At the Rusty Dragon the group recounted their story to Ameiko, and handed her the letter. Calling them into one of the back rooms, she read it out in full. In parts her voice seemed to choke, and Rasha noted that were tears in her eyes as she drew to a finish.

“My son, my heir. You know now that I have kept secrets from you. You were always a perceptive son, and while you may not understand my reasons for secrecy, I hope you may understand that it was necessary.Know that I was not angry with you for opening the Warding Box- I was angry with myself for witholding the truth from you and forcing you to seek out what I should have given to you. The words I spoke to you were from agger with myself, and it shames me to think of them now. I write this note as an apology, and to beg you to leave these secrets to history.

The next few days will be the most important I have faced in many years. If our family’s enemies have, as I hope, forgotten us, I shall reunite with you and your wife, and your mother and I shall reveal the truth to you. But if they still seek the contents of the Warding Box, I fear that I may not speak to you again. The box holds our family’s greatest treasure, so I have returned it to Kortun’s care, and it shall remain hidden in the secret vault below Brinewall Castle- obscured from our enemies. I hope and pray I will not grant our foes the satisfaction of killing me themselves- if it come to it, let my death,by my own hand, be my final act to protect you, so that our enemies beleive our line ended.

I have instructed Tsutamu to keep this letter from you, delivering it to you only should I fail to return as I hope too. If I can, I shall reveal all to you myself. If I cannot, this final missive from a father to a son must suffice as an apology in place of an explanation, and you must destroy this letter, flee to the south, and never return to Brinewall. If our enemies find what I have hidden, there will be nothing here for you. If they do not, they will lie in wait forever for your return.

I hope to see you again soon my son. But my heart tells me I will not. I am sorry to have failed you. But I am proud of you, and I know you will survive this old man’s shame. You are strong, and you must remain so. For if you are reading this and I am gone, know that our enemies will never stop searching for us, and that is why I cannot revela the truth to you until I know there is no chance of them finding us again."

Rokuro Kaijitsu
Sunday 29 May, 4687"

Slowly she put the letter down and left the room, and then came back in, counting each member of the group out 100 gp.

“I know you are curious but I don’t want to talk about this right now, and I need to think about what I have read. I will contact you in a day or so. My thanks.”

Dinald looked at her slyly as they walked out; he had certainly never seen Ameiko in a mood like this before.