Prince Macsen had returned a few days ago to a great trumpet call - and at his side were some of Troi's finest soldiers.

I admit I am not able to recount another time the city square was as crowded with eager countryman as it was that day. Countrymen filled the streets, rooftops and any perch in sight till every tile on every surface visible to the eye were covered - it would seem that all of Troi was there to herald the return of the monarchical son of the late Empress Morgana. He strode upon a flawless stallion of milk-white towards the palace, raising an outstretched hand to the welcoming arms of his nation. His purple robes of royalty flowing behind him, while mahogany streaks of hair framed the bejeweled crown upon his head - the very icon of dignity for this great nation. And the thunderous response was quite unlike I have ever heard. Cheers echoed against the walls of the city with such power I was almost certain it would bring every stone tumbling down.

Then upon a royal dais, the prince described his travels to the delight of the crowd; of great beasts with clubs as large as the head of a man, mighty ash dragons with teeth as sharp as daggers, and bush imps that had the ability to conjure flames out of their spiny claws. He also spoke of impending danger as the quarrel among rivaling guilds had spiraled into an all out war among the nations of Ascalon, Orr and Kryta - reason of which marked his time to return. If the battle would continually intensify, he feared it might spread over to the middle nations of Libistine and Troi. He postulated that it would be Troi's civic duty to settle the feuds in the best way that was possible to prevent the spread of war. The crowd was much appleased by the prince's response to the situation, and hailed the him as he carried the discussion behind closed doors with his father, Emperor Ghalin.

When the meeting had concluded, they met with the princess, whom I was dutifully guarding at the time. I could see that the Emperor was of a heavy heart when he presented the news of his advent departure to the west, in the attempt to bring the message of peace to the warring nations. It was a rite of duty, and none that could be refused of a honourable Emperor such as Ghalin. Princess Orianka expressed her sorrow at seeing him leave, but acknowledged the noble intentions behind his action, and said that she would keep him always in her prayers.

The Emperor then appointed the nation of Troi into the hands of Prince Macsen till the day he would return, and the care of the princess into my hands. With that, he gathered a group of trustworthy men and departed to a sorrowful farewell.

All hail the great Emperor! May he bring peace to Ascalon, Orr and Kryta as peace has blessed our nation for years. The spirit of our great nation lies in the palm of his hand, as his heart lies in ours.

~ The poet who hails an emperor

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It has been weeks since the Emperor has been gone from his people, and we have not had a word from him. The war in the west has thickened, nation pit against nation, man against man. There have been Ascalonian refugees who had fled the war with only the clothes upon their backs. Their faces desolate and war-torn, their backs hunched with the weight of their children, and legs striped and bleeding from the journey through thick folliage to reach our city. It would take a man without a heart to turn these people away, and I am disappointed to say that man is none other than Prince Macsen. His indifference towards the poor souls who wait in the harsh heat and cold at our gates is beyond my comprehension, he wishes not even to lay his eyes on them for the negligent reason that we are not to meddle in the affairs of the other nations. In that aspect I believe he is quite unlike his father.

Whispers in the palace inform me that the prince had been an arrogant soul in his youth, being brought up in the lap of luxury and spoiled rotten. Rumours describe the ill-treatment of several servants. To what extent, I am still kept in the dark. But such talk is kept to the highest level of secrecy as it would be easily punishable by death. Therefore I do not hear the tales in their fullness, but rather in passing undertones. The Emperor had sent him away into the world in the hopes that his son would gain a wider perspective of life and return with greater wisdom and maturity. We would have believed that this had occurred as well, but his recent actions speak of it differently.

Not only do the refugees at our gate suffer from his disregard, but so do the people assigned to his care by Emperor Ghalin. He has raised taxes two-fold, and sent those who could not pay to the gallows, reclaimed their land and sold it for double its price. With the increase in gold he has earned, he has erected a large bronze statue in his likeness in the middle of the town square guarded by a squad of guards who are instructed to arrest all who do not bow to its image in their passing. He has also converted a hall in the palace to one filled with mirrors to reflect his majesty in all his bejewelled glory. I feel ill to stomach such vanity in the light to such negligence towards the nation's needs.

The princess does not speak of her concern, but I see it in her eyes everyday as she says her prayers to her goddess. She has spoken on numerous occasions to Prince Macsen, persuading him to handle the affairs of the people who are suffering, but he chooses still to remain in ignorance of the events that surround him. Instead he mocks her affection for the people, then insults her race and her homeland with cruel words that I know hurts her deeply.

But yet Princess Orianka has never failed to retain her dignity, even in the face of such blunt words. She is determined, more than any other I have ever encountered. She has never flinched at the insults, nor given up pleading for the people in the hopes that the prince will someday come to his senses.

I admit I am full of admiration for her highness. There is quite none like her, and Troi is blessed with her presence, ten-fold.

