Derek Arryn

Derek Arryn
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Story Role
POV Role	None
Appears In	Placeholder
Vital statistics
Born	5099
Title	Official Titles
Alias	Placeholder
Religion	Dragonoph
Status	Alive
Allegiance	Family Loyalties House Arryn;
Racial Statistics
Maternal	Vandal German
Paternal	Vandal German
Family
Parents
Father	Placeholder
Mother	Placeholder
Siblings
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Internal Family
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Children	True Born With Placeholder

Derek Arryn is the son of Martin, and Flora Arryn making him a member of House Arryn. Derek Arryn has three siblings in the form of Paul, Sansa, and Dran Arryn of which his brother Paul after being knighted became very interested in the honorable style of combat and joined the Order of the Red Dragon where he now leads a battalion of troops raised from the Westbridge town of Westian, while his sister Sansa is the handmaiden of Alice Lovie and through this has gained a lot of fame in her family, and his brother Dran ran away from home during the time of The Plague after it became obvious to Martin that he was going to rebel like many others. Derek Arryn was once betrothed to Gloria Floren and the two got along well with her becoming pregnant with his child pre-marriage but she was killed by Sean Lovie during the madness of the final days of his reign.

Derek is his right hand man and leads the Arryn Gaurd of whome are the elite gaurd within House Arryn. This position is of the greatest importance and for this reason he has risen incredibly high within the ranks of House Arryn.

Derek Arryn would be one of the only members of House Arryn outside of Berne when Sean Lovie shut the city off from the outside world, and for this reason he was a man greatly trusted by the loyalists in understanding Berne. Derek Arryn would take part in the Battle of Berne where he fought alongside the loyalists and assist in relieving his family from the imprisonment that had become their existence in Berne.

History

Early History

The Gulltown Tournament of 5119
That was the last time there was peace in our house. After that it was just a steady decline into madness and death.

Gulltown Tournament of 5119

Main Article : Gulltown Tournament of 5119

“I want my children kept safe from all this. I can keep William safe. I need to get the rest of the children out of here before. Before this thing in my head does something terrible.”
— James Lovie II.

Its Aelfwynn Turnidlon that is sitting with Wuldrik as they prepare the recharge of the Pendant of Understanding which they have been using as a means of understanding when the monster has gained control of James. During the casting of this spell everything is going well but the Pendant shows signs of cracking, and this leads to Aelfwynn and Wuldrik Toyne stopping the spell. Unable to fix the issue themselves they decide to speak with Kieth Schwartz to discuss the construction of a new pendant to replace it. Finding out that Kieth has left the Spire for the Cloud Tower they head there accompanied by several men at arms. Arriving at the Cloud Tower they are let inside although Aelfwynn is delayed watching William, Leven, and Alice playing the garden. Watching this she becomes jealous of Leven who is wrestling with William and feeling the attraction between the two she marks Leven as an enemy in her pursuit of William. Going to the 13th floor they find Kieth inside already talking with Carlisle Cullen, Wilhelm Kisssling, Fabian Klauseburg, and James Lovie II. of whom are discussing the declining mental stability of James. Unable to get the time needed to replace the damaged Pendant of Understanding its Wuldrik, and Aelfwyn that go back to the Spire under orders to recharge the pendant despite the risks. The spell is completed but Wuldrik is badly burned during the event leading to him being taken away by Catrin Heissler and a group of Restoration Magi to fix him. With Wuldrik too injured to travel its Aelfwynn that travels with the royal party of the Gulltown tournament of 5119 without him taking charge of keeping James under control.

Coming of the Cleganes

“I want you to be happy my boy. I love you son. You are my heir. My hope for the future. That does not mean your happiness comes above this family.”
— Rupert Clegane

Hedrik joins a boat with a fleet of seven ships from House Clegane making their way towards the port of Stillwood. Hedrik is leaning on the side of the boat speaking with his friend Konstantin Gaimen when his father comes up from his quarters alongside Hedrik’s mother and seeing them arrive he says goodbye to Konstantin and goes to speak with his father. Speaking to his father about the proposed betrothal of Hedrik and Accia Potenza of whom he admits to being his lover but indicates that this love is one of friendship and he doesn't see it going further then friendship. Rupert tells Hedrik that although he wants his son to be happy, he wants to honor the relationship that he has with House Potenza. Rupert is reluctant to simply end the betrothal instead telling Hedrik that if he wants something different, he needs to find a better match. Following this he goes back to the front of the boat where Konstantin has now been joined by Hedrik’s sister at his side, and his lover Accia Potenza, and best friends Meinolf Ostriger. Joking with his friends its Hedrik that watches his father of whom from his own personal thoughts seems to be very loyal towards but has a growing lack of respect for several of the lords around his father including most critically Vopiscus Lentini of whom he sees as a coward turning his father into a coward. Reaching the port of Stillwood he watches his father and Vopiscus meet with Caius Norelli while ignoring the lord of House Stillwood in the form of Gregory Stillwood and realizing the insult that is being made, he approaches Gregory alongside Meinolf Ostriger and the two discuss with Gregory that Hedrik will speak with his father regarding the insult. Despite calming it down its still Gregory that storms from the docks to return to Castle Stillwood leaving Perwyn, and Jeyne to speak with Hedrik about their next steps. The three decide that Jeyne will go and stay near their father to make sure he doesn’t do anything rash while Perwyn will go with Hedrik to speak with Rupert. Perwyn goes alongside Hedrik to speak with Rupert Clegane who has gone to the estate of House Norelli. Arriving at the estate it’s Perwyn’s friend Flavius Norelli that leads them inside. Meeting with Rupert, his lords, and Caius Norelli they learn that the reason for the snub was that Rupert was angry that the other wives were at the initial meeting. Learning from Caius they are told that Gregory had agreed to only bring his primary wife to the meeting and thus when all were present Rupert took this as an insult. The group agrees to not take any further action and since they will be leaving for the tournament its decided that they will cancel the planned dinner the next day and just restock the boats before leaving together. Perwyn leaves to and speak with his father about what has been discussed but Hedrik and Perwyn agree as he leaves to keep the lines of communication between them open no matter what their fathers do.

