Scene III

High atop the city, in the tallest tower of his grand castle, liege-lord of Lablin sat brooding over the fire. The flames slowly burned and with them did the letter unopened. What was written in the letter? Nobody will know. What could irritate him that much for him not to open the letter? What was the content of the letter?

Someone knocked on his door.

"Enter," he said somehow.

His square stood with a lamp.

"It's you."

"My lord, I wish you a happy New Year!!!" the boy entered the room, looking at his liege-lord. The lords eyes were fixed on the fire place, watching as the wood slowly burned and with it a letter unopened.

The boy paused for a moment trying to think who would send that letter. Some distant relative or someone else entirely, he was sure about it. But he didn`t know who.

"What year is it, boy?" the liege-lord looked out of the window.

"262, my lord," the square replied.

"What era is it?"

"The First Era, my lord."

"How long did the Ertail Age last?"

"7521 years and two hundred and fifteen days."

"What do you think, will this year be different?"

"Maybe, we can only hope."

"Truly, hope dies last."

The lord turned to the fire and looked deeply into the flames.