Dear Diary,
These are the first words I am writing upon your pages. I write in the common tongue because if I am to be captured by the Nohrian army during the impending war - and by some miracle they do not execute me for sport - I will be able to use my writings here to confirm anything I say about myself.
I should probably introduce myself now. My name in my native tongue is Mizukuro, which translates to the common language as Blackwater. I have served in the honourable army of the kingdom of Hoshido for my entire adult life, having trained for it since childhood. My weapon of choice is the naginata, meaning my combat discipline is referred to as that of the Spear Fighter. Possibly Spear Master now, with all my training, but I digress.
Back when the late King Sumeragi sat on the throne of Shirasagi Castle, before his death ten years ago, I was one of his aids and retainers. The other was Yukimura, now mostly retired from active service in the role of chief strategist. I, for myself, elected to take command of a border post. My reasons were twofold - firstly, while my body was still capable of it, I wished to stand on the front lines defending my country; and secondly, so I could be in a prime position when war was declared to march into Nohr and, if I were able, to avenge my master in kind by slaying the archers who themselves slew him.
Yukimura shared my sentiments, and indeed wished to join me on that quest, but his body was no longer capable. His legs had been torn to pieces by some of the arrows that missed our master and king, and it took so long for us to find any users of the rod that it was impossible to repair them. We were told he would never walk on his own again. Some sky knights flew us home to Shirasagi, where Queen Mikoto offered us our current posts once our mourning period had concluded.
Yukimura had, during that same time, made himself a mechanical lion so it could ferry him around; and had even created it with a hidden yumi inside; which allowed it to fire shuriken and arrows at unsuspecting opponents while still moving as fast as the best Nohrian horses. I congratulated his efforts as any friend should, before leaving for my post at the Eternal Stairway.
We still write to each other about goings-on at our respective posts, though much of our correspondence even now focuses upon the great man and king we both served under; as well as the lost middle prince, Kamui, who I saw taken away by Nohr's ruler Garon as Yukimura and I fled the corpse of our master shortly after his death.