Written By Piccola
April 28, 2022, 2:25 p.m.(7/18/1017 AR)
True honor belongs to those on the field; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if she fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that her place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.
Written By Piccola
April 26, 2022, 10:22 a.m.(7/14/1017 AR)
The death from which you run will find you.
Then you will be returned to the Queen, who knows the unseen and the seen, and She will inform you of all that you had been doing.
So fear not death, for it shall bring the truth you were trying to avoid.
Then you will be returned to the Queen, who knows the unseen and the seen, and She will inform you of all that you had been doing.
So fear not death, for it shall bring the truth you were trying to avoid.
Written By Piccola
April 25, 2022, 10:45 p.m.(7/13/1017 AR)
All the strength and force of a general comes from her faith.
She who believes is strong; she who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions. The general strongly possessed of an idea is the master of all who are uncertain and wavering. Clear, deep, living convictions rule the world.
Thus, wise general, believe deeply and powerfully.
She who believes is strong; she who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions. The general strongly possessed of an idea is the master of all who are uncertain and wavering. Clear, deep, living convictions rule the world.
Thus, wise general, believe deeply and powerfully.
Written By Piccola
April 24, 2022, 8:27 p.m.(7/11/1017 AR)
The half-wit, when he observes an object which is bathed in the glow of a seeming beauty, thinks that that object is in its essence beautiful.
The wise general, whose mind's eye is clear, will instead see the ladder by which she climbs to the prospect of true beauty.
The wise general, whose mind's eye is clear, will instead see the ladder by which she climbs to the prospect of true beauty.
Written By Piccola
April 22, 2022, 2:07 p.m.(7/6/1017 AR)
Too often the beauty that is thrust upon us is illusory and deceitful.
Instead of bringing us out of ourselves and opening us to horizons of true freedom, it imprisons us within ourselves and further enslaves us. It thereby deprives us of hope and joy. It is a seductive but hypocritical beauty that rekindles desire: it twists us to shackle, possess, and dominate others in jealous cowardice. Thus, does this beauty turn into its opposite, taking on the guise of indecency, transgression, and violence.
Authentic beauty instead unlocks the desire not to possess, but to know, to love, and to journey to the unknown beyond.
Instead of bringing us out of ourselves and opening us to horizons of true freedom, it imprisons us within ourselves and further enslaves us. It thereby deprives us of hope and joy. It is a seductive but hypocritical beauty that rekindles desire: it twists us to shackle, possess, and dominate others in jealous cowardice. Thus, does this beauty turn into its opposite, taking on the guise of indecency, transgression, and violence.
Authentic beauty instead unlocks the desire not to possess, but to know, to love, and to journey to the unknown beyond.
Written By Piccola
April 21, 2022, 1:23 p.m.(7/4/1017 AR)
People will become your enemies if you become eminent too quickly in life.
Rising slowly in the world, people will be your allies and your happiness will be assured. Whether you are fast or slow, as long as you have people's understanding there will be no danger.
Fortune that is urged upon you from others is the most effective.
Rising slowly in the world, people will be your allies and your happiness will be assured. Whether you are fast or slow, as long as you have people's understanding there will be no danger.
Fortune that is urged upon you from others is the most effective.
Written By Piccola
April 11, 2022, 10:09 a.m.(6/12/1017 AR)
Relationship Note on Haakon
Only fools rush to seek blood, and usually find only their own.
Only cowards seek pity thereafter, and usually find only scorn.
Only cowards seek pity thereafter, and usually find only scorn.
Written By Piccola
April 8, 2022, 3:55 p.m.(6/6/1017 AR)
Relationship Note on Medeia
My friend,
You write, and I shall provide. Letters to the League shall issue, and House Blackreef is welcome to participate.
Surely, you did not think I would forget.
You write, and I shall provide. Letters to the League shall issue, and House Blackreef is welcome to participate.
Surely, you did not think I would forget.