Protecting Accia

“Don't worry Accia. I'm here for you. I promise that I wont let anything happen to you.”
— Hedrik Clegane III.

Hedrik spends the rest of the night with his family who remain at the Norelli estate and then before going to bed he joins Accia in her room where the two sleep together. After finishing having sex its Accia that burns her arm while she helps him get dressed and Hedrik helps her by putting wet cloth on it. Staying with her for some time until she eventually falls asleep he tucks her in and falls asleep in her room. Hedrik is woken from his sleep by Accia who is crying as she shows him her now healed burn. Telling him that she fixed it just by looking at it and thinking about fixing it. Skeptical of this he tries to support her but when it becomes clear he doesn’t believe her she gets a dagger from his pack and cuts her arm. As she bleeds, he uses his blanket to control the bleeding and then goes to get help when she blocks the door and removes the blanket causing her arm to bleed onto the ground. Trying to stop her she begins once again staring at her arm and as he watches the cut begins to close itself and the bleeding stops.

Hiding Leofrich

“We have been given short notice of the plans of the royal family to visit Runburgh on there way south. You know this means you must be hidden.”
— Andar Royce

Its Leofrich Nune III. that is sitting in the water with his daughter Gorlinda and his nephew Karl and playing with the two children is interrupted by the arrival of a very pregnant Charlotte Royce holding a baby Wendelin Royce who joins her family in spending time together at Royce River. Returning to Runburgh with his family he sees the city in state of chaos and Karl to guard his family he rides ahead into the city where he learns from Ordenmarshal Franzal Tuhlbeck that they got short notice that King James Lovie II. and a large party of the royal family are on their way to Runburgh where they will stay for the night on their way southward. Realizing that the coming of anyone from the capital means danger for himself he goes to Runestone. Making his way through guards and checkpoints he eventually reaches the Keep where he meets with Lord Yohn Royce who is standing around a table planning things out with his brother and Hochmeister Wolfram Royce alongside his sons Andar, and Robar. Also as the table are the Burgomaster of the city in Alaric Opehlbeck of whom Leofrich thinks is a coward and if given the chance would tell the first person who paid him about Leofrich’s existence in the city. Listening to the group from the corner of the room he whispers with Landmeister Tristan of Royce of whom he has grown close to over his time in Runestone and the two discuss where they think Leofrich should go while the king is near. As the meeting ends its Landsgrave Yohn that calls Leofrich forward leaving him to talk with just Yohn and his son Andar. The three talk and it’s decided that to protect Leofrich and by extension Yohn’s daughter Charlotte and grandchildren its Leofrich that will hide with the Guild of Runes. Accompanied by Andar to the Peak of Runestone its Andar that asks Leofrich to tell him about the last time he saw anyone from the capital. Using the lift to the peaks its Leofrich that talks with Andar about his time hiding in the forest following the massacre at Nunedorf. During this time, he hid with different farming families before eventually fleeing into the forest where he kept his daughter and nephew alive through hunting small game and picking mushrooms. This went on for several weeks with Leofrich coming to live within an old, abandoned watchtower, and while it was a tough life, he was able to stay alive and keep his family alive. This ended with the arrival of a search party led by Horton Jestife who surrounded the watchtower but to his surprise it was Horton that let them go telling them to leave the area and never come back. Andar asks him how he made his way to Runburgh, but Leofrich is close to tears thinking about his past and tells Andar he will tell him more another time. Reaching the peak of Runestone its Leofrich that is let inside the Hall of Runes by Thomas of the Guild of Runes who takes him to a apartment within the hall of Rune where a bed is to be prepared for Leofrich to stay. Leofrich remains in the apartment reading for days leaving only to use the latrine during this time.

The Dragon Moves

“I want you to have this armor Prince. This was made by the hands of both myself, and Grand Master Daniel Schunemann. No effort has been spared in marking this as the greatest suit of armor I have ever been involved in crafting.”
— Eadwig Schuhbeck

Following leaving Lucerne the group is traveling on the road making his way alongside most of his friends and family to the port of Nortburg accompanied by what is as a large army. Traveling on the road with him is his best friends Jasper Hale, Lyanna Starke, Edward Cullen, Byron Arryn II., Rosalie Hale, Dylan Steinmare, Aria Arryn, Rachel Nighting, and Leven Martell as well his sister Alice Lovie, and as they travel on the road the relationship between this group is expanded on. During this journey we see the members of William's personal guards as well in the form of Einhard Rosler, Erik Fahnrich, and Gilbert Fouline of whom Einhard is shown as someone who is very close to William acting as a stand in for his father James who is in the convoy but is inside a covered wagon as he passed out. His father is revealed as the King but is also revealed as an addict of opium leaving William to be raised by his guards, but also by his sister Matilda who they are traveling to see the wedding of. The party arrives at Nortburg at night and thus it is the army and the servants that prepare tents for everyone to sleep in that night in preparation for leaving on the boats in the morning. As William and his friends attempt to all stay in one large tent it’s Carlisle Cullen that forces them to share two tents with the boys in one and the girls in another. As this is happening its Rosalie that whispers for William to hide her. Feeling very attracted to her he hides her with the help of Jasper and Dylan. Staying the night in a tent with Aria, Lyanna, Leven, and Alice but the girls become openly bitter that Rosalie managed to join the boys in their tent. Rachel and Leven discuss the situation with Rosalie and William with both girls barely containing their jealousy and Rachel for her part believes that she could better control Leven then Rosalie and thus views Rosalie as a threat to her attempts with William. Hanna Arryn is riding beside Blake Cullen, Adela Aven, Erica Steinmare, and Eddara Floren as they follow behind the wagons carrying the royal family and their entourage. Hanna is silent as the other girls gossip over boys with Blake having a crush on Jasper Hale while Erica and Eddara discussing how handsome they think William is. Hanna is uncomfortable with this conversation and so allows herself to fall behind the other girls and instead rides beside the House Bell part of the baggage train and begins talking with her friend Hanah Bell of whom she laughs that she first became friends with due to having the same name. The convoy arrives at Runburgh and so Hanna leaves Hanah and returns to the Malatine where she scoffs as they are still talking about Jasper and William. As the convoy stops its Hanna that joins the others of Alice’s Malatine in traveling ahead of the convoy into the city where they will prepare the room for Alice. The group stops at the town of Runburgh where William, Edward, Jasper, and Dylan are gifted a suit of armor by Lord Yohn Royce, and the Grand Master of the two Runestone Guilds. The suit made for William is described as something above anything they have ever crafted before, and behind the scenes it had runes crafted on it that make William immune to the effects of Magi while wearing it. Following being given this gift its William, Alice, Leven, and Edward that are taken into the Great Peak of Runestone where Grand Master Eadwig Schuhbeck, and Grand Master Daniel Schunemann show them the entrance to the forges of the Inner Rune which have never been entered by anyone outside of the Inner Circle of the Runestone Guilds.

