Fifth Letter - By Opalf

Dear Astra,

Be discrete, you say. Hah! That's like telling the Syne to be dark. There I was, having Eta with Grandfather, and trying not to let it show in my face that I was reading the most dreadful news! And yet, still I do not know what is wrong! What can you be alluding to? What do you mean by the wrong side? Which side is right and which is wrong? How is Buair in danger? Where does the danger come from? You're scaring me!
Oh my stars! Grandfather is calling.



Later:



Oh my stars! I am so very confused! First you, now him. What is this world coming to?! That is EXACTLY what I want to know!
The Xar has sent a letter, notifying me of some troubling news, but not mentioning what, and he has asked that I join him and his council for a meeting this very afternoon. As Record Keeper of course, but he mentions that I am not to hesitate to add my thoughts and ideas.
Oh my stars! I swear, you have made me lose all sense of decorum. How am I ever to encounter the Xar again with your warning against him constantly going through my mind?
Perhaps in this meeting I shall learn something of what is going on.



Later:



OH MY STARS! At this very moment I am sitting in the uppermost Tower Bedroom in the Palace Vast, writing you this letter in the hopes that you will keep it for your posterity, so they shall then know that you were best friends with the first girl to DIE OF CONFUSION!
My dear friend, if dear you really are, you are responsible for spinning webs of confusion for my mind to unravel, webs which I now feel completely entangled in.
I went to the meeting, it seems the entire Council made a point to be present. I was seated next to the Xar and Grandfather was in the Audience Chamber. The Xar was gracious and very kind, and the Council accepted my presence as Record Keeper.
The meeting began and the first order of business was to have Lord Greyhound read the shocking epistle from Gargan. Here is roughly what it said:



Gashome highlectioney, frucvisiounee heedIyfganeve shaleemshvunay cestprognuvia.



And then, dear friend, they all began to speak Gargian! I swear I was like to scream! How did the Xar expect me to Record when I don't speak a word of Gargian? But of course, with my Gift to Record, I faithfully wrote down every word spoken, without the least knowledge of what was spoken of.
So I am still completely in the dark and I can't keep my eye out for anything suspicious when I don't know what to be suspicious of.
The Xar was amazed at my abilites and he has asked me to reside in the Palace for the coming months, so as to always be on hand to Record. Grandfather was called away on some urgent business and so I cannot even ask him what the trouble is!
So, here I sit in a great tower, all alone and not knowing WHAT THE FLIPPIN' GALAXY IS GOING ON!
Oh my stars! It seems I shall have to finish this later. I am being called for.

Later:

I had vowed to never say it again, but here goes: OH MY STARS!!!!!!!!

I suppose I had failed to mention in my previous letters that I have lately recieved an offer of marriage. Do not overly excite yourself. It was tactfully rejected. I hardly need tell you from whence it came.
Benden Steel seems to have followed me here. I thought Silivia had got him off our trail back in Juno! But apparently he made some discreet inquiries and found me here.
Since I have nothing better to do at the moment, I shall narrate his escapades.
Benden arrived at Grandfathers doorstep the day before I first met the Xar. With his usual theatricals, he was dressed as a classical portrait painter and before ten minutes were gone, he had won himself into Grandfather's heart and home. I knew nothing of this as I was gone shopping for my new gown, but when I returned, I found Benden and Grandfather in the sitting room. Benden was trying his best to make a likeness of Grandfather and Grandfather was trying his best to not show his discontent on his still face.
I did not first recognize Benden, you know how masterful his diguises can be, but when I noticed his pointed left ear, I immediately knew my tracker had found me. I played along for a while and I think Benden was quite confident he had finally fooled me, but I soon found great fault in his painting and ordered him thrown out. When he was convinced I was serious, he threw off his disguise and bowed before me, vowing he would die if I made him leave this gorgeous house where I resided.
When I did throw him out, I watched him out the window and he merely shrugged and waltzed away.
When we returned from the Palace Vast the following day, Benden was there, having installed himself into the kitchen as the new Gourmet Dessert Chef.
When I found a Sapphire ring in my pudding, I knew who was behind it and I ordered the "new chef" into the dining hall.
He was brought out and systematically played his role as forlorn lover and then he knelt before me, pledging his heart and his floury hand and all of his meager possesions as mine, if I would "but make" him "the happiest man in the world by consenting to be" his "wife."
You would have been ashamed of my manners, for I nearly burst out laughing. Fortunately, I kept my cool and ordered him thrown out. He left, pledging his love all the way to the door.
Truly, I do not know why he has kept up this foolishness for so long. It must have been nearly seven months ago that we met him in Fegnard, and he has followed me since.
If you look at it in a practical manner, one can tell that this is merely a charade and a game to him. He enjoys his roles and my scornings. We have never conversed with more than a simple "Good Morning" and I don't doubt he wouldn't remember my name if his roles did not require him to say it so "caressingly" so often. But this is beside the point. His latest charade has left me utterly confused.
He came to the Palace, requesting to speak with me, saying it was of the most urgent nature. When I came down to the Hall, he was not in a costume of any sort, and I barely recognized him as himself. There were no confessions of adorations, indeed, he did not even mention his recent proposal. Instead, he seemed greatly agitated. He was pacing, back and forth across the plush carpets of the Hallway.
When I came down, he bowed slightly and then ran up to me, taking my hands in his. In any other situation I would have scorned him and taken my hands back, but he did not hold my hands in a loving gesture, it was more a gesture of the utmost pleading. Here is what was said:
"Xandra, have you heard?" He was looking earnestly into my eyes. Did you know that he has the most extraordinary green eyes. Anyway, I was near to bursting at this question, for of course, I had not heard anything other than hazy cautions and meetings of Council conducted in a foreign language.
But I was polite. "Heard what?"
Benden had dropped my hands and was pacing again. "No, of course not. Why should you have?" He was really talking to himself. He swung around and faced me. "Xandra, will you do something for me?" He was pleading most sincerely, but I was not ready to commit myself.
"What would you like me to do Ben?"
"Meet me at the heart of Corinth on the night of Rudeth. Please." He was looking very closely at me and I tried hard to conceal my surprise at his request. I thought things over and decided that it would do no harm to promise to meet him as I was already destined to be there.
"If you like. I will." My words brought a visible relief to his eyes and he stopped his pacing and just looked at me, as if to judge my sincerity. He then made a sketchy bow and hurried out the door, but not before looking back at me and saying softly, so I could barely catch it, "Be careful."
His whole demeanor has got me up in the air. His role playing seems to have been dropped completely and I could swear he was in earnest. But I have absolutely no idea why he would wish to meet me the same night and in the same place you requested.
Oh my stars! I am being called for.

Later:

I cannot believe it. Dearest friend, what is so important about the night of Rudeth?
The Xar has asked that I be present at a meeting to be held that night. He says it is vital that I be there. I have told him that I have a very important meeting of my own but he will not take no for an answer. He has told me to think on it and he will expect an answer no later than two weeks before the day.
I am thoroughly and completely confused now. I feel like so many important things are happening around me and I don't have a clue to what they could mean.
Enlighten me.

Friendship Forever,
Xandra