~ A poet and a prince
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Something has occurred, although I know not what. The princess has refused to exit her chambers for five days in a row, and it has brought me some uneasiness. I know how much she looks forward to those walks in the garden. Why she would cast them aside, and so abruptly, is quite beyond me. The hours had stretched on while I had not seen her - how strange was it that I too had become so accustomed to her company that to be withheld from the pleasure has been as to a drunkard without wine.

Then it was on the fifth day... this day - just while I pondered the possibilities for her recluse, she summoned me into her chambers. I arrived in her quarters whilst she stood at her window, seemingly in deep contemplation. On my approach, I noticed that it was the first time I laid my eyes on the fullness of her raven hair. Initially I pondered the reasons behind having not seen it in its entirety before... then recollection struck that she was without her full-length veil. Curiousity then drove me forward in quicker paces.

But before I was able to arrive by her side, she called for me to halt, all while maintaining an unturned head. I kneeled in an honoured bow before her highness, confused as to what she meant to ask of me. All while energy surged within my soul to be close to her once more - what power the woman bore without knowledge of it herself. She spoke slowly, surely... made the request that I stay with her through both the night and the day. That I should keep watch in a corner of her quarters, even while I was allowed slumber for the hours I would have spent at home. She promised to double my salary for the additional duty. It occurred to me then that something might have happened to her while I was away for her to make such a request - but she has chosen to remain silent on the issue. I asked her too how long this additional duty would last for, and she had told me it would be an indefinite length of time.

Perhaps in an attempt to persuade, she revealed her face to me. And for the first time I gazed upon her beauty in its fullness - piercing emerald sapphires within shapely eyes that would cause a cat envy, framing a slim nose down to lush blood-red lips upon skin as smooth as milk. The very epitome of a flawless creation by the gods, with intent to demonstrate their might. It was no wonder that Emperor Ghalin had ended his war with Libistine with the allure of her hand in marriage. Any man would. But her eyes were sad... pleading. I had never seen her in such light, never imagined the woman to lower herself to reveal her glorious face to a servant in order to request longer hours from him - it would be my place then to oblige.

But as much as I would enjoy doing so, ultimately I still bear responsibilities as a husband and a father. And I requested for a day's notice, and that I would agree only when I had Cath's full support for my temporary absence. And the princess nodded in understanding, sending me home immediately.

This day, Cath has given me her approval. I am indebted to the woman... how she understands and abides by my schedules - there will never be another as generous and capable as her. My only regret... that I shall not be able to demonstrate my appreciation for her enough to repay my debts.

Perhaps in time though... perhaps.

~ A poet indebted
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To speak of a matter by which I have uncovered is terrifying at the thought. The entire notion if percolated palace walls might destablize a nation, and infuriate another. Which is why no one must hear of this - but you, my dear journal... and its pages kept within the tightest bounds of secrecy.

When the princess called me to guard her quarters, I had assumed there had been a threat on her life, or that she had felt her life was at risk for some reason. I could sense her worry, even while I guarded the door without sleep the first day. There was something peculiar about the entire request, and much urgency about the matter.

Though we were alone till day broke, neither of us caught a wink. When I had gathered the boldness to inquire what the extra security was for, she would not reply. I decided finally that the only thing I could do was to wait... wait for any person, creature or appariation that had frightened her so to appear, that I might battle away her fears.

The second day was like the first... quiet and peaceful. Thoughts swam through my head as to why she felt she'd needed me to be there. But the princess remained as nervous as before, pacing the length of the hall and refusing sleep. I wondered how long she had gone without rest, and sheer curiousity drove me to ponder the mystery of the threat, and even to doubt its veracity. I drifted off to sleep in the last hours before evening.

It was only till the third day when I had begun to take the duties a little more lightly by allowing sleep to overcome, that I was awoken by the calling of the princess. I knew then that the object of her fear had arrived. And through cloudy eyes, I could make out a man. But never would I have expected it to be... Prince Macsen.

The princess' voice was quivery, and I guessed she was on the verge of tears, even as the prince noticed my presence and annoyance spread through his countenance. He behest that I return home, and admonished the princess for her selfishness in keeping me there. However I refused his command as I mentioned it was also in my interest to keep the extra hours for the sake of Princess Orianka, and wished carry out my duty to the best of my abilities. And yet deep inside my racing heart I began to suspect...

Eventually he relinquished his place in the room when he could not make me back down from my post. And as the door closed behind him, the princess let out a huge sigh, lowering her quivering thighs onto a support. She had displayed a stronger self to the prince, and yet I began to understand why his presence had frightened her so... and why the need for secrecy.

I caught the glance of the princess at that moment, and our eyes said what our lips could not. May I continue to protect the princess from all ill, and shall the gods curse me if I ever betray her trust.

~ A secret the poet must bear