Marik's Claim: Marik is uniquely positioned as the noble-born son of two of the most powerful houses in Ederia: House Falkrest, the ruling dynasty, and House Veltaris, which commands the kingdom’s navy and elite fighting forces. This dual heritage grants him immense political capital and the backing of House Veltaris, which is powerful enough to launch a bloody civil war to install him on the throne, with or without his father's blessing. His claim is a bold one, rooted in strength and influence rather than traditional succession.
Marik's Secret
Marik can sometimes hear a low, haunting song in the wind when near the sea. If he hums it softly, nearby sailors and crew seem to work faster and more efficiently, almost mesmerized by its rhythm. The song frightens him, as he feels it is not entirely his own.
Betrothed, to be married at age 25.
Stuff From 7-7 Talk
Establishing Mom Relationship
Negatively impacted you.
Crown was not feasible.
Son's future and family was not forgotten
Champion of the People, she wanted him to fight because he was strong.
The mom is "supportive" in a toxic way. She ALWAYS pushed him.
What they want
To be a symbol of hope, to be a hero!
As he grew up
Losses were cruel and violent
Rivalries were way too heated.
Idea
Interesting to have him in an engaged marriage.
She hates to see him beat up but will help him get patched up in the evening!
It is an amicable marriage, not necessarily desired, but they make the best of it!
GUN = Crossbow, I wanna use a gun!
Training with Ranere Falkrest to grow as a fighter!
Moments that Shaped Marik
At a young age, Marik would be sent to his room when his parents were fighting. Despite them trying to keep their fights away from Marik, he would often sneak out and hear them. While he never understood what they were fighting about, the sound of hearing his parents fighting affected the sensitive boy deeply.
One of the most positive moments that Marik had with Sharn was when Xanthe injured his face in their first training session. While Marik expected to be scolded for crying, instead his mother redressed his wound and asked if he wished to stop training. When Marik expressed that he wanted to continue, she expressed how proud she was of him for getting back up and pressing forward. She said it was a clear sign of strength.
While the arranged marriage with Selara was a point of discomfort for both her and Marik, the two did start to quickly bond as they strove to spend more time with one another. Selara broke the ice first, mentioning that she wasn't fully comfortable with the idea, which gave Marik the courage to be honest as well. The two have talked numerous times since and have grown closer as friends. They have a genuine interest in one another, and she has become one of Marik's strongest and closest relationships. He wants nothing but for her to be happy.
During one of Marik's first tournaments, he was in the semi-finals against another experienced fighter. Marik was parried but he saw the other knight hesitated to attack him, allowing Marik to recover and win. It was the first time Marik realized that not everyone fighting him was giving their best, making the Prince question who around him was sincere versus who was trying to win favor by allowing him to win.
At the six-month mark of Marik and Selara's relationship, the two exchanged gifts. Marik, gave her a personalized locket which featured symbols of both Serenya and Seraphis. On the front was an elegant M, inscribed as a representation of Marik's understanding of her love for her faith. In return, Selera gifted Marik his modified Archan rifle, and taught him how to properly take it apart and reconfigure it. He uses the weapon still to this day.
Story summary:
Marik grew up as the first royal-born son of Talon Falkrest. As such, a great deal of expectation was placed on him, mainly by his mother over his father. However, Marik was shaped at a young age by his parents' constantly fighting. While they usually avoided having Marik around for their arguments, frequently the young boy would sneak out of his room and hear his parents fighting. While he never understood or remembered what the fights were about, Marik grew up with a great deal of anxiety over it, only worsening when his parents eventually separated.
Marik gained a love of nature at an early age, finding it a peaceful distraction from the yelling that took place in his memories. This respect for nature was both on land and by sea, as House Veltaris were known for their sea faring voyages.
Marik's relationship with his mother's side of the family is complicated, as they are not big fans of Talon or Marik's other siblings. Many of Marik's siblings tolerate him, but some openly dislike him for his continued relationship with the other siblings, particularly his fondness for his sister Via. However, no one has ever given Marik too much trouble as Marik's grandfather Geran shows Marik great favor and supports nearly everything the boy does.
In fact, it was Marik's grandfather that first suggested that Marik start participating in Knight Tournaments. He suggested that Marik would gain more real experience by fighting seasoned warriors over any trainer. When Marik does go to tournaments, frequently his grandfather will show up with a retinue from House Veltaris to show his support, whether Marik wins or loses.
This divide in the family has also added to Marik's internal conflict. He loves both sides of his family, but also struggles with his relationship with them on different matters. With Marik's mother, he feels she loves his position of being Talon's son and what it means for House Veltaris over genuine love for him. Meanwhile, Talon has so far refused to knight Marik or proclaim an heir, leaving Marik in a sort of limbo state about his future and what it means. Is he a loyal supporter of House Falkrest, or is he the future of House Veltaris?