Author's Intro: For once I'm writing something on a more serious note, but I've been planning this one out for a while now. Since not much of Naesala's past is really revealed in the games, I'm making some stuff up. Also, bear with me if I end up changing small details. It's been a while since I've played Path of Radiance so I'm sure I'll end up mixing something up, haha.
Each chapter is going to begin with an introduction told from Naesala's point of view, but the story is told in third person.

Oh, and by the way, there are going to be MAJOR spoilers for both games so don't read it or at least don't get upset if you haven't finished either one.

Okay, enough of my babbling. crazygunbladergirl now presents...

A Raven's Tale

I never thought my life would end up becoming so serious when I grew older. As a kid the only thing I ever had to worry about was getting away with the perfect prank. I didn't have to worry about leading an entire nation. Those were the days...

Chapter 1 -- These Were Simpler Times

These were the days before an ambitious young king tried to start a war on the continent. These were the days before a dark goddess was released and a band of rebels had to save the world from utter destruction. These were simpler times, times when the only issues among the bird tribes were mere matters of territory. There had been no betrayals yet. These were the times when the raven clan got along well with the hawks and herons. Serenes Forest still stood elegant and proud, and the heron clan was thriving in those days. This is where our tale begins, in a small clearing of the forest, where young royal fledglings are playing a game of hide-and-seek.

The eldest heron child, Lillia, was only a girl then. She had recently entered adulthood, but she still enjoyed playing games with her younger siblings. Rafiel, peaceful and meek, always found a decent hiding spot, but he was often upset when he was found. The youngest at the time, Reyson, was more aggressive than his older siblings. The herons blamed the young prince's unconventional ways on his newest friend, a member of the raven tribe. This particular raven often visited with the Kilvan ambassador, an older raven named Nealuchi. Nealuchi had adopted Naesala after his parents both died. The young raven had never known his real parents, but he rarely ever even thought about that.

Enter the raven child upon this peaceful scene. Lillia was "it", and she was currently trying to find Reyson among a cluster of bushes. She could sense her brother nearby, but then a new aura approached her from behind, temporarily distracting her.

"Oh, it's you," she whispered, turning to see the young raven boy staring at her. "Little Naesala, would you like to play hide-and-seek?"

Naesala laughed. "Hide-and-seek? I'm the best at this game! I could easily find people because I blend in so well with the shadows. You herons stick out too much."

Lillia sighed as she let the half-insult slip by her. "You have to promise to be good, little one. Remember, we are much more delicate than you. Father often worries that you may accidentally hurt us with your rough-housing."

The raven shrugged. "I'll be careful. Maybe." Then he scampered off to look for Reyson. He was still too young to fly at this point, though his wings were almost fully-developed. He snuck around the forest until he spotted a flash of white out of the corner of his eye. "I found you!" he shouted as he pounced on the white object behind the bushes.

"Oh no no! Help!" The heron cowered in fear before realized who it was. "Oh. Naesala?"

"That's an awful hiding spot, Reyson," Naesala remarked. "You can pick something better than that."

"Well, I don't want to get too well-hidden," the young Reyson replied. "Father would get upset if I didn't show up in time for dinner. That would be so rude of me to be late."

Naesala blinked in confusion. "You mean you have a set time for dinner? Don't you just go look for it yourself?"

"Of course not! We only eat fish and nuts and berries. We don't need to hunt like you do. Rafiel told me that ravens have to hunt and k... kill their food. Or they eat... dead things." Reyson almost turned green at the thought of killing an animal for food.

Naesala laughed. "Reyson, you're so silly! You herons have such silly rules. The fish you eat are dead, too."

Reyson stared down at his feet. "Rafiel also told me that you ravens like to steal from innocent people."

"It's so much fun!" Naesala exclaimed. "I went along on my first raid just yesterday! Those silly humans had no idea what to do! We got so much stuff!"

"You said the... the H-word!" Reyson gasped.

"What, human? Well, that's what they are." The raven boy waved his hand casually. "What, you actually call them beorc? That's so old-person..."

"But it's proper, Naesala."

"Say human, Reyson," Naesala ordered with a grin. "Come on, don't be a chicken!"

"I won't say it!" Reyson crossed his arms firmly. "Father told me that I'm learning too many bad things from you already!"

Naesala took a deep breath. "Human human human human! You know what other words I can teach you? I learned a lot of fun swears from the humans we raided yesterday!"

"Oh, stop it!" Reyson covered his ears. "You're so mean!"