Written By Piccola
April 7, 2022, 12:54 p.m.(6/4/1017 AR)
Honesty is more than a moral principle; it is the principle on which all other principles are founded.
No God or noble can create honesty directly, but they can indirectly either support or undermine that which honesty is based.
And those who dare not offend cannot be honest.
No God or noble can create honesty directly, but they can indirectly either support or undermine that which honesty is based.
And those who dare not offend cannot be honest.
Written By Piccola
April 5, 2022, 11:46 a.m.(5/28/1017 AR)
Laziness and cowardice coax lackwits and the indolent to remain children long after nature demands otherwise.
It is easy to be immature. Had I have a book to serve as my understanding, a priest as my conscience, a physician as my keeper, and so on, I need not exert myself at all. I need not think if only I can pay: others will readily undertake the work for me. And those who have so benevolently taken over the supervision of others take steps to describe each step to maturity as very dangerous, not to mention difficult.
It is a lie to make us timid and frighten us out of all further attempts.
It is easy to be immature. Had I have a book to serve as my understanding, a priest as my conscience, a physician as my keeper, and so on, I need not exert myself at all. I need not think if only I can pay: others will readily undertake the work for me. And those who have so benevolently taken over the supervision of others take steps to describe each step to maturity as very dangerous, not to mention difficult.
It is a lie to make us timid and frighten us out of all further attempts.
Written By Piccola
April 4, 2022, 1:50 p.m.(5/26/1017 AR)
Wise generals must at times take positions which are neither safe nor politic nor popular, but which are right.
Written By Piccola
March 31, 2022, 10:30 a.m.(5/18/1017 AR)
Relationship Note on Ilira
My friend,
Many have said the very same thing to me, and seem surprised given how little I say in person.
When I was younger and barely a woman, we could not afford parchment or ink. My mother and I lived from room to room. I spent twelve hours or more a day working; she spent the same time drinking. What I saw or could see I wanted to talk about, but had no one to speak to; as kind as my employer was, he had little time to entertain the idle musings of a scullion. And as it would be of little consequence now to gossip or mumble among Peers, I put what thoughts I think are deserving of memory to these Journals.
Those who speak little may have much to say, but are careful about doing so.
Warm regards.
Many have said the very same thing to me, and seem surprised given how little I say in person.
When I was younger and barely a woman, we could not afford parchment or ink. My mother and I lived from room to room. I spent twelve hours or more a day working; she spent the same time drinking. What I saw or could see I wanted to talk about, but had no one to speak to; as kind as my employer was, he had little time to entertain the idle musings of a scullion. And as it would be of little consequence now to gossip or mumble among Peers, I put what thoughts I think are deserving of memory to these Journals.
Those who speak little may have much to say, but are careful about doing so.
Warm regards.
Written By Piccola
March 28, 2022, 7:45 p.m.(5/13/1017 AR)
Strength in faith is shown in the fewness of words and abundance of deeds.
She whose words exceed her deeds shall only know her death is better than her life.
Blessed therefore are the silent who surrender and serve.
She whose words exceed her deeds shall only know her death is better than her life.
Blessed therefore are the silent who surrender and serve.
Written By Piccola
March 25, 2022, 10:22 a.m.(5/6/1017 AR)
Fear is the product of ignorance.
Initially, it is not the product of wrong thinking: it is instinctual. It is found in the minds of all animals, though the ones of better faculties have learned to not succumb always to it. In humans, however, its power is increased because of our ability to recall past injuries. When we anticipate or foresee injury, the power of fear is aggravated by the mechanisms we have built around ourselves to avoid pain. And those mechanisms grow in power until they dominate our behaviors.
But we also have the ability to override instinct in favor of purpose.
Pain is a response. Injury is a fact. One can let the response override purpose, but which is higher, wise general? Which is of more importance to the realm and our legacies? When we accept that injuries happen and that we will suffer pain, and not let fear dictate our actions, then we may better pursue that which is noble. And when we accept death, the culmination of those injuries and pains, as an inevitability, so it is that we may completely conquer fear and see most clearly.
