SgtBrowncoat

Huebald, Duke of Carcassonne

I trust that this letter reaches you in good health.

This letter has reached you, by way of the now freed Damsel my men captured in our recent skirmish. I am certain she can confirm that no harm was done to her, and I would assure you that injuries to your men were only inflicted in self defense. I understand that you have come here to the aid of your allies, who have no doubt marked my movement as a threat. I suppose it would be fair to colour my growing army as such, if only to the insufficient and in unequal establishment of our realm.

I write you and return those of your men that did not choose to stay with me, that I might enlighten you to my cause. Though low born, I have ascended beyond the heights previously considered unassailable by a mere peasant. I am educated and trained, and, to my reckoning, find, I am no different from any so called “noble man” in Bretonnia, save my destitute upbringing. Despite the vicious rumours, I have not fallen pray to the winds of Chaos. My heart is a pure as that of any knight, and my will as strong. I did only what was required as our Duke Dumont was a coward who forgot his vows of protection and grew fat on the suffering of his people. How many other nobles might be the same? Why does the royalty allow this? Why would the Lady allow this, if not that one such as myself can affect chage to prevent such a thing from flourishing?

Our recent skirmish proved nothing and served only to shed the blood of our fellow man, and so I propose the following: It is my intention to allow the lady herself a chance to answer the question I have raised. I have taken a knightly vow to quest for the Grail, and, if my cause is true, become a warden of the grail and help all of the people of our realm to become more enlightened and equal in all things. If my cause is unjust, then I am certain I will be struck down, perhaps by the Green Knight himself, and the Lady will have spoken.

All I request of you, and your fellow “nobles” is simply allow me the opportunity to gain the answer I seek.

I am sure there are many reasons why this could be found unacceptable, and in that case I offer this scrap of reason: my movement grows, and each victory I earn strengthens my army and my resolve. I am confident we can overcome whatever we must to achieve our ends. How difficult is it to perform the unthinkable once you have already achieved it? My allies and I will form a free nation of Bretonnia, and those who attempt to prevent that will be turned aside, by word or by blade. My army will defend itself, and our ideals will outlast any setbacks.


Marcus, Warden of the free men of Bretonnia