Cry for the Wolf : Prologue 2 by Richard Walker

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SUMMARY: prefaced with a letter written by the witch signed with an alias, in which she stalks her prey and scouts the scene of the action to come.

To the most excellent and gentle Lord Wilhamstead, Marshal of the Faire dwelling in the Merchant's Quarter of the great city of Fallon, Fallonshire, East March, with most humble and sincere greetings, may this letter be delivered in haste.
Most redoubtable lord and gentle administrator of the interests of the good Marchioness Lucinda, in the hopes that it should please thee can be found enclosed an assortment of letters of reference attesting to the pleasant trade and accomplishment of the modest troupe of performers, minstrels, mummers, and other players of Bandar of Kemar, brother and Master of the Guild of Scarlet Players, to wit Mistress Myranna aus Eignenzeitburg, also a Scarlet Player, the maid Basithia of Farrichon, journeyman Nileus ben-Ku, also of Kemar, and our master of beasts, Tarl Weisshaar von Hochstadt.
In the name of Master Bandar we offer for inspection and approval our denstbreve, in the vulgar tongue of my native Meiderhofmen, or bona fides in the language of law and the Church, and also the guild certificates 6f Master Bandar and Mistress Myranna, all ribbands and seals intact, as proof of our skills and provenance. In all modesty, who says it as likely should not, these cannot fail to please, and shouldst thou be of a mind to be so moved, we supplicate as humbly and earnestly as such poor and simple folk as we may and would take it very kindly indeed if thou wouldst prevail upon one of thy skillful and learned clerks to allot to this troupe a place among the booths in the common faire quarter within thy view to our tent and two wagons that we might perform our arts during the royal Fete this May next coming for the greater enjoyment of the attendees and, if we might make so bold, thus increase the prestige of the event, if such is indeed even possible, with the prominent display of the scarlet favors and signs of our guild. Be of ease at this, however, for I wish to give no alarum here. I assure his lordship with all the sincerity at our lamentably poor command that we are in no wise representing either our nation or our guild as a body politic in this capacity. Espionage is a difficult and dangerous business best left to those of rank and station most able to comprehend its intricasies and consequences. We simply mention the scarlet markers of our guild as the internationally recognized symbol of excellence in the players' art as it has come to be known among both noble society and the commonalty in general over the past several years.
If thy lordship hast no booths yet vacant we would be most indebted to him for the kindness of directing our agent, the bearer of this request, on to any of the multiplicity of booth owners in and about the great city of Fallon so that such a place might yet be obtained. This would mean the more to us poor foreigners for the fact that thou knowest us not nor owes us in any regard to treat with us so kindly. Indeed, for thy kind treatment of this petition the agent whereby thou hast received it has been empowered by us to ply our benefactors in this matter with such reward as is warranted to the value of certain pieces of jewelled plate of fine dwarfish make which have been placed in his care.