[Novels] Nathanael’s acceptance of Fate/Destiny and Death

[nathanialroyale]

Nathanael has a background of the acceptance of fate as the Ellearn all have destinies. In this way, he is no more special than the rest of his ancestors and for this reason, the idea of accepting his own demise is normalcy. Drefan, who was his biggest influence as a child, is human and comes from a background that says, ‘Fuck Fate’ (though this would change in Drefan’s later life,) and this duality leaves Nath pretty confused. With his masochism being why Nathanael is called a monster by his father in a conversation the child eavesdropped on Nathanael clings to his own fatalistic and self-hating tendencies in his resignation of what is to come. ‘I deserve this. I’m just a monster; perhaps through this fate, I will be redeemed.’  Martyrdom.

 

However, this outlook is actually incorrect even to the Ellearn, this fate bound species do not believe in simply laying back and allowing fate to do what it will. Ellearn philosophy states that you work with fate, that you strive to fulfill your destiny, but in a manner that is correct to yourself. This allows fulfillment of not only the Gods plans but your own within that fated framework.

 

This comes to be understood by Nathanael, at last, toward the end of his seventeenth year. The Prince begins to understand that yes, there is give and take within his fate. He must defeat Drefan, yes, that is his destiny, but Reinn wants him to kill Drefan. Yet, destiny only says 'Defeat’ so Nathanael can choose to save Drefan instead. His acceptance of his fate morphs in and of itself alongside his own character growth. He evolves, at first he is a child who resigns himself to terrible comings because he believes he has no right to stop what is coming. Nath becomes a young person who says, 'I will play your game, but I will play it by my rules. Even if you win, I will have no regrets that I pushed, and I strived and I did everything in my power to make this fate, right.’

 

Nathanael would go on to play to his own strengths, unwilling to give up his scruples to fulfill destiny. He knows that destiny must be completed, so he says, 'Even if I go about this a bit unorthodox, fate will be fulfilled.’ So the adolescent takes oaths before the Gods to protect him. An oath of Non-violence and Peace to the God of Death so he will not add to those entering Death’s Halls. Alongside this, he takes a vow of Poverty before the Goddess of Compassion swearing to take no material gain and to give to others all that he receives. The Gods grant him their divine protection and even with no armor, arrows do not bite and weapons break upon impact with his skin. 

 

As a Death Dweller, he comes to accept his death not only fatalistically, but as an abstract concept. Meditating on mortality, the mysteries of death and dying and his anxieties and fear of his own death slowly evaporate. His act of throwing himself before his comrades to take incoming blows is no longer only an act of fatalism but out of an understanding that it is not yet their time to die. As Nathanael embraces the concepts of death and dying he will allow himself to die without a fight at his allotted time. 

 

But when he falls in a battle that once during book two, he stands before the God of Death and holds his ground. He holds a respectful tone but asks to be allowed back not for himself, but for his Guardians, his friends, and the Kingdom he will rule. Nathanael promises that when fate will take him, he will come, no matter what. Sjel’Nnharma who was once mortal says nothing but bows to the adolescent, sending him back to his companions as the Prophet of Death. Nath has fully accepted his impending death and been given additional lives until that day. Able to die and rise again multiple times so that he will live until fate demands his end. 

 

The Prince regains the throne, and time passes. He would become the parent to three. With the mind of a parent now, Nathanael becomes angry at the thought of his final death as he is now leaving his young children behind. For the first time since the opening chapter of book one Nathanael shows his anger at his fate. But here his anger, in the few months before his final death, is not for his sake, no, but for his children. It is for his kingdom that lies, still, in ruins and needs a King. 

 

But he made a promise and he will keep it. He won’t fight his fate, yet that anger remains. As the twenty-one-year-old gasps for breath with fluid-filled lungs, dying in his love’s arms, both he and his lover cry bitter tears. He realizes, almost blind from the tuberculous that he is allowed, after all those years of adherence to a script that would end with his drawn out and painful death by disease, to think that, 'You know what? I didn’t actually deserve this at all…’

and he dies.