Love, Lost At Sea.

|Love, Lost at Sea|
Composed by
Amory Edgar Kreiburg.​

Rarely had I believed I would ever see such suffering in my lifetime, as our own dead rose against us and invaded our homes; people fled even as we were promised no harm. Never before had I seen such a mass of people move and suffer together, rich rubbed shoulders with the poor and the rout of my homeland had begun. I clung to Emilia for dear life, fearing I would lose her if I ever let go; perhaps with the knowledge it would be for the last time. We weaved and shoved through the crowds of people, through the stampede so gigantic and terrible; one without order and unprovisioned. We trailed across the now muddy landscape that so easily devoured our boots and for three days our march continued until we finally reached the coast in Lorhauser, though not without resistance.​

Many individuals had been trampled in the great stampede, others killed by Deathling skirmishing parties that were set about hunting down those that opposed Freya Lo's rule and occupation of the Archipelago. Our march eastward finally came to a halt at a small port where a large frigate awaited those fleeing our new self-proclaimed overlords. The pushing and shoving that came from behind us soon separated us, Emilia carried towards the gangplank as I struggled to fight my way through the crowds; finding that I could only move backwards away from the deck of the ship. When the frigate had taken on its last passenger I watched my dear Emilia's face as the gangplank was raised and she realized with horror that there was no turning back now. Her visage contorted, she sobbed hysterically as a group of passengers held her back and I watched her frame become engulfed by the crowds that filled the decks.

My lip quivered as he held back tears and wiped at my forehead with a rag, waving off the woman I had given my every last moment to; I knew this was to be more than a simple parting. My gut hurt, though I couldn't put her through the fear that she would not see me again and instead I turned to march back towards the Peirgarten held capital of Lorhauser where I seeked refuge during the occupation.

I waited there for two months, the occupation only harshening towards the end as more and more Deathlings clawed their way towards the fort that the local barons had proclaimed the home of the resistance against the Deathling threat. With no word from the North, from my Emilia; I came to terms with the possibility that she was gone. Still, the nights became no easier as a swelling pain consumed my chest and I became lethargic without her to support me. Every day since was a challenge, I knew I had the energy to go on; I knew that I could physically carry myself but the lack of emotion, mental strength and energy was too much for me. The lack of feeling in my body, the inability to express my emotions as I once had was almost unbearable. The day that the Deathlings fell, the day that each of those beasts became nothing more than piles of dust at our feet, I found myself uplifted that in such great sadness I could feel such relief if only temporarily. My return to the cantons was arranged, of course; safe passage in a carriage back to my family's townhouse in Allenberg where I remained silent even when greeted by my uncle and cousins. I couldn't allow them the knowledge of what had gone on, why I had left or where I had gone; I only knew I needed to be alone during my time of heartache. I locked myself in my study that day, alone; unyielding against those that seeked to draw me from within. I was fearful I would lose the others, my family and friends around me and because of that I vowed I would remain hidden away; that I wouldn't grow attached or care for them as I once had. I couldn't face that pain again.​

It was only some three years later that there had come a report of a shipwreck off the coast of Arta, bordering Akedon and I realized that the worst possible outcome had occurred; the ship that had set sail carrying Emilia all those years ago had run aground off the coastline, causing the vessel to sink too far from land. All those aboard had perished from what could be assumed and in the moment I had found out she had passed on I felt relief, the weight from my shoulders lifted as I came to terms with the truth. Suddenly the world seemed a different place, I realized her suffering was over long before my own had started.

May the Spirit protect those lost that we love,
Sir Amory Edgar Kreiburg.