are your fathers and brothers inbred. I apologize to you both for any injury my words have caused you. It saddens me that one of you has rejected a personal apology from myself, but I shall not apologize to the House of Barclay itself, for they have chosen to begin this feud. 

 

VA VE BOSSIR I SIGRADZ, KONSTANZ I BARCLAY,

 

I do not wish to see your blood upon my blade. My threats toward you were infantile and empty. Know that once this feud has come to its end, I hold no hatred for you. As you were my friend in youth, I pray you may yet be my friend in adulthood. I hope you do not continue in the footsteps of your predecessor, for a Kingdom in which the Ducal Houses work in harmony is a force to be feared. 

 

VA VE PRINZEN SERGEI I BARBANOV, 

 

My continual mocking of your name, as well as my implying your attraction to the same sex, was childish and cruel. In addition to this, I ruined whatever chance you had at enjoying a fun reign in Hoonse. It is not my place to press claims upon one with royal blood, even in a moronic children’s game. Thus, I swear to you to never unjustly raise my blade, nor my voice, against the House of Barbanov in the years to come. Furthermore, I hereby renounce my claim to the title of King of Hoonse and dissolve any organizations involved in pressing such. While we are no longer children, and we no longer play these games, I hope the significance of this gesture is not lost.

 

VA VE PRINZENAS KLARA I BARBANOV, 

 

You are second only to the Queen as a woman of status, and I have not treated you as such. I pray you do not harbour hatred towards me as I did toward you. Like your brother, Hoonse, a mere game for children, was the root of this. As I have continually disrespected you, and your status, I offer to you a piece of jewelry of your choosing, so long as it be exquisite enough to reflect said status. I offer you my apologies for the trouble I have caused.

 

VA VE HEERZENAS AMADEA D’ARKENT, 

 

I have harassed you on every occasion we have met. Be it for your appearance throughout your youth, or at the fashion show when I bloodied your nose with my shoe. In return, still you have shown me kindness. Until the debacle at the Lifstala that is. I do not blame you for this, I would have done the same. Though, I do hope you have not given up on me. For my behavior in the past, I extend to you my apologies. As I failed to answer your test of wit in time, I offer you this; Ask of me any question at any point during the Lifstala, and I shall remain maidenless until I present you with the answer.

 

VA VE HEERZENAS MARGRAIT I BARUCH, 

 

There is nothing more detestable than a woman-beater. And yet, knowing this, I struck you. I do not know what came over me, I fear the day it rears its head once more. Though you may not feel the same, I consider you a good friend of mine. I shall never strike you, or any woman again. I swear this, and I offer you my deepest apologies. The bruises inflicted by myself marred your face for days, thus I shall ensure the whole of the Kingdom might enjoy the beauty I stole. Any gowns you require for the Lifstala are to be paid for from my own expenses, you need only tell the tailor. 

 

VA MEA COZANA, MARIC VAR RUTHERN, 

 

You were on the receiving end of much torment at the hands of myself. Name-calling, beatings, social sabotage, and whatever else it is I may be forgetting. For this I apologize, and I swear to never bring harm upon you, or those around you, again. In the coming days I shall see to it a sword is forged, one worthy of being wielded by you. I pray that with it in hand, you shall never have to suffer such slights as those I inflicted upon you again. 

 

VA MEA SENDYE, DOROTHEA VAS RUTHERN, 

 

You have faced perhaps the worst I have to offer, outside of violence of course. I have belittled you. I have attempted to ruin your friendships. I have taunted you publicly. My snide remarks towards you during your dubbing as the Rose were wholly unacceptable and entirely untrue. I made your childhood miserable, and thus I seek not only to apologize, but to repay what I have stolen from you.  Let it be known that as the Ruskan Rose you shall have whatever man it is you seek. You shall not be forced into an unhappy marriage for as long as I live, nor shall you be betrothed to any man you do not pick. I guarantee this to you. 

 

VA MEA MAMEJ AG PAPEJ,

 

I have brought shame to our House. It was my hubris that goaded the House of Barclay into beginning this feud. More importantly, I have not shown you respect. I have insulted you, I have taunted you, and I have failed you. Mother, I do not know why I have treated you with such scorn. I do not know why you have not faltered in your care for me, but know that I have noticed. I shall seek to return it in kind. Father, I shall never disobey you again. And for the honour of the House of Ruthern, I shall dedicate my life to service in His Majesty’s Brotherhood of St. Karl. What prestige I have tarnished I will pay for in blood, be it my own or that of the enemy. I will not rest until I have regained my honour, or I am sent back to Vidaus on my shield, GOD willing. 

 

To any I have not mentioned yet still feel wronged by me, I am sorry. I swear that I shall seek GOD’s guidance in the coming years. By His grace I may yet be saved. 

