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// Gustavus' Fifth Missive 
// Story: Her Eyes Reflect The Stars 
// by Lynwood 
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Letter 5: The Crystal Site


Readers will no doubt be aware of the famous Battle of Saddle Lake's history and prominence during the war, and so this section will omit any summary. General Gustavus wrote the following letter upon learning of the result of the battle, and his predictions about the war's future proved mostly correct.

Though it contains little about Gustavus' actual military movements, this missive is important to our examination as it is the first appearance of the crystal site in the body of surviving letters and raises initial questions about the true nature of the Griffons' discovery in Haysead.





My dearest Guinevere,

My heart is heavy in my breast, my love; I bear grave news from the front. General Goestrom's army engaged the pony forces ereyesterday and, against all odds, the ponies emerged victorious. However, the battle was hard-fought. I am told that our brave warriors forced their victory to be phyrric. Both griffons and ponies were slain in staggering numbers. 

The enemy has mirrored us and withdrawn to the mountain. I expect the front to slumber for a fortnight, perhaps more, and even afterward, I fear reinforcements may be too slow and too few to properly hinder the ponies' next counterattack. As always, I shall keep you as well-informed as my own aides. 

As for myself, I remain thoroughly out of harm's way. For all the trouble the ponies have given to Goestrom and Garrowind, my forces remain largely unchallenged. We located another band of militia in the swamps last week and swiftly eradicated them, claiming their outpost for ourselves, just as with the others. Aside from that, there has been little action for my troops― save for one curious instance.

Sergeant Grimwold investigated the disturbance mentioned in my previous letter. His scouts reported the discovery of another militia outpost, unremarkable to the flying eye excepting its location: near what appeared to be some sort of quarry or mine. Even stranger, the outpost seemed to have been the site of a battle, one that my soldiers had no claw in, and was in extreme disrepair. Part of its palisades had been knocked down and it was partially flooded.

Occupying such a broken encampment in its current state would only be inviting pestilence and attacks from the beasts that prowl the swamp, so I ordered Grimwold to leave be for now. However, its location is divine for my task, as it is near the center of Haysead, and it is far too inefficient to continue commanding my entire operation from the initial encampment. I have begun assembling an expedition to repair the outpost and prepare it for my arrival, and the site will become the new center of my operations. Perhaps the aid will allow Goestrom to send more of his forces to the north and assist at the front.

I continue to want for your presence, my sweet. It is tiring, commanding alone, and I would very much benefit from your company. I wish for your safety far more, though, so we must continue to endure. Did my gift for Genoa's chick arrive in time for her hatching day? Did she like it? Did that scrappy father of hers try and take it from her? Oh, my beautiful songbird, our daughter is wonderful, but I fear I shall never understand her decision.

All the love in the skies,
Your Gustavus