THE FONDEST FAREWELL

[sarahbarah 7105]

Spoiler

 

 

 

LADY EMMA KORTREVICH, C. 560 E.S.

 

WITHIN THOSE REDDENED WALLS of the Kastell Lesanov, Emma peered out the frosted window, her gaze drifting over the lively streets of New Valdev below. The city bustled with movement – merchants bartering their wares, children darting between stalls, and the rhythmic clatter of hooves against cobbled streets echoing through the crisp morning air. It was a scene she had witnessed countless times, yet today it felt different. The streets teemed with faces she had known since their youth, children she had once watched stumble through their first steps, now grown into capable men and women. Many of them, she realized with a pang of bittersweet pride, she had a hand in raising – if not as their mother, then as a guiding figure in their lives.

 

Her fingers absentmindedly brushed against the strands of gray streaking through her dark hair. The change had come faster than she expected, though she knew well enough the cause; years of service upon the Aulic Council had finally taken their toll. Two Kings she had served faithfully, dedicating herself wholly to the realm. The weight of diplomacy, of forging alliances and mending fractured ties, sat heavily upon her shoulders for many years thus.

 

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

 

Emma expelled a weary sigh, her breath fogging the icy glass. She had never been meant for politics; not truly. Her heart had always been too soft, too fragile for the ruthless complexities of it all. Yet in her softness, she found strength. That same tender heart endeared her to allies both near and far, allowing her to weave bonds of trust and loyalty that ensured the Kingdom’s stability for generations to come. Eighteen years she had labored in service to the realm, each one harder than the last.

 

The corners of her lips curved into a faint smile as she noted a pair of children bumbling through those dear, familiar streets. It had not all been hardship. There was joy in knowing she had played a role, however small, in shaping the future of her people. But as the years passed, the joy had grown heavier, and the weight of her responsibilities had hardened her once-soft heart.

 

It was time, she realized, to let that heart finally rest. Turning from the window, Emma crossed the room to her desk. The wooden surface was cluttered with letters and documents, each one a reminder of the endless tasks that had filled her days. She reached for a blank sheet of parchment and dipped her quill into the inkwell.

 

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

 

The words came slowly at first, but with each stroke, the weight lifted from her shoulders. As she penned that notice of her impending retirement, she saw the faintest flicker of the girl she had once been – a girl who had never dreamed of politics but had embraced it out of duty and love for her Kingdom. When she set the quill down, she leaned back in her chair, her gaze landing upon the window before her once more. The streets of New Valdev bustled on, indifferent to her decision, yet she felt a quiet peace settle over her. It was time to step away, to let others carry the burden she had borne for so long. 

 

She allowed herself to imagine those quieter days ahead – her hands ink-stained from hours of writing treatises on Koravian culture, the soft rustle of parchment filling the silence, and the distant laughter of her grandchildren echoing through the halls. It was a life she had yearned for in the quiet moments between duty, and now, at last, it was within her grasp. With a steadying breath, Emma folded the letter, sealing it with the emblem of the Emissar and placed it neatly atop the stack of correspondence.

 

Her service to the Kingdom had been her greatest honor, but now it was time to embrace the peace she had long denied herself; time to let the stories she had helped shape live on not through decrees or treaties, but through the quiet power of words and memory.

 

---

 

 

NOTICE OF RESIGNATION

AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC PERUSAL

 

 

Issued by

THE LADY EMISSAR

On this 13th day of Vzmey ag Hyff of 566 E.S.

 

 ╠═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣

 

VA VE EDLERVIK,

FOR EIGHTEEN YEARS, I have served the realm as Lady Emissar, dedicating my efforts to the prosperity and stability of our great nation. It has been a journey marked by triumphs and trials in equal measure, but above all, it has been a privilege to serve this land and its people with all my heart. 

 

I never was a politically-minded sort, yet the Lady Palatine saw fit to vest her faith in me; entrusting me with the position despite my initial reservations. Her belief in my abilities compelled me to serve, and serve I did. Months of tireless work were poured into planning joint festivities, forging treaties, and leading negotiations with our allies.

 

Over the years, I have witnessed the culmination of a generation, many of whom I had the joy of watching grow from children into steadfast men and women who now carry the Kingdom forward. Of course, my time in service has come at a cost (as evidenced by the graying of my hair), but I would not trade a moment of it for anything. To have served two Kings alongside so many dedicated leaders is an honor I will carry for the rest of my days.

 

Even still, the most steadfast servant must one day lay down their burdens, and I find that day has come for me. In stepping away from this role, I look forward to returning to the simpler joys of life within Jerovitz and leave with a heart full of gratitude for the support and trust the Haeseni people have placed in me throughout these seventeen years.

 

To the next Lady or Lord Emissar, I offer you my well wishes. This role is not an easy one, and you will oftentimes find yourself stretched thin. Rely on your fellow councillors and ambassadors, for they are your greatest allies in the service of this Kingdom. Above all else, do not let the frivolity of politics sour your heart. The weight of diplomacy will feel unforgivingly heavy, but you must always remain true to yourself and to the love you bear for Haense and its people. 

 

Krusae zwy Kongzem.

 

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IV JOVEO MAAN,

 

HER EXCELLENCY, Emma Mariya Kortrevich, Lady Emissar of Hanseti-Ruska, Countess of Jerovitz, Viscountess of Krusev, and Baroness of Koravia.  

 

 

[Toffee 2843]

Erika's earliest memories involved her mother teaching her how to harvest herbs, how to dry them, and how to make medicines from them. As she grew older, her mother's duties drew her from the clinic to the Aulic chamber. Visits to Reinmar, to Celia'nor, endless nights burning the candle till it was naught but a stub of pale wax, yet Emma Kortrevich still always found the time for her children.

 

It's a well deserved rest, mamej.

[MunaZaldrizoti 8037]

The Lady Palatine mourned the resignation of the Emissar, the first appointment she had made after taking up the Golden Bulava. It went without saying that her successor would have sizeable shoes to fill. The dour Princess only prayed they might even come half as close to Lady Emma's diplomatic success and diligence.

[LuxyLucy 691]

There stood at the entrance to their family's home a young woman, no longer the girl that had greeted her father just past the very same gates upon his retirement long ago. But the product of Emma's constant presence and guidance in her task of motherhood. The blooming Rose grinned jovially towards her ever-adored mother, hurrying over to her as she'd guide her into an embrace. "Come Mamej, ea made vy some hot cocoa." She would chirp out in turn, hand in hand together returning home.

[Lortime 1153]

Alaric simply sighed at the Notice. It seemed, to him, the Haense he had known as a boy, a young man, and even into his latter years was quickly vanishing. A new marshal, a new Knight-paramount, a new Lord-speaker, a new Emissar. The council he once trusted, and knew closely, was crumbling. Quietly, he shed a tear for a home he recognized less and less every day.