Alazon

This post was written for what I thought was going to become a Kyou Kara Maou fansite, but since I didn't do anything else with it, I figured I should just put this post here.

Alazon is the main "villain" in Kyou Kara Maou season 3. She has a pale complexion, long, light gold hair, and rich gold eyes. She wears an elaborate headdress and a dress covered by an unorthodox cloak that seems to hold itself in place around her, rather than being draped on her body. There is a red mark on her forehead in a shape not unlike a tulip with two small leaves, and she wears purple lipstick on her top lip.

She is queen of the shinzoku country Seisakoku, elder sister to Beryes, former lover to the late King Gilbert of Shou Shimaron, and Saralegui's mother.

When the shinken disappeared and Seisakoku began falling into ruin, Alazon sent Gilbert and Saralegui away. Her spoken reason was that Seisakoku had no need for those without houryoku. But her true reasoning was more complex. The presence of Gilbert, a human prince, in her weakening country was dangerous. Search parties might come looking for him and take word back to human lands of a country of magical beings, ripe for the plucking. And there was already discontent among her people due to Gilbert. Such strife could only hasten the destruction of a country already on the decline.

Saralegui was a slightly different matter. She sent him away not to protect herself or her country, but to give him what she believed would be a safer, better life. He'd be more at home with others who weren't blessed with natural houryoku, and he'd be better taken care of in a thriving country. She had no way of knowing that Gilbert would be unable to make a connection with his son.

It is certain that Alazon put the welfare of Seisakoku above herself. But perhaps Alazon's mad, blind search for the shinken was also driven by her desire to reunite her family. Perhaps she felt that if she could restore Seisakoku to its former glory, it would be safe to open the borders--or at least to invite Gilbert and Saralegui back. But 18 years passed, Gilbert died and Saralegui grew up, and Alazon's mind grew ever wild and focused. She likely became divorced from the reality that she could never go back to the life she gave up, that her son had become a young man whose heart she didn't know.

She did, however, yearn for the child she gave up--she sent Geneus to learn about Saralegui on the pretext of "using" him in the future, but never revisited the subject. And the day of their unexpected reunion, she was so startled and vulnerable that she was unable to continue with her mission--unable, indeed, to go against Saralegui's wishes.

It takes a good deal of time for Alazon to realize her son's feelings. In fact, it almost seems as though she never does, or at least doesn't know how to deal with them. She orders him to give her the shinken; he refuses to respect her authority. He feels betrayed that she doesn't want him to use the sword to save Seisakoku; she ignores this entirely and approaches the matter with unyielding severity.

Alazon doesn't really ever have a "what have I done?" moment. Even when Saralegui goes mad with anger and sadness, all she can do is what she's always done: fiercely protect, not nurture. She throws herself in front of the burst of negative energy that might otherwise have killed Saralegui. It is then, and only then, that Sara begins to realize the true meaning behind Alazon's seemingly callous actions.

And proud Alazon does not change. She does not apologize to anyone but Geneus. She does not even apologize to her son.

Saralegui is proud, too. In the final episode he shows his mother that he understands her not by giving in to emotion, but by casually remarking that he will return to visit Seisakoku, as he was born there. "Let's meet again someday, Mother."

And then, finally, strong, proud Alazon's lips curve up and compress as eighteen years of tears bathe her face. ㋮