This phrase caused Naesala to instantly cease his taunting. "I'm... I'm not mean!" he protested. "I'm just trying to teach you how to have fun!" A child-like guilt crept into him. "I'm sorry. I made you upset," he mumbled. "Can we still be friends?"

Reyson looked up at him and nodded. "Okay. I forgive you." He glanced up at the sky. "It's getting dark. We should get back before Father and the others start to worry."

Naesala reluctantly agreed. Going back to the others meant having to act formal again. He hated having to act formal around the adults. They were so stuffy and concerned about traditions and such. He would rather go out and raid another ship. However, he forced himself to return to where the adults were gathered. Lillia and Rafiel had already returned, and they sighed in relief when they spotted their youngest brother.

"You were almost late," Rafiel remarked. "Did you two get into any trouble?"

"Of course not!" Naesala quickly answered. "Why would you think that?"

Dinner went ever-so-slowly. The children all had to sit at the same table as the adults. Reyson, Rafiel, and Lillia all had mature table manners, keeping their napkins in their laps and eating in small bites. Naesala felt uncomfortable sitting around them, having to act polite so as not to upset King Lorazieh. However, he still ate large bites of fish and reached over the table to grab a second helping of berries.

"I would be willing to pass the berries to you, little one," Lillia told him as he started stuffing his face full of blueberries. "All you need to do is ask."

Naesala was about to reply when a stern glance from Nealuchi reminded him that in Serenes he was not supposed to talk with food in his mouth. In Kilvas that kind of behavior was perfectly okay. He swallowed the mass of berries in his mouth. "But the berries are right there. I could just grab them." He glanced over to see Reyson also reaching across the table to grab some berries. "See? Reyson agrees."

Lillia sighed. "Dear Reyson, remember to ask for the berries, first. You are not a raven."

The adults were meanwhile discussing the queen's pregnancy. She was already in her third trimester, so the baby would be due any day now. Lillia listened to the conversation before asking her brothers' opinions on the matter.

"What do you think, Reyson? Rafiel? Will our new little sibling be a boy or a girl?"

"It does not matter to me," Rafiel responded gently. "Our new sibling will be a graceful heron, and we will take care of him or her no matter what."

Reyson thought for a moment. "I would like to have a little sister. She will have curly hair, and she'll follow me around."

"Now now, Reyson," Lillia whispered. "You cannot decide how the little one will act."

Naesala was then reminded of an old Kilvan custom. He decided to suggest it here. "How about we have a bet?"

"What's a bet?" Reyson asked innocently. However, Rafiel and Lillia both gasped in shock.

"Gambling? How could you suggest such a thing?" Rafiel remarked.

"We do not have bets in Serenes, little raven," Lillia explained. "We do not think it to be proper."

"Meh meh meh, proper proper proper!" Naesala rolled his eyes. "Don't you ever have any fun here?"

Lillia shook her head. "Little raven, remember that our tribes are very different. Our form of fun is much less... well, it is not as risky as yours."

After dinner Reyson took Naesala aside to ask him more about this "bet".

"Oh, well it's lots of fun!" Naesala exclaimed. "One person promises to pay a certain amount if his prediction is wrong. If the other person is wrong, then that person pays. It's so exciting!"

Reyson thought for a moment. "So, if I say that our new sibling will be a girl, and I'm proven wrong, then I have to pay someone money?"

"Exactly." Naesala dug in his pocket and pulled out a pouch of gold. "Hm, I think I have 50 gold coins here. How about I'll bet you 25 coins that the new baby will be a boy?"

Reyson's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. "I don't... I don't have any gold coins," he mumbled.

"Oh... well then you'll have to pay something that's the same as 25 gold coins." Naesala glanced around until he spotted the emerald pendant Reyson was wearing. "If you lose, you have to give me that pendant."

The heron boy clutched at his pendant. "Oh no! I could never do that! Mother gave this to me for my birthday! She told me it is very special!"

"Chicken. It's no fun if there's no risk involved." Naesala held up his bag of coins. "I was going to save these so I can buy a cool cape to wear when I can start flying. If I lose the coins then I don't get my cape. Deal?"

Reyson gulped. "Okay... I'll bet the pendant."

Naesala grinned. "Yay! We have a deal! Isn't it exciting? Now I can't wait until the baby is born!"

Reyson's mouth slowly stretched across in a wide smile. "Yeah, this is kinda fun! It will make the wait so much more fun!"