ASHER VD MEER - N/A, CITIZEN

in the moments before, asher recalled laughter and good cheer. his family celebrated life due to the peace that existed within the kingdom, and no one expected him to claim the throne. yes, the blonde prince would be married off to a beautiful bride as was his duty. asher felt inclined to serve the kingdom to the best of his ability, for he was deemed the second in line to inherit the imperial throne, which meant that he helped in the continuance of the royal line. the council of kings constantly reassured him that the expectations differed between himself and the crown prince. he never believed them.

no, as his brother struggled with his training as the crown prince, asher remained at his side, fighting to obtain victory as his sibling’s steadfast companion. he remembered bruises being peppered across their skin and silly grins stretched across their faces, and during those moments, he felt alive. energy thrummed through his body and provided him with the motivation to keep trying—to keep reaching and to never listen to the negative voices that surrounded him. however, when the announcement of his brother’s death echoed in his ears, his world shattered, falling to pieces around him while he remained motionless in the middle of the grand audience chamber. wailing cries reverberated through the room, yet he felt numb.

emotions evaded his grasp as a cloak settled around him, stifling the vibrancy of the world and leaving him trapped within his own body. he acted robotically as the council hastily reconvened and decided on the fate of the kingdom. the blonde prince barely registered as he found himself stumbling through the rituals of the ancient coronation ceremony. the entire event seemed surreal—like he merely watched the scene from afar and did not experience it. when the sun disappeared from the sky, asher sat upon the throne with his life in ruins at his feet and his newfound responsibilities weighing upon his shoulders. he was not ready to accept his fate.

but he could not avoid his fate. even with his steadily deteriorating health, asher faced unimaginable expectations from the council and from his people. they wanted him to become his father or his brother, and they would never allow him to be himself. no, their vasiliás should shine brighter than the sun. they, however, could not rescue their ruler from his own disease-ravaged body, which fought valiantly against the invading illness. the people watched in horror as he collapsed during the ceremonial greeting of the new year, and they prayed for his safe return to his throne.

TIMELINE

TWENTY-ONE YRS OLD
» when his father and brother failed to return from a hunting trip, a search party went to fetch them from the woods, but they returned with the news of their untimely demise.
» and with their deaths, asher was forced to take the throne, claiming his birthright as the second in line to inherit.

TWENTY-THREE YRS OLD
» due to his failing health, he relinquished control of the kingdom to his advisors.