“Think of where we are my friends. We are sleeping in a place barely anyone has been allowed to enter. We are blessed by Glaurung himself this day.”
— William Lovie III.

Following this tour, the group is given lodgings inside the mid-level of Runestone leaving the eight of them to all stay in a large open-air room where they can see out for miles. Alice leaves to go and see her Malatine before bed, and in passing William tells Alice to bring one of them back as a reward for their work. Alice arrives at the room her Malatine had prepared for her and thanks each of them for all their work, and then they all sit down and talk together about how things went for Alice in the main carriage. Alice reveals how close her brother William and Rosalie are getting and at this both Eddara and Erica make petty comments about Rosalie to which Alice says nothing, but Hanna does say that her sister Aria says that Rosalie has a mind for the politics of being with William. After this conversation its Alice that reveals she will be staying with William and the others in the open-air room prepared for him and says that she can bring one person with her. To the shock of the Malatine she asks Hanna to come with her stating quite honestly that she is the only one who Alice believes can control her feelings. Hanna follows Alice as they enter the lift and travelling up its Hanna that begins to get quite nervous, but she is calmed down by Alice who holds her hand and smiles at her. Hanna goes to sleep that night with the rest of the Shadow Council and for the first time she feels like one of their friends, and not just the sister of Aria. Going to sleep William lays beside his sister to one side, and Rosalie Hale to the other with the two talking romantically for some time before going to sleep. Following the night Hanna wakes in the morning before Alice and does her best to prepare something for her, but is stopped by William, and Edward who instead force her to go to the edge of the room and look out with them. Edward does a Magi trick and William makes them all laugh, and Hanna can’t help but find herself attracted to William. When the others begin waking up and join them its Hanna that tries to get away but its Aria that refuses to let her go and despite her nerves, she begins to join the conversation more as the time goes by.

“What happened to your family. What has happened to so many families. It cannot be left unchecked. Will you help me when the time comes?”
— Catherine Lovie

A journeymen runesmith that had been delivering his food tells him of the arrival of the royal party and Leofrich feels a overwhelming fear that his one time good friend James is near. Leofrich is locked within the apartment as the prince and his party are to stay in the Hall of Runes and during this time its Leofrich that catches a glimpse of the prince and his party through a peeping hole in the wall and feels fear looking at the prince due to how much he looks like James. That night its Leofrich that is moved by a knock at the door and when the door opens its Daniel Schunemann, Yohn Royce, and Catherine Lovie that come inside the room. Catherine begins crying telling Leofrich that she is so sorry for what happened and wishes she could go back and change it. Realizing that Catherine is not like her brother he forgives her and then listens as she tells him that the time will come when she needs him to avenge what happened to his family and many others, and he agrees to help her when the time comes.

“Watching my father act this way was never easy. It was embarrassing on the surface. Beneath that feeling stood fear. Fear that perhaps I was destined to become my father.”
— William Lovie III.

As they leave Runestone its William that speaks once more with Yohn Royce who asks him to take with him his middle son Andar Royce who would accompany them and take in the wedding. William agreed and Andar joined the group as they made their way south towards Gulltown. Arriving at Gulltown they are met at the gates by Matilda Lovie his elder sister and seeing each other they hug as she takes them towards her lodgings at Castle Shephard, and while walking there its Matilda that tells them about how she has been in the months since she left Lucerne for Gulltown to get to know her betrothed Marius Scott. Marius Scott is introduced to William, and Alice for the first time and William has a good feeling about Marius during this conversation. The good times are interrupted by the arrival of their father James who William can clearly tell is high from his opioids as he comes into the room, and despite William feeling embarrassed by his father its Marius that lightens the mood and appears to get along well with James. Following the meeting with his sister and Marius its William and his friends that go to the Temple of Kyne as Lyanna wants to pray and forces the rest of her friends to go with her as is her usual way. Arriving at the Temple of Kyne they enter the Temple being let into a special area of the Temple by Otwin Erdenstoud the Bishop of the Temple. Going inside they pray for a time before William and the group outside of Lyanna leave the temple to go and walk the streets of Gulltown exploring.

