October 6, 2006

Dear Alli,

I’m relaxing in my tub again; getting the feeling this may become a trend with me as the hot water is very relaxing.  But on to business that I feel I must report to you.

Last night was once again our guild meeting, just the High Council one, not the full guild.  We were together for quite a few hours, which is good in its own right, because it is very important for us all to work together and be used to each other. 

Much of the meeting focused around the politics of the lands surrounding Guardia, of which, I really have heard nothing about, other than Aerenwe, one of the lands which specializes in magic that I have been to once or twice.  But that one was rarely brought up.  The main talks were of Kiergard, where we already have a government in place, and Taeghas, the next border country we wish to join with. 

Currently, the peoples of Taeghas are under the protection of Gaurdia, but have yet to agree to be under our government, which was one particular point of diversion in the meeting last evening.  The peoples of Taeghas wish to have a say in our government, have a voice, and even suggested they wish to change or alter a law or two.  Now, I am not against as such, given that while the law may change, it still upholds the initial intent of that law. 

Being around so many various cultures through my travels, I can understand how cultures shape the laws and how people live.  I can understand how some people simply cannot follow another people’s laws because of cultural and/or religious beliefs.  Tristan agreed with me on this point, that there are some very excellent reasons why laws may need to evolve when new peoples are added under our government, but Brier and Alenia seemed to be brick walls when it came to such. 

We have spoken much lately about updating out own laws and governances, that it seems only logical that maybe with the addition of this group, it could improve our government for the better. 

That was simply one of the frustrations the other evening.  The other was mainly that Tristan continued to push at the fact that we were offering protection for this country, yet they had nothing to give in return.  I offered numerous suggestions on what they could do for us, even if they did not have warriors to offer the army, but he seemed to just shrug me off until Brier and Alenia spoke up.  It’s hard being brushed off as if your ideas simply mean nothing and are valued at nothing.

The final item that has been eating away at me was that even with Alenia and I being attack just four nights earlier, neither Tristan nor Brier seemed to ask if we were all right and healthy.  I have come to understand that people do heal quite quickly in these lands, but certainly one would hope that friends and commanders would care for their members and friends and ask about their health.  Perhaps it seems, the command staff has suddenly become too concentrated on obtaining more land under the government than about the people it already has.

By My Hand,
Brianne A. Alcinoos