The Queen's call is but a beckoning to join another adventure.
Initially, it is not the product of wrong thinking: it is instinctual. It is found in the minds of all animals, though the ones of better faculties have learned to not succumb always to it. In humans, however, its power is increased because of our ability to recall past injuries. When we anticipate or foresee injury, the power of fear is aggravated by the mechanisms we have built around ourselves to avoid pain. And those mechanisms grow in power until they dominate our behaviors.
But we also have the ability to override instinct in favor of purpose.
Pain is a response. Injury is a fact. One can let the response override purpose, but which is higher, wise general? Which is of more importance to the realm and our legacies? When we accept that injuries happen and that we will suffer pain, and not let fear dictate our actions, then we may better pursue that which is noble. And when we accept death, the culmination of those injuries and pains, as an inevitability, so it is that we may completely conquer fear and see most clearly.
The Queen's call is but a beckoning to join another adventure.
Written By Piccola
March 24, 2022, 12:17 p.m.(5/4/1017 AR)
Relationship Note on Titus
The only circles are the ones we draw for ourselves; the only corners are the ones we permit ourselves to be pushed into; and in reality there are neither.
Written By Piccola
March 22, 2022, 9:27 a.m.(4/28/1017 AR)
The Villa is quiet.
There is no happy humming coming from the workshop. The sound of children laughing and playing are phantoms that linger in the dark corners of rooms. One of the guards confessed to me that he was worried for his job. Who would dare enter and disturb such a tomb?
This is what is left behind.
I spend hours in the garden, tending to the mint leaves that become my daily teas. I walk alone to the market, to keep the larder full and the rooms furnished. But it's quiet uptown, and the silence only stirs the rage.
To those who have stolen from me, I know where and who you are -- and you are now mine.
There is no happy humming coming from the workshop. The sound of children laughing and playing are phantoms that linger in the dark corners of rooms. One of the guards confessed to me that he was worried for his job. Who would dare enter and disturb such a tomb?
This is what is left behind.
I spend hours in the garden, tending to the mint leaves that become my daily teas. I walk alone to the market, to keep the larder full and the rooms furnished. But it's quiet uptown, and the silence only stirs the rage.
To those who have stolen from me, I know where and who you are -- and you are now mine.
Written By Piccola
March 18, 2022, 7:39 p.m.(4/21/1017 AR)
Of the noble acts I know, none seems more noble to me than those who have nothing dedicating their lives to one another with nothing to gain but everything to lose.
Written By Piccola
March 16, 2022, 11:50 a.m.(4/16/1017 AR)
Seek not, wise general, the demise of your enemies.
Instead, if they cannot respect you, then let them fear you. Let their cowardice turn to tyranny, then to dishonor, and then to oblivion. Pity them, publicly and privately, for their decision to take one step against you. Let their name be marked by notoriety and ignominy in these pages. Give them forgiveness if they seek it, for there is no purpose to endless war.
But always remind them of who you are and what you can do.
Instead, if they cannot respect you, then let them fear you. Let their cowardice turn to tyranny, then to dishonor, and then to oblivion. Pity them, publicly and privately, for their decision to take one step against you. Let their name be marked by notoriety and ignominy in these pages. Give them forgiveness if they seek it, for there is no purpose to endless war.
But always remind them of who you are and what you can do.
Written By Piccola
March 15, 2022, 2:09 p.m.(4/14/1017 AR)
I recall with shame a time when I was a young woman and heard a man say "I will kill you," for I first felt fear for myself until I realized that he was talking to someone else.
Written By Piccola
March 14, 2022, 10:35 p.m.(4/13/1017 AR)
To be truly free, we must stop trying to escape our bonds and instead realize that there were never bonds to begin with.
Please note that the scholars may take some time preparing your journal for others to read.