Achaean News
On Regret
Written by: Scarlattan Taelle Starling
Date: Tuesday, September 2nd, 2025
Addressed to: Neraeos Fylakas, the Warrior Unbound
Hail, Lord Neraeos,
I have been asked many times in my life: what is Art? To this question, there are many answers. Art is many things. It is will given form. It is vision and creation. It is communication. It is connection. And, among the many things that encompass Art, it is Healing. Sometimes, Healing cannot begin without acceptance, contrition, and embracing hard truths, and it is for this reason that I reach out today.
I have made it no secret that I have loathed You for Your deeds in Ka'doloki. I have declared Your actions wicked, Your Empire cruel and unjust, and dared to judge Your worth as an Emperor. I, a mortal, have tried to apply mortal rule and reason to You, and for this I apologise. I lost myself in the fury and the grief of seeing my hometown ruined and the blood of its villagers spilt, so much so that I failed to reconcile something very important: it is not for me to decide what You may or may not deserve for Your actions. For my hubris and my lack of empathy, I apologise.
I believe You regret Your haste and wrath on that fateful day, Lord Neraeos. It was painted upon Your silhouette, as You stood amongst what You had done. It was in Your stillness, the slump of Your shoulders, the looseness in Your grip upon Your blade. I believe that You, especially, are capable of deep regret, and this in part is what drew forth Your aspect of nurturing and care to tend to the people of Ka'doloki afterwards. I believe that You acted to balance the scales, and I am now able to see clearly enough to thank You for it.
Regret is a powerful and important feeling, and I beseech You to hold onto it. Not shame, not guilt, but regret enough that You do not repeat the deeds that caused it. That You put forth the best of Yourself into the world ever onwards. That You embrace and accept and love Yourself in a time where, more than ever, Love is so terribly important.
I release my hatred. I choose to seek to understand, accept, and love.
In Song,
Taelle Starling
Penned by my hand on the 12th of Ero, in the year 984 AF.
On Regret
Written by: Scarlattan Taelle Starling
Date: Tuesday, September 2nd, 2025
Addressed to: Neraeos Fylakas, the Warrior Unbound
Hail, Lord Neraeos,
I have been asked many times in my life: what is Art? To this question, there are many answers. Art is many things. It is will given form. It is vision and creation. It is communication. It is connection. And, among the many things that encompass Art, it is Healing. Sometimes, Healing cannot begin without acceptance, contrition, and embracing hard truths, and it is for this reason that I reach out today.
I have made it no secret that I have loathed You for Your deeds in Ka'doloki. I have declared Your actions wicked, Your Empire cruel and unjust, and dared to judge Your worth as an Emperor. I, a mortal, have tried to apply mortal rule and reason to You, and for this I apologise. I lost myself in the fury and the grief of seeing my hometown ruined and the blood of its villagers spilt, so much so that I failed to reconcile something very important: it is not for me to decide what You may or may not deserve for Your actions. For my hubris and my lack of empathy, I apologise.
I believe You regret Your haste and wrath on that fateful day, Lord Neraeos. It was painted upon Your silhouette, as You stood amongst what You had done. It was in Your stillness, the slump of Your shoulders, the looseness in Your grip upon Your blade. I believe that You, especially, are capable of deep regret, and this in part is what drew forth Your aspect of nurturing and care to tend to the people of Ka'doloki afterwards. I believe that You acted to balance the scales, and I am now able to see clearly enough to thank You for it.
Regret is a powerful and important feeling, and I beseech You to hold onto it. Not shame, not guilt, but regret enough that You do not repeat the deeds that caused it. That You put forth the best of Yourself into the world ever onwards. That You embrace and accept and love Yourself in a time where, more than ever, Love is so terribly important.
I release my hatred. I choose to seek to understand, accept, and love.
In Song,
Taelle Starling
Penned by my hand on the 12th of Ero, in the year 984 AF.