The interesting state of sobriety.

By mimma

When Seiliez of La Naan was sober, he ruled his kingdom. He ran everything with a detached effiency that kept La Naan afloat, if not thriving. Razenia and the newly re-populated Merarim commented on how the kingdom never fell to civil war, but who would want a nation devastated by civil war already? No one else asked, because everyone else knew the five kingdoms –or what was left 0f them- had seen too much war already.

When Seiliez of La Naan was sober, he visited his family's grave. He sat and stared at the marble monuments to the greatness of his family, and ran a hand over the recess were the ashes of his prostitute mother -they had loved each other, in a way- had been slipped into by Laphiji. Seiliez didn't very often stay sober after a visit to the crypts.

When Seiliez of La Naan was sober, he remembered the night an urgent proclamation rang out, mirroring the call that had led his honored ancestor to death and glory –"the vampires are coming! The Five Kingdoms have declared war!"- he remembered the woman he called his mother's face turn white, the man he called his brother's eyes glisten and shut, because the messenger had brought more than news of war. Ci Xeneth had been overrun- Vord, third prince of La Naan, had held the pass for Princess Falan and Captain Illsaide of Ci Xeneth against the zombie army- Vord of La Naan had been lost. He remembered the look on Princess Falan's face when she contacted them over the ruelle mirror. "We couldn't even get his body." Said the Princess, beautiful face and eyes dry. He understood it- Lady Ramia could not cry either. Even after all these years, neither could he. For anyone.

When Seiliez of La Naan was sober, he remembered the look on Princess –Queen- Ishtar's face when the troops rode out- white and drawn and pinched and even worse than anyone else's. She'd pretended to ignore the mutters of "The old fart would have a (insert cause of sudden death) if he was here.", because the old fart wasn't there. Ishtar had been pushed out of the way of a poisoned arrow, and the old fart had fallen to pieces before her eyes.

When Seiliez of La Naan was sober, he remembered captain Ashley of Zi Alda. Remembered the tiny blond on the crazy horse who had run messages between the un-magically inclined Captains, and dragged the injured out of the fight. Remembered the look on Captain Ashley's face when she'd toppled off her horse, and the eerie ethereal fire that haunted his face until he fell, after demolishing a good third of the invaders with his army.

When Seiliez of La Naan was sober, he remembered the fallen. Captain Illsaide of Ci Xeneth, who burned himself up in a shield spell around the makeshift hospice were Falan and his mother had worked without respite. Prince Yuujel of Zi Alda, who wandered the halls of his meaningless inheritance blind and half-mad. A strange white haired man –The vampire King Duzzell- who dropped at last at the feet of Sharlen. Captain Darres of Pheliosta, who was fatally wounded killing Lassen of Mii Seti. Most of all, Ishtar, whose La Gamme destroyed Sharlen, and sent her after all she had loved best in the world.

When Seiliez of La Naan was sober, he thought he ought to honor them, make them known to the cold uncaring world. Ought not to let all they loved fall into ruin.

But then again, Seiliez of La Naan's sober moments were rare.

Fin-

This was an 'everybody dies' fic. Imagine a Seiliez surrounded by bottles, in a war torn country, and you'll pretty much understand the inspiration for this fic.