The Picnic

“Men came to our village. They took everything. Took my sister. Took my mother. Please help us.”
— Ceolwith of Nune

Walking the streets, they go to the market where they buy food and plan to go to hiking west of Gulltown and have a picnic while doing this. Accompanied by a dozen men at arms and several knights the group leaves Gulltown heading west and while leaving they meet the Crane group arriving at the city led by Dustin Crane, and his son Orival Crane. Speaking with the group for a time its Germira Cranewel that leaves the Crane force and travels with them hiking on the idea of forming an alliance for the coming melee tournament. Germira and Jasper get close during the hike but for William his mind is constantly on Rosalie and the spend most of the hike talking and becoming increasingly flirtatious. While riding to the mountain spot that they plan to have the picnic at its Leven, Aria, and Byron Arryn that are speaking. Byron is discussing the alliance he has formed with the team led by Harrold Hardyng for the coming melee, but for Leven she can barely focus as she watches with jealousy William and Rosalie. Leven thinks on her desire to be the one riding beside William, and she plans to tell him her feelings once they arrive at the picnic. Arriving at the picnic its Leven that tries to talk with William but is blocked by Dylan who tells Leven that he thinks Rosalie and William need some alone time. As the group sits for the picnic its Rosalie and William that sneak off and sitting together the flirtation goes to the next level when William and Rosalie kiss. Leven storms off but is followed by Aria Arryn who consoles her friend telling Leven that she knows how Leven feels about William. After talking things over its Leven, and Aria that return to the main group where they find Draco Highmore searching for William. Jasper, and Dylan lie to Draco to give William his alone time, but in her jealousy its Leven that can’t do the same.

“I thought I could stop them before they started. Seeing her happy face when Draco dragged them back to the group told me I was wrong. I was too late.”
— Leven Martell

When Draco follows the lies of Dylan and Jasper its Leven that follows him and reveals where William is. The arrival of Draco Highmore and several guards bringing them back to the group ends this kissing but this has opened a door between the two of them. Leven returns to the group who doesn’t know that she revealed the truth, and she watches as Rosalie and William return. At first Leven is happy that she has done this but watching the two happily return she realizes she was too late. Her feelings are made even worse when Rosalie comes to her and hugs Leven revealing to her what happened before calling Leven her best friend. Leven sits with Aria and Rosalie for the rest of the picnic and listens as Rosalie tells the two of them how strong her feelings are for William. Aria looks to Leven with sadness but they both do there best to be happy for their friend. The groups picnic is further interrupted by the arrival of a group of peasants who are attempting to reach Gulltown after what they describe as the destruction of their village. William attempts to get his force to accompany the peasants back to their village and help the remainder but as more peasants begin streaming up the road its Draco that forces the group to return to their horses and return to Gulltown. Draco promises William and the group that he will send forces back but they cannot be here with the crown prince while that is happening. Before being forced to flee its William that gives one of the Ceolwith of Nune one of his rings, and a bag of coins which is a significant amount of money. Riding back to Gulltown its William that gets into an argument with Draco but it becomes clear that Draco is under personal threat if he would have stayed and thus William forgives Draco but plans to confront his father.

Choices

“I thought I could stop them before they started. Seeing her happy face when Draco dragged them back to the group told me I was wrong. I was too late.”
— Leven Martell

Its Aelfwynn, Cuthwin, and Ostara that accompany James into the Shephard Castle where he will be staying during the tournament. By this point in the day, he is already almost unconscious from opioid use attempting to keep Vhloraz beneath the surface, and thus the servants get him into bed. Aelfwynn watches him go to sleep with no one in the room daring to speak lest they interrupt James going to sleep. Once he has fallen asleep, she places chains on his arms locking him to the bed and then locking the door the room behind her leaving only Ostara, and Cuthwin inside the room to watch over him. Having locked the door she thinks on Cuthwin, and Ostara coming to see the changes in the two as they have spent more time watching over James as he sleeps, and she thanks Glaurung that she has been given that task. Leaving the room, she travels to the walls where she sits in a quiet tower by herself and spends several hours praying to Glaurung attempting to find peace from her constant thoughts of William. As she prays a vision of William appears and she talks with this vision with the two flirting, and eventually kissing. The kissing ends when she hears arguing in the courtyard and the vision of William disappears. A tear falls as he leaves her, but she goes to the wall and watches as William, Leven, and Jasper attempt to get inside the castle.

“I thought I could stop them before they started. Seeing her happy face when Draco dragged them back to the group told me I was wrong. I was too late.”
— Leven Martell

Returning to Gulltown, its Leven and Jasper that accompany William as he attempts to meet with his father about what happened at the picnic. Arriving at the gate to Shephard Castle they are let inside by the guards but find Kieth Schwartz, blocking the courtyard with a handful of Jestife, and Schwartz men at arms as well as several knights. Speaking with Kieth its William that is blocked from seeing his father and as William attempts to force his way through its Kieth that commands the men at arms to restrain the three of them. A brief skirmish breaks out but the men at arms and knights can easily restrain the weaponless three. As they are held its Kieth that goes to William and tells him to never come to a conflict without weapons. The two argue briefly with the argument only ending with the arrival of Carlisle Cullen.

Arrival of the Cranes

“Take the Orane girl to the temple. I don't care how you feel about her. You will cement the betrothal. Go now.”
— Dustin Orane

The House Crane group enters through the front gate of Gulltown and Orival Crane alongside his friends, follow his father and his most prominent bannermen. As they continue following his father he looks back to the rear of the group and sees his betrothed Estrid Orane. Estrid smiles at him, and while he returns the smile, he is still unsure of her due to her opinions on the Swabians. The group runs into a group led by William Lovie III. and while Orival doesn’t get to speak to William he sees the opportunity to form an alliance in the coming melee and sends his friend Germira Cranewel to organize this with William. Continuing into the city his father leads them towards the keep where they are to meet with a House Shephard representative who is to take them to their lodgings. Once they reach the keep his father meets with Ratmann Rickard Taubman. Rickard leads the group with the assistance of his son Timothy Taubman, and daughter Amalia Taubman towards their lodgings. During this final trip its Orival that is brought to the front by his father and Orival listens in as Rickard discusses the situation in northern Lucerne. Arriving at the camp its Orival that is going to spend time with his friends when his father whispers to him that he is to instead take Estrid to visit the Great Temple of Kyne. It’s implied from the words of his father that Orival is having doubts about his betrothal to Estrid, but Orival is unwilling to resist the words of his father and pushes this aside. Listening to the words of his father without question he goes to Estrid who is getting his mother Falena’s tent ready.