 

---

 

BY BONES AND BARROWS,

His Lordship, Mikhail var Ruthern, Baron of Rostig

[sarahbarah 5015]

The Duchess Marie smiled as she gazed upon the missive penned by her son, all while wiping Orenian blood off of her blade. "Mea boy - ea will always stand by vy. How much vy have grown."

[meowcelina 222]

Dorothea Ruthern wiped a tear upon finishing, placing the paper down delicately on her nightstand.

[Lomiei 1487]

Filip Amador smiled while reading the many parts of the public apology. Though his eyes were weary by the large amount of words, he managed to form his face into a content grin. "Dobry, Lord Ruthern... Dobry"

[Milenkhov 4520]

Lucien blinks, bobbing his head as he reads the missive.

"To understand, and find wrong in oneself's utterings, ramblings - that - is a worthy trait, of an honourable man. A man of high-regard for the crown, kingdom and legacy of his familiar holds." 

[GMRO 5251]

Karl Sigmar rose his hand and made the sign of the Hussiyaran Cross, for the boy had become a man and apologized. "I find myself surprised that he did not still defend his honour in a duel after the matter becoming so public. Will he still duel, I wonder?"

[shay 2200]

"I forgot about the nosebleed" noted a certain Carrington upon receiving her apology - the girl swiftly moving off to sift through books in hopes of finding an appropriate question for the maidenless Ruthern

[MadOne 3386]

"It was you who began this feud, Lord Rostig." Dietrich would write to Mikhail. "Had you written this letter earlier, or came to your senses sooner, Lord Johann would not chase this quarrel, for you are our distant kin. Answer this, Lord Rostig, Have you not fought the Orenians, after they have aggressed upon us? Would you not fight for your life if a shark attacked?"  Leaving his pen on his desk, Dietrich looked towards the roads of Rimeveld and Vidaus, where he reckoned he would march towards soon in pursuit of a restored honour. He decided to pick his pen up, after a moment of deliberation. "It is simply a principle of action, and the reaction it garners. There is no honour in blaming the victim. I hope that despite our fighting, you would see across this point, for if you won't, it will be clear to me that you strive to get morality, where you had none, and get in the good graces of the Kongzem who looked down upon you as a result of your actions. Your words are honourable, but I fear the intention. Know this, Lord Ruthern; I bear you no ill will, as I hope you will not at the end of this feud, but perhaps the movements of your pen are more insidious than they are seen to be."

[Fionn__TWG 2616]

[!] A letter soon arrived to Mikhail Var Ruthern, the seal of the Baron of Sigradz present;

 

 

To Mikhail,

 

I have received your letter, as have my sister and cousin. Perhaps they shall respond soon, but for now, I speak for myself.

 

I shall not lie, I did not expect you to have the honor to write such an apology, though it is most refreshing to see this side of you. I must also admit that I had completely forgotten about those words you uttered to me those years ago. While I hold no respect for your words to me or the members of my family, I do however hold respect for your wishes to move on past this.

 

While it is inevitable that our families will face each other one way or another, for both of our families have honor on the line, that does not need to be the case for this disdain between us. When the dust has settled, I wish for no more than a prosperous relationship between us and our houses, so that we may finally leave this age-long rivalry behind for the betterment of this Kingdom.

 

Signed,

Konstanz Barclay

[Dogged 2129]

Jakob Barclay von Reinmar cheers and declares victory and sets sail back to Aeldin with his branch of Barclay.

[indiana105 2126]

Spoiler

7 minutes ago, Dogged said:

Jakob Barclay von Reinmar cheers and declares victory and sets sail back to Aeldin with his branch of Barclay.

 

33 minutes ago, indiana105 said:

I shall not apologize to the House of Barclay

 

[crazedpudding 2120]

Klara Elizaveta sighed as she read over the missive before inking her pen to write a response.

 

10TH of JOMA AND UMUND

Iv Joveo Mann

419 EHR SIGMUNDA

Issued from the desk of HRH, Klara Elizaveta

 

Baron of Rostig,

 

I bear you no ill will for actions taken during childhood, nor for insults given. Many would hold grudges for less, and many have. In the end, it is not my place to judge you for your actions, nor is it my place to seek restitution. I regard the actions of our youth as just that, the foolish mistakes of youth. I can assure you, I am no stranger to such mistakes, as I am sure you know.

 

In this country, in this city, one's mistakes tend to define you despite apologies and attempted reconciliations. I commend you, Baron, for your willingness in making your wrongs known, and for your bravery in apologizing for them. There is nothing that I wish for that you could give me, and I lack nothing where jewelry is concerned, though should you still wish to gift me something, I shall not refuse, for I wish this gift to be a gift between newly kindled friends, instead of a gift of apology.

 

May the impending closure of our war with the Anathema also bring to an end the war we have waged against our fellow Haeseni in the name of gossip and scandal. You have my respect. I hope that sentiment might be returned in the future.

 

SIGNED,

Her Royal Highness, Klara Elizaveta, Duchess of Baranya