A/N: Oh how I love character development! Here is a practical biography of Princess Kalasin of Conte, a sadly disregarded/unexplored character. I just wanted to fill in the gaps of her story; she has a lot of potential- you must admit.
This ended up being too long to be a one-shot, so I'm just splitting it up. The entire thing should be up in a matter of days.
As Princess Kalasin of Conte first emerged into the world she emitted a ferocious, rousing battle cry and her mother wept relieved tears. From the moment Queen Thayet had discovered her first daughter had taken up residence in her womb, she had feared that the child would not live to feel the warmth of the sun on her face. On more than one occasion during her pregnancy Duke Baird had been urgently called to her chambers to find the babe in distress, which naturally distressed the Queen as well. Lavender circles began to grow beneath her bronze eyes, which had begun to loose their luster. Her young son, barely a year old, still required a lot of attention which had not improved her stress levels. (Secretly she had prayed to the Goddess for her new baby to be a girl, hopefully she would be much more mild mannered than her brother.)
Despite her worry, the simple cry of her new baby convinced her that she had nothing more to fear. Surely a cry like that meant that the child was willing and able to live.
She was born will a full head of dark hair the color of a midwinter night's sky and long curling eyelashes that covered her aquamarine eyes, identical to the ice on a completely frozen sea. The royal midwife gawked at the child whose skin already appeared as though it had been kissed by the sun, and whose wails sounded almost melodic. She had witnessed the birth of countless children, but this one was remarkable to behold.
She wriggled unhappily in her mother's arms for a few moments before her tears dried. She stared at her mother eagerly with a perfect pout on her tiny pink lips.
Tears of anguish and delight spilled over the queen's eyes at she gazed back at her daughter. Yes, this little girl had been born with an appetite for life and adventure; she could see that in her azure eyes. Her daughter would be free to do as she liked, just as her K'miri grandmother once had. In that moment Thayet had great expectations for the child in her arms. She would be Kalasin, and she would not only rule over her land, but also the hearts and minds of the people in it. Little Kalasin could be herself and not worry about the mold others had set for her.
But perhaps Queen Thayet was a bit too presumptuous about the life of her new child, who had not yet seen anything of the world she had been brought into, and knew nothing of responsibility or reputation.
Two weeks later she was laid out in a decorated bassinet for the entire kingdom to greet and adore. Even commoners were allowed to coo and sigh from a distance, interested in catching a glimpse of the newest monarch. The King and Queen received their congratulations graciously as usual while beaming at their lovely daughter. Kalasin watched the proceedings with uncomprehending eyes in an extravagant gown made of pure white lace and regal blue velvet.
She endured the attention of nobles and royalty from other lands for hours without making a sound. Thayet was grateful that she had been granted the quiet she had prayed for with this little one. "She looks rather confused." Thayet noted to her husband with some amusement. Until that point, nothing had seemed to baffle Kalasin.
A woman with flaming red hair that seemed to glow wherever she trod stepped up on the pedestal, apologizing nonchalantly to the monarchs for being late. "She's the prettiest one yet, Jon." The stocky looking woman joked with a twinkle in her lilac eyes. "You're going to have to watch her closely when she gets older. Not that she'll need the extra watching here!" She waved her hand about the ancient fortress they were contained in. "Can I hold her?" She asked with her hands already pulling the baby out from her blankets. King Jonathan smiled discreetly and Thayet gently placed a hand on his shoulder, neither of them the least bit concerned about their vassal's brazenness. Kalasin appraised Alanna with a calculating and intelligent gaze. "She has the eyes of a trouble maker!" she grinned. "But she'll never be able to run away from here, no sir." The Lioness tickled her, and Kalasin smiled sweetly. Alanna kissed her forehead where ringlets of dark hair were already beginning to form and promised the baby that she would be back to visit her soon.
Soon after the Lioness' departure, the king gracefully swept Kalasin up out of her cradle to peer into her enigmatic eyes again. He was dressed as he always was for stately occasions that involved pomp and circumstance. This included a circlet crown that seemed to be permanently set there. Kalasin's cerulean orbs grew wide for only a moment as she caught sight of the sparkly gems a top his head and then she began to wail.
Thayet would later wonder if it dawned on little Kalasin at that moment- it was almost as if she had suddenly realized the responsibilities that came with her place in the ornamental bassinet.