“It speaks to your misplaced loyalties that you send that Swab to make deals for you.”
— Estrid Orane

Going to Estrid she is clearly excited to see him approach her, and she goes into the back of the tent to change for her trip to the Temple. While Estrid is changing the main person pushing for him to treat her well in the form of his mother pulls him into a hug. Orival thinks it’s nice to have her back around, but he is sad when he realizes that once his marriage to Estrid is completed then his mother will return to the Grand Temple of Crane. Orival and Estrid walk together to the Great Temple of Kyne and the two have a good time on the way until Estrid notices a group of Swabian selling goods at a booth and begins making racist comments about them. Orival ignores this and tries to have a good time with her but can’t ignore it anymore once she attacks Germira. The two have an argument on the steps leading to Orival abandoning her at the temple and making his way back to their lodgings but he becomes lost and eventually winds up back at the Swabians booth that Estrid had insulted earlier.

Conversation Incoming
Loneliness is a disease just like any other. The worst part of the disease is the cure isn;t always to be surrounded by those who love you. Many times the desease spreads despite the logical reasons why it would nothing vulnerable in the host. Loneliness is a disease. I know because I have it..

“It’s very nice of you to give the swabs a handout, but you really should be careful keeping them so close.” I had heard enough and stopped walking up the steps.

“Do you have to call them Swabs?” She turned around looking at me with confusion in her eyes.

“I don’t mean to offend. It’s simply what they are.”

“They are my friends. People who will be in my life.” I took a step towards her.

“Until they stick a knife in you.” My hands flew in the air and again the confusion in her eyes was clear.

“Stop it.”

“We are to be married. I’m simply being honest with you.”

“As of right now. In this moment, I hope to avoid your honesty.” It was the truth. Not a kind truth but it was still true. How could I ever accept a person who felt this way. The Swabians were a big part of the Cranehold population in many areas. It wasn’t possible to take the ideas of her father and bring that to the court without there being big problems in the future.

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I don’t really see how we could make a life together with the way you think about things.”

“There just Swabs.”

“They are people. They are my friends.” With that I stormed away from her. I could hear her yelling after me as I left her on the steps of the Temple. I made my way angrily through the winding streets of Gulltown finding myself moving with the crowd.

Watching the group speak Swabian he thinks back on his positive experiences with the Swabians through the years and approaches the group buying a shirt from their booth. Returning to the camp without Estrid he is reprimanded by his mother who forces him to return to the temple with her. Accompanying his mother back to the temple she explains the different life experiences that people have, and why these things don’t make having different opinions evil. Listening to his mother they enter the temple to find Estrid inside at prayer and as he kneels beside her joined by his mother, he looks at her face and sees that she has been crying. When his mother steps away to speak with the bishops of the temple its Orival that apologizes to her for leaving her. Estrid to his surprise apologizes for what she said about Swabians, and while she doesn’t understand his love for them, she promises to attempt to see what he sees.

Before the Wedding

“I have never felt this way about a girl before Alice. Maybe its time I take a chance.”
— William Lovie III.

Carlisle takes the three away telling them they must go to his sister who is preparing for her wedding and that this is beneath them on such a day. As they walk its Jasper that leaves them to return to the rest of the shadow council, but Leven stays at Williams side. As they walk, they talk about the picnic and the arrival of the peasants. William reveals his terror at being unable to help them and sensing his sadness its Leven that holds his hand as they walk. Arriving at the estate of House Scheck where Matilda is preparing its William that waits in the courtyard with Marcel Lovie while Leven goes inside the estate. Inside the estate she goes through the halls eventually reaching the room where Matilda is staying and surrounded by handmaids and servants, she almost cries at how beautiful Matilda looks. One of the girl’s helping Matilda is Rosalie and seeing this Leven thinks jealously that was why Rosalie didn’t accompany William to the castle. Watching Matilda get ready its Leven that feels out of place and becomes increasingly angry at Rosalie as she watches as she looks so at home in this environment. As she watches its Leven that thinks back to her childhood and her uncle stressing a need for good skill at war before her skills as a good lady. Spending hours helping Matilda its Leven that exits the preparations to go and spend time with William who she finds in the courtyard. Going to him the two have a conversation where Leven wants to tell him about her feelings for him, but the arrival of Rosalie ends their conversation and causes rage inside Leven.

“Seeing her touching him. Seeing them kiss. It makes me angrier then I have ever felt before. It's an anger that scares me Aria.”
— Leven Martell

Rosalie takes William away as they must leave for the wedding, and this leaves Leven behind. Sitting on the bench she is approached by Aria Arryn and Aria comforts her on her feelings for William which Aria has already guessed at. The two speak for a time about this with Aria also revealing that she has feelings for William and unlike her jealousy towards Rosalie its Leven that feels nothing but love for Aria. Aria leaves to go back for the final preparations for the wedding and Leven follows her back into the estate. Returning to the estate she and Aria are stopped in their tracks by seeing William and the shadow council drinking in a hallway. While Aria keeps walking its Leven that goes to the boys as she feels a pull she cannot ignore towards William. Unable to control herself she goes to William and pulls him into a kiss. As they kiss its Jasper and Dylan that block the hallway. William pulls away from the kiss first, and the two share no words with Leven fleeing the scene in nervousness. Running down the halls she finds herself face to face with Catherine Bell who seeing the state of Leven takes her into a hug. Calming her down its Catherine that takes her into the room as the final preparations are being made for the wedding, and the whole time she holds Leven’s hand. The chapter ends with Leven stepping off the boat and onto the dock of Sunspear Hold, and with a tearful look eastward she thinks on William.

