Prompt: 18 May 2008; Many are the dead men, too silent to be real
Character(s): Naesala
Summary: There is neither peace nor freedom; that is the truth of the Kilvan Throne.
Spoilers: All of FE 10, esp. Bird Tribes (spec. Kilvas)
Notes: I am not a member of the lj community 31 Days . Also, can you tell that I love Naesala? I really do feel so bad for him.
The crown of Kilvas is stained with blood.
Not literally, of course; crows are far too picky about treasures actually shining to allow something like blood of all things to ruin such a prize. But in Naesala's mind, the gold turns to rust and the gems to blackened scabs ready to ooze anew.
It's not something he likes to think about, because guilt is an unbelievably heavy burden, but it's always in the back of his mind. A little prickle of knowledge. The truth of what will be done for power.
It's for that reason that he refuses to wear the crown. He lets everyone else think it's vanity (it makes me look ugly, honestly!) but he knows the truth. He hates how it seems to settle every sin of every ruler of Kilvas squarely on his shoulders.
He sees the people of Kilvas when he dreams. Not the ones he's responsible for; the ones his predecessor watched die. He can see their faces, full of surprise as they find themselves suddenly, inexplicably dead. He can see the old king's face, too, on that day when the man, made ancient by the curse of the Pact, dumped everything on Naesala's shoulders and dove into the ocean from the top of the castle.
That was the day Naesala stopped wearing anything but long-sleeved, unrelieved black.
These days, Naesala no longer has to look at the crown of Kilvas. He pitched it into the ocean the day Tibarn was chosen to be King of the United Bird Tribes. He moved into Begnion and began working as an ambassador to former slaves. He works each day until he is weary and cannot help but fall asleep.
He still sees them every night. The dead of Phoenicis and the dead of Kilvas. The worst is that he knows he wouldn't change any part of his own life.