Blessings for the Damned
a c a n t h a - c h a n
Authoress' Note & Disclaimer: Suffice to say that Ashe might not be the worst of the characters (in my opinion), but what a misguided woman - especially with as much power as she might one day wield in her long reign - could be capable of doing astounds me. This is in no way copyright infringement of the Square Enix game, characters, and other related materials.
(I hope. My birthday wish definitely never mentioned anything about getting a big fat lawsuit, anyway...)
Furthermore, this is dedicated to Phone Five and her ficlet A Death in Two Acts, which is beautifully written and inspired me to write this lovely little drabble of my own. I'd strongly suggest you read her work.
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It wasn't fated to be; and as future queen, nothing quite so cosmic ever failed to exceed her field of vision. Had she ever thought otherwise, never would she have bothered with such a facade - girlish and ignorant, a pauper in a court of rogues in powdered wigs and ballgowns. 'Twas no matter that she was a descendant of a Dynast-King, nor the daughter of a peacemaker with the temper of a wilderbeast, because as far as she knew the knowledge of her bloodline made her nothing more than a bearer of secrets - and nothing less than a human being.
Nor does she choose to ignore this simple fact of life; rather, she takes it and wears it as proudly upon her sleeve as she does her pride itself.
She was molded into the picture of perfection on purpose, she liked to think, because her only true purpose in life was to bear children and be an icon to those who would aspire to be like her, a deity come to Ivalice. Beauty, power, love...Ashelia had nothing that lacked the immaculate perfection so befitting one of her status; however, as all humanity knows (whether said truism is buried into a corner of their heart or bared for the world to see), when one has all but that which cannot be attained, she seeks out just that.
Lessons learned are lessons beat into hearth and home, a puppet of the ages whose name would, one day, be stamped upon every page of Ivalice's vast history.
Was that why she made such a fine queen of the country whose name she bore?
Fair and benevolent, of fey origin, and important enough to make the changes many of us only dare to dream of.
Was that why she would expect nothing less of perfection from those with whom she dared to grace her regal presence, judgmental but with only the best intentions?
They call her a tyrant nowadays, one of an iron hand and heart, but in her mind the Queen is merely a clear visage in a world of distorted mirrors - a savior of a people who don't need salvation, and a giver of blessings for the damned.