15 years ago…
Location unknown…
All evening the wind had rattled the shutters and rain pounded the roof, but the constant noise failed to disturb the old white hedgehog seated comfortably by the fire in his warm room, a huge book in his lap. The book was gilt-edged and the cover old and worn. The fire cast a warm glow over the wooden cover, illuminating the golden letters of the book's title.
'Brotherhood of the Jewelled Brow.' It read.
Narrowing his eyes against the dazzling dance of the flames, the hedgehog reached to a small inkpot resting nearby on a table. Lifting a long, feather quill and dipping it into the pot, the hedgehog held it just above the parchment of the book, and began to speak.
"Janna Blackthorn was killed today while attempting to rescue the captured foxes from the grasp of the current Goblin king."
No sooner had he spoken the words in his tired old voice, did golden, sparkling ink flow from the tip of the quill's nib. He never touched the paper with his quill, but wrote in the air above it. The golden ink trickling from the nib dotted the parchment, and where it fell, a golden light shone from the paper. As the glow faded, the exact words he had spoken appeared in perfect rows, in gold ink. The handwriting was barely legible, the letters long and elaborate, but just readable. The hedgehog studied his handiwork for a few moments, and then continued.
"It has been five years since the disappearance of Coventina's Crown. Janna was a dear friend to us, and I am lost in knowing how to help the children she left behind. With their father dead long ago, little Errol and Morain must learn to live without their mother's gentle guidance. Errol is only four years old, and his sister is only two, but the Enchanter Kings will see to it that they are raised properly. Errol and Morain know nothing of the crown or of us yet. I foresee a great deal of struggle and heartache for both of them. It is perhaps best that I do nothing at present, but Janna shall be sorely missed."
He paused for a moment, studying the new words he had written, before continuing.
"Janna, wherever you are, your thoughts must comfort your cubs tonight. They'll be waiting for you, and you will not return to them."
Finishing that last sentence, the hedgehog held the nib of the quill below it, and signed his name in gold.
"Llwyd, Chief of the Brotherhood of the Jewelled Brow."