Sette, child of the Empress

Who are these people?

From reading books in the library, and tales anyone around you can tell, you know you're supposed to be a part of a grand tradition. This exciting family rules time and space, and has generations of melodrama and romantic escapades. Everyone expects you to continue this tradition.

But, you barely know them? You lost your father and mother when you were three, and most of the siblings left home for their war and various missions after that. Bastian stayed in Amber to rule, but never had a minute for a young child. You never felt close to sad Serenity, mooning over a lost past you never knew.

Constance at least, feels like your sister. Dark, severe, clever, intense Constance. She's the only other half-human here, and the only one remotely close to you in age. Seven years means a lot at your age of course. But soon she's about to Walk the Pattern and come of age and become one of Them. A pattern-walker, a true child of Amber, a magician and an epic heroine. Then you'll lose your older sister to a much more interesting life. (Or she'll die, which is an even worse loss.)

Then you'll be all alone in this castle. Left for several years to contemplate your own fate when you participate in this terrifying ritual.

Do you really want that?

It's easy to get lost in the daydream. You are a thirteen year old boy after all. You could join the story of the most important and coolest royal family in existence. You could be a dashing knight or a tragic princess. (You haven't exactly decided your preferred gender yet.) You'd have adventures, with mermaids and star angels and castles. And your elder siblings all at least say they are very loyal to you, so it'd be nice with them having your back?

There's that.

But dear lord, the pressure.

You'd be pledging yourself to a family and lineage you barely know. What if you don't like them, what if they are mean to you? What if all the power and responsibility sucks? You'd be expected to fight off Chaos and protect order throughout the universe. You could never have a normal life as just a normal kid.

The trial before Constance could kill her, and you're nowhere near as cool as her. What might it do to you?

And the fights! All those old stories have one repeating theme: the children of Amber are constantly having stupid fights about power and thrones and Chaos and revenge. There was killing and torture and kidnapping and raising armies and did you mention the killing? It sounds horrible, and this generation doesn't seem much better. They've already split into a violent feud over… some political point you can't really comprehend.

The worst possibility is what if Constance dies. You can tell the family is poised on a balance, and she was supposed to decide which side would triumph. If she doesn't live, that duty will fall to you. You'll have to decide a major battle for all of reality, and you barely know or care what it's about.

It feels like they want to slot you into some hole for "what a child of Amber does", whether it fits you or not.

Maybe you could run away instead?

You know you couldn't escape your brothers and sisters of course. But you're only a half-human teenage boy. If you slipped away, they'd probably let you go, and you could make a life for your own. Less epic, but more normal. Settle down with a family on a farm and all. You haven't thought it all out, but there's gotta be some other choice. Some way to live a life and… never walk the Pattern.

But, you admit, you're being offered something everyone in the multiverse wants. Maybe it would be foolish and impetuous to toss it aside. It's really, really exciting. You get quivers just thinking about everything you can do out there.

You've been tossing and turning at night, thinking what you'll do. What you might say, at this gathering.

Your bubbly and polite nature hides the roiling interior of an angsty teen. You love poetry and you despise dancing. You've read every book in the library, but you rather be out traveling. You have faint memories of your mother. You're a complex person and not just a little kid!

You hate being pressured. And even unintentionally, your older sibs can bring a lot of pressure. They assume you'll eagerly follow them on their path, and you can't stand that. (Especially Serenity sometimes.)

But maybe you could ask the questions instead. This will be the best opportunity to see who these people really are. What are they fighting over? What are they like? Do you really want to be one of them?

Could work, could work.