The Melee

The Joust

Its Marius Scott that watches as Jamie Lannister defeats Brandon Starke and wins the joust tournament. Marius is sitting with his friends Lucas Oakheart, his wife Melinda Ladybright, Reginald Madritch, his wife Ingrid Madritch, Alke Erlic, and Gretchen Rivel with her husband Edric Rivel. Marius begins talking with Reginald about his nervousness about the wedding. Marius is nervous about Matilda loving him as she is so beautiful, and he has accomplished very little so far in his life. Reginald, and Alke convince him to move past his nervousness and trust that she will love him, which he reluctantly attempts to do as he watches her from afar. As the winner of the tournament in Jamie Lannister, alongside Brandon Starke come to stand before the kings stage its Marius that is waved over by his grand father and joining Peter and the King in their stage he watches as Jamie makes his declaration. Jamie doesn’t ask for the winnings but instead requests from the king to have his nieces Myrcella and Lanna Lannister join the royal family as ladies in waiting with a special point of putting them on the list of potential betrothals to William. The King stands and makes a kind speech declaring Jamie’s bravery and skill and accepts this request. Standing in the stage as the king is mingling with finalists of the joust its Marius that sparks up the courage to make a joke to Matilda who smiles at his lame joke to her. As his shyness begins to overwhelm him, he smiles and prepares to leave but is stopped by her hand on his shoulder and turning back to her she requests him for dinner that night. Catherine Lovie who is standing watching interrupts telling her that is against tradition, but a desperate Marius uses his own Christianity as a means of forcing the dinner. Catherine agrees to host the dinner with Matilda’s friend Domeric Highmore standing as a chaperone for the dinner.

The Wedding

The Aftermath

Watching the door close behind a tear falls and only the hand of William keeps her moving forward. Alice and the rest of the Wostellian family make there way towards the Shephard Castle, and Alice continues crying as they walk as she is afraid of losing her sister. Arriving at Shephard Castle she tries to go to her room, but William forces her to come with him to the Bath houses to spend time with their friends. Having fun together in the bath houses she and William eventually get alone time and she opens up to him that she feels like shes losing her mother of sorts in Matilda, and he comforts her as she lets out her feelings about it. Rosalie, and Leven join them in the corner of the bath house, and they all talk about different times that Matilda was a mother to them and talking it over with everyone she feels better.

Edict of Tanthdom

Main Article : Edict of Tanthdom in the Valley

Arrival of Emma Arryn

“We have come here to make you an offer. We can give you control of the entire county of Ross. Think of the rich places that we could hit from safety of my families lands. We just ask for your protection. In return for that protection, we can both profit.”
— Mikael Ross IV.

Emma Arryn is getting off the boat at the docks of Gulltown, and as her husband Mikael helps her over a box that was blocking her path, they share a laugh together. Emma, Mikael, and two of their knights in the form of Conrad Dosst, and Eckbert of Dosst movie into the city joined by several men at arms as they make there way towards the marketplace where they to meet with Ingolf Frightling a member of the Nighting Crime Syndicate. Arriving at the marketplace they find Ingolf with several other Frightling men and after a quick conversation he leads them towards the Shephard Castle. While walking its Ingold who is quite openly talking about the excitement they all have for Emma’s pitch and Emma is shocked to hear him speak so openly about slavery. Ingolf laughs at her and tells her that this is the crownlands, and that there is no resistance to them here. Following the agreement of James Nighting to name Mikael a Minister in the Nighting Crime Syndicate its Emma, Mikael, Conrad, and Eckbert that leave Shephard Castle to go back to the docks where they will go back to their boat and discuss things. Emma, and Mikael make love that night and once Mikael falls asleep its Emma that lays beside him thinking about how sad her life was before she met him. Emma dreams of the first time she met him. Emma had run away from home as her depression was getting so bad that she wanted to escape her mother’s home and go to the capital where she hoped her sister Aria would take her in. While on the run she had fallen off her horse and had then gotten scared by a wolf howling and had run into the forest. After tripping and falling down a hill she had been knocked out by the fall. When she woke up it was Mikael that was beside her taking care of the wound on her head, and startled at first, he took care of her, and then listened to her when she asked him not to take her back to Arryndale. Mikael wakes up as shes thinking of this and the two make love once more, and after this she falls asleep as well.

Breaking of the Shadow Council

Main Article : The First Breaking of the Shadow Council

The Plot Against House Swan

“You want to destroy the Swans. I want to avenge my family. We can both get what we want.”
— Mildred Gleckourd

Mildred travels to the Gulltown tournament and meets with the Circle of Magi forming the arrangement that will lead to the Forks Civil War. Also while at the tournament she attempts to kidnap her sister and this leads to a fight where one of her knights is killed but she escapes blame and becomes a guardian to Alice Lovie.

Fabia's Truth

Fabia would travel to the Gulltown tournament with her daughter in order to see her friend again and while there she did was jealous of the affection he clearly had for Mildred and thus did not tell him about the abuse she was suffering at the hands of Marcus.

