[Written on quality paper, folded up into an envelope, and sealed with
both a ruby pyricorn insignia and silver maple leaf sticker, delivered to
King Tylor by courier several months after the Annadil Crisis ended.]

                                            July 1st, 530 CY (1292 AY)
                                            Her Highness's Royal Office
                                            Castle Ember
                                            Ember

Your Highness, King Tylor I of Amber;

        It is with mixed emotions and a heavy heart that I write this
letter, my brother, and I apologize in advance for any excessive formality
that may occur during it.  I find at times that it serves as a useful
buffer between my private fears and worries and the duties I must perform.  
Perhaps this is why father behaved like he did... but I digress.
        I have come to the realization that over the past few months Amber
time that I have been sorely lax in carrying out my duties in the Forest
of Arden.  While Arden itself was not severely threatened until the actual
Second Day of Darkness on June 4th of this year, and my own actions during
the Crisis as a whole ended up adding greatly to our efforts against
Annadil and the Outsiders, I was unable to fully complete my duties as
Warden, as appointed by our father King Gendo four centuries ago.  Even
though my rangers are trained and fully capable of operating without me,
this is not a state of affairs that can last forever.
        With that in mind, I must regretfully resign my position as Warden
of Arden, effective as soon as the paperwork can be fully formalized and
processed.  I do not wish to do this; I have come to love and treasure the
Forest of Arden deeply over the years.  While I perhaps did not know
everything about it that I wished (that distinction is reserved for the
Arden Elves and the Green Knight), the forest was a place that I felt
comfortable and safe in.
        However, my duties now draw me in a different direction.  As Queen
of Ember, redrawer of the Fire Pattern of Ember, I cannot serve both in
Arden and here simultaneously.  Also, I cannot dare put the Wood Pattern
at risk again as I did on the final day of the Crisis. I must become a
Queen in full, and set aside my life as a Warden for good.
        Fortunately, I have a replacement in mind.
        My niece.  Hiko, the Child of Fire, daughter of my sister Juri.
        I find Hiko to be an entirely worthy successor to my job, which I
must now resign due to my royal duties.  Her love for Arden both literally
and metaphorically is apparent to all, and I know it will be in good hands
with her.  She has a passion for her work.  Despite what some wags may say
in the future about the risks of a fire mage watching over the Greatest
Forest in Reality, she realizes full well that having total control over
Fire means that one can snuff it out as easily as it can be inflamed.  
She loves the Green Knight too much to risk harming him, and she will
fight strongly all the more to defend the forest they share.
        All these factors, and more, lead me to recommend Hiko for the
position of Warden of Arden.  With your approval, I would like to hand
over the guardianship of the Forest of Arden to her before the year is
out, with all due process and ceremony.  Fingolfin and the rest of my
staff should be able to guide the transition smoothly, and by working
together to protect Arden and heal the damage caused by the Black Moon,
Hiko and the rangers should grow accustomed to one another.
        I only wish that my sister Juri could be here for Hiko's
appointment.  This is something she would have wished to have seen.
        In any case, I await your response on this issue, brother Tylor,
and whatever your decision regarding the Wardenship, I will abide by it.
        May the Unicorn and Pyricorn watch over our respective kingdoms
and Patterns forever, and may both our kingdoms prosper and thrive working
together in the future.
                                        
                                        Sincerely,
                                        Corrine I, Queen of Ember