Songbird

[Simple]

It's been so many years now, yet I recall it so vividly. The parties, the celebration, the excess, the decorum, but most of all- the stagnancy. The Elders would lead you to believe that this was not the case, yet they had lost all sense of adventure, all sense of curiosity and opportunity. There was a lack of ambition, a lack of exploration.

I was somewhat of an aberration within the court, taken and sired directly by the son of the Archduke, the then Count Falkenrath. My parents murdered, my family butchered, I was left with no option but to embark upon this new life, this new path. Imbued with the gift of Cain, given life everlasting as well as all of its benefits.

The years which followed were a haze, but I garnered quite the reputation throughout Apropriya, known as the caged 'Songbird of Falkenrath,' one of many lovers to the Count, though his primary wife. A showpiece, a marvel to behold, someone with beauty abound, an eternal rose which would never wilt. Fed blood upon a silver platter, not having to hunt or utilize magic in the slightest.

When the elders and more established nobles returned from their hunts, I played music. When the Archduke desired to make a show of strength during the Wyld Hunt, I played music. While the never-ending charade of court intrigue and politics ensued, I played my music. Any instrument, every instrument, there was naught which I didn't master throughout the years.

A rebellious spirit was sparked and fostered within the depths of envy, of passion, of an ambition which was unmatched by any else within the proud and boisterous Falkenrath family. I may have played, but I also learned- I learned how to observe, how to cue in on conversations, to subtly extract information from my surroundings.

I learned how to thrive.

A tragedy which befell Count Falkenrath, yet it did not come as a surprise to me in the slightest. It was as easy as changing travel routes, altering maps, and allowing tidbits of information to slip through the cracks within the castle. From my observations I knew the butler was a spy of a rival, and all it took was a 'mistaken' slip of the tongue in front of him to seal my beloved's fate.

In his death I found freedom. No longer bound by oath, no longer sworn to serve a family which looked to the past rather than the future. A family so prideful and full of themselves that they would keep the status quo. Yet I never quite renounced the surname, instead setting out to make an example. Leaving Apropriya to forge a path of my own, one that was meant for a true child of Cain.

I first traveled to Agartha to the far west, yet only remained a couple of years. Despite their outward exterior, there was much tension still, a conflict of both culture and religion on a daily basis. No feasible cracks to slip in, I then set sail for Sheng. It was there that I found fascination for true beauty, their fashion and youthful aesthetic resonating with me on a profound level.

Rather than remaining, I ventured further east, soon coming upon Magnolia. A reclusive nation, though I was able to blend in as a native, but only for a short while. My foreign identity was exposed and I fled back to the west, before coming across Aen and Barsburg. Nations which were locked in a fierce war, the latter of which I remained within for a bit over two decades. I heard rumors, whispers of the conflict within Esshar, and I knew it would be the grand stage for my ascent.

Esshar. A land of opportunity and ambition, locked in a war that has captivated its people for near two centuries now. Yet in that chaos I found opportunity, as my brethren had already laid the groundwork for me. It was through the efforts of Marjorie, Thane, and many others that a castle was established.

A castle that would be the seat of power for an Empire the likes of which Eternia has never seen before. Followers gathered, a Kingdom established, and a throne to sit upon. I was no longer a Songbird, even if I did retain the surname of my homeland. It is simply to prove what a true Falkenrath is, and what they could have been were they not stuck in tradition.

I am no doubt considered a traitor, a rebel, a pariah, but they are all titles I claim with honor, as I do not intend to sit and waste away with Cain's blessing. The Archduke might retain his pride and stagnation, but I own a kingdom, a soon-to-be Empire. Whatever obstacles lie in my path, I will see them snuffed out.

The Elders might call me all manner of derogatory names, send assassins, and wish for my undoing, but it all matters not-

For I am the Queen. More than they could have ever hoped to be.

A bird set free.