Moving Alice

Alice is finally having fun when Einhard Rosler comes inside and tells Alice to come with him and rejects William joining them despite his attempt to go with her. Following Einhard she is taken to the Shephard Castle Dining Hall where she finds a large gathering inside waiting for her. Taken to a seat by Einhard he joins her in the seat beside her, and as she sits down its Kieth Schwartz that begins speaking. Kieth tells the assembled parties that he has been placed in charge of the betrothal process for Alice and that at the advice of many advisors he has chosen to have preliminary discussions with House Yernese at Pomeria. A shocked Alice listens on as they discuss that Alice, and a party will head by boat following the meeting towards Pomeria and despite wanting to speak up her nervousness leads her to remain silent. The meeting ends and Einhard takes her by the arm and gently leads her to the door. The moment they go through the door, and he closes it behind them she smacks Einhard in the chest and tries to run away from him and back to William but runs into a tall woman. Knocked to the ground by their collision the girl helps her to her feet. Looking at the girl she is amazed at her beauty but she up and then the girl smiles at her before speaking to her in a language that Alice doesn’t understand. One of the girls behind the women introduces herself as Adelhelma Annema a handmaid of the women that she begins translating for. The translations by Adelhelma reveal the women is Mildred Gleckourd the Viscount of Gleckheint and will be joining Alice on the journey to Pomeria. Alice attempts to leave but is taken by the arm by Mildred who leads her to her boat and going through the streets the only thing she can think is hoping that she sees someone she knows. Getting on to the boat she watches as the ramps are quickly put up and as she stands on the side with Einhard she lets tears fall as she watches Gulltown fall into the distance.

Traveling to Pomelia

Arriving at the small port of Pomeriaist they would be met on the dock by two groups. The first was led by Axius Macrinus the husband of Mildred that she had described so negatively during the journey here. The second was led by Dennis Yernese the older brother of Paulus Yernese. Axius greets Mildred with excitement and attempts a kiss but is brushed aside by Mildred to the laughter of her men. Axius face looks hurt, but he quickly falls into line with his own men and watches as Mildred meets with Dennis Yernese. The two talk and Mildred appears very courteous towards Dennis treating him with respect and being almost flirtatious. Alice watches Axius as this happens and it makes her angry towards Mildred who it appears is openly trying to embarrass Axius through her flirting with Dennis. Feeling a confidence, she hasn’t felt before she steps forward and demands that they get moving towards Pomeria causing Mildred to smile at her as she must realize why Alice did what she did. Dennis who is a loyalist to the crown quickly listens to Alice and commands his forces prepare the road, and the three groups merge on the road making their way towards Pomeria. On the road its Alice, Mildred, and Adelhelma that speak again with a more confident Alice confronting Mildred on her treatment of Axius. Mildred explains a bit of her ethnic nationalism and Alice hearing of something like this for the first time loses her confidence as her shock overwhelms her. Mildred goes back to speaking gothic with Adelhelma and

Treaty of Pomeria

Main Article : Treaty of Pomeria

The Valley of Lucerne - Conversation Incoming

I have spent my entire life trying to do what was right. I have fought for a king I loved. I have fought for a friend I trusted. I have watched my family grow around me...I have watched all this and in my heart I knew everything would be okay. I knew this because I believed in you. You were the foundation of my faith. The boy I knew would have never done the things you have done. You have allowed this...this...thing to take over everything you are. Everything that happens now is up to you. You choose what path you go. I have nothing to say in my Kill me now for seeing you. Seeing what you have become makes me realized I have nothing left to believe in. Take me from this world, and free of me knowing what you have become.

“You want to know the truth of things.”

“I want to know why you feel so strongly about it.”

“I had two siblings growing up. My older brother Lionel, and my younger sister Clara. Growing up we were the closest brothers and sisters could be. Then. One day I go to my sister’s room to see her just like I do every day. She’s not there. A quick look at the room makes it clear the room is in chaos. Books on the floor, blankets thrown around. It had the look of a scuffle.” Mildred plays with her hands as she speaks but her eyes never leave mine. “I run to my parent’s room to tell them. A search for her comes to the quick conclusion that she was taken. Our best scouts get on the case, but they lose the trail at the River Gleck. Its weeks before we learn what happened.”

“You must have been terrified.” She nods her her head at my question.

“We all were. It was only made worse when we learned she was now at Castle Neihas the bridge of this Kristoffer Neihas.”

“She was married to her kidnapper?”

“Yes. The Roman scum had stolen away my sister and then forced her to take this roman barbarian as her husband.” Hearing the words run off her tongue just defined her hatred of them. Calling Lucernian Italians by their Roman nickname had become a racist slang for them, and as the story continued you could feel her hatred.

“What did you do?”

“We travelled to Castle Neihas. My father. My mother. My brother. My husband. Every single member of my family went to Castle Neihas to get them to give her back. Only my brother’s wife and daughter remained at Gleckheint.”

“You went without troops?”

“You don’t trust Romans Alice. We brought a hundred troops. Thirty knights as well. It shouldn’t have mattered. We had the guest right Alice.”

“How did it go wrong?” I knew the ending to the story. Her family had been killed at the meeting. She alone had escaped. The story I had been told had never spoke of the guest right being given.

“We arrived. They broke bread. Gave us the guest right. We lowered our guard. As we talked, they surrounded us. By the time we realized what was happening they were firing on us from the forest. I watched my whole family die. Then as the sound of fighting ended somehow, I was still alive.”

“I’m so sorry Mildred.”

“They picked me up. Ripped off my clothes. Paraded me through the streets of Castle Neihas completely naked as men from the castle grabbed at my body. Walked me this way all the way to the stable. Once I reached the stable, they put me on a horse and sent me away.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“There’s nothing to say. My family was killed because we thought Romans were trustworthy. I learned that day. No one is trustworthy. We have only our own people. Our own people are the only ones who ever truly care about us. We are just tools to the rest.”

Battle of Berne

Main Article : Battle of Berne

The Battle of Berne
This is where this divide ends. After we take this city there is nothing stopping the Kingdom of Lucerne from becoming exactly what we always dreamed it would be.

“The fact that Sean was able to escape was a black eye on the Kingdom of Lucerne, and no matter what anyone said as long as he lived there would be no improvement for us. He had to die or else we would be nothing more then a joke to the rest of Europe.”
— William Lovie III.

With the valley clear of Bill, and Sean Lovie, William went about attempting to gain control by eliminating those that were loyal to his father, but most of all he declared war on his father's supporters and very soon after doing this he came to understand that Sean Lovie had taken control of the city of Berne which he didn't even know existed. Under Alistair Bedregen the loyalists loyal to William were sending word to William outside Berne for the first bit of the control by Sean and thus for this early time they knew many of those loyal to Sean or at least to afraid to resist Sean. With this knowledge William rallied the Order of the Red Dragon, alongside a large force of House Lovie and sent this large force to besiege Berne. When his forces arrived there he they saw that Berne was a death trap, and that while they could feasibly attack the city the casualties would be horrendous and on top of that they might not even succeed. Knowing this William ordered them to dig in, and make sure no assistance came from land, and they were forced to live off the small parcel of land within Berne, and to burn through their internal supplies. With the front door shut for the moment William went about his plan to take control of Berne which would revolve around building a tunnel from Lucerne into the rear of Berne and fighting inside from that direction, while also hoping to starve out the defenders so that they would surrender. As William devised his plan where they would complete the underway in its route to Berne and thus they would break in behind the defenses and take the city from within, the Order of the Red Dragon begin having difficulties holding the main entrance as the Orcs in the region were a constant problem. Knowing they needed to be somewhat quick with their siege they were in trouble as unfortunately the tunneling behind Berne would take some time, and so he needed to block the front of Berne without having his army sitting there for the four years the underway would take to complete.

“The Kingdom of Quel'Thalas could either close the gap that existed, or leave it open. It all depended on the whims of Elves, and they had never showed themselves to be willing to take chances in order to help others so I wasn't exactly betting on their assistance.”
— William Lovie III.

In order to do this William sent emissaries from the Order of the Green Dragon to meet with the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas whose forest extended close to the boundaries of Berne and thus would be able to assist in blocking them in if they so chose to do. The Order of the Green Dragon was sent and led by Demi Hill of whom was accompanied by Franklin Brent and his wife Karyl Reyne who led a force of some six hundred House Brent forces alongside three hundred men led by Dexter Hill to act as guards for the mission. When his emissaries arrived they were greeted by Legolas, and Alleria Windrunner of whom were accompanied by nearly three hundred Sindar Elves, and they would greet them with friendship and take them to Darnassus. Traveling through the woods of Quel'Thalas its Franklin, Karyl, and Demi that discuss the current situation in the area and discover that the Quel'Thalasian Elves are not the only major Elven power in the area as Alleria tells them about Lothlorian. While being there to make an alliance with Quel'Thalas its Demi Hill and Franklin that both make mental notes to discuss also furthering the Lucernian presence in the area by also forming a relationship with the Kingdom of Lothlorian. In Darnassus they would be treated to a beautiful feast and Alleria took Franklin and his wife around the capital before they would have the meeting later that night. Seeing the size and beauty of Darnassus, and the kindness of the Windrunner siblings Franklin would have a very high opinion of the Sindar Elves, and he took this opinion into the meeting that night. At the meeting they found that Quel'Thalas was willing to do this in return for an alliance with them which Demi Hill was quick to give them, as William was more then willing to make an alliance with the Elves. Not just happy with an alliance the it was Alleria Windrunner that would offer Franklin and the members of the Lucernian entourage a chance to visit the Dor'Danil Barrow Den where they would be able to enter the Emarald Dream if they so choose.

“Enter the Emerald Dream, and discover who you really are.”
— Tular Windswift

After discussing what would happen there its the groups decision that they will all accept this gift except for Demi Hill, and outside of Demi they are then taken by Clintar Dreamwalker of whom is the Arch Druid of Quel'Thalas, and Saelar Dewwalker of whom is the Guardian of the Claw and leader of the Dor'danil Barrow, to the Dor'Danil Barrow Dens which are located on the edge of Darnassus. While the group spends several days in the Barrow Dens a letter arrives from William stating that a revolt has broken out in Hillsbrad and since they are closer Franklin is tasked to travel there with all speed and end the revolt. The Quel'Thallasians reveal that they can portal Franklin and a small group to near Hillsbrad as there is a forest there with a way stone and Demi Hill agrees that once he wakes from the Emerald Dream he will go there through the portal and gives the letter to Alleria who will give it to Franklin. Following the agreement its Legalos that would lead a force of some two thousand fighters to a forward forest that they would fortify and from there they would be able to adequately block the Orcs from being able to interfere in any real way. So with the front door closed his forces returned to Lucerne while a small contingent remained along with a larger force of the Elves of Quel'Thalas. Franklin Brent and his group wake from the Emerald Dream and with Alavanna holding a visablly shaken Franklin of whom is in tears as he wakes from the Emerald Dream, and taking him by the arm she leads him to a meeting room where Clintar, and Nylindia wait inside. The group sits together and as Franklin slowly recovers from waking from the Emerald Dream they discuss that Tular, and Alavanna will be joining him as he travels not back to Berne, but instead travels through a portal formed for them in Darnassus taking them to a small forest east of Hillsbrad where Franklin is told William Lovie III. has sent him a letter which after reading Franklin nods and asks for them to take him to the portal. As Demi Hill was leaving to return to Berne it's Alleria Windrunner that said that she would be joining them with some two hundred heavily trained and equipped Sentinels at the main Lucerne camp, and this was once again quickly accepted by Demi Hill.

Meeting Ezio Ederiz

Infiltrating the Tower

“For whatever it was worth I believed him. I looked in his eyes and it told me that he was being truthful. In this world you really have to trust your gut, and my gut was telling me to go all in on this.”
— William Lovie III.

With Ezio done telling him what was happening William told him he needed some time to think and that while he trusted him, he needed to plan on the best way forward. Ezio told him that he had control of the first tower, and thus he could get some of William's men inside that tower if that would make him feel better about the whole thing. William liked this plan, and it was then that he asked whether or not Hanna Arryn, and her sister Aria were safe inside the city, and Ezio told him that House Arryn was now in hiding in the city outside