Butterflies: A Symbol of Death

'Butterflies' was once what the soldiers in the special services of Poinsettiara were referred to as. These soldiers were referred to as such because their uniforms were completely black except for a single pale butterfly patch they wore over their heart-- the butterfly was the symbol of Poinsettiara itself.

In Witshire, the butterfly is known as a symbol of death because of its association with this military force, which carved out their place in history by eliminating the majority of the pure Nightshirian population in Witshire after the fall of the Old Witshirian Empire. These soldiers wore masks to conceal their identities, so they were personally not associated with the genocide. They wielded barbed spears to poke out the eyes of Nightshirians, who had an advantage because of their ability to see in darkness-- Nightshirians are rendered extremely vunerable when their sight is taken from them.The Butterflies (the army) were known for their extreme brutality, contrasted against the general softness of the regular Poinsettiaran citizens.

By the time of Book One, the term 'Butterfly' is used as an insult against the Poinsettiaran people, particularly by Lemiluans and Satrixians, two peoples of Nightshirian descent. Since Poinsettiarans are the only people traditionally born with pink-toned hair, this hair colour is referred to as 'Butterfly Hair'. Despite its negative connotations, the Poinsettiaran regime continues to use the butterfly as their national emblem.

It is suggested that the butterfly itself emerged as a symbol during the colonialization of early Dolater/ early Havender (now modern Poinsettiaran territory) when colonizers from far-away Soldaviln settled in Witshire. Unfortunately, many modern nobles of Poinsettiara, notably Queen Marilan Deanne (mother of Newman Alec), still believe that the Butterflies were a force of good despite the opposite being true. While in Book One, the idea of the Butterflies hangs heavy over gentler Poinsettiarans, such as Newman, whose views on the regime remain complicated, it remains to be seen if the Poinsettiara army will fall back into its violent ways if allowed to.

For now, the idea of the butterfly, both as a symbol and a title, remains a point of contention between Poinsettiara and their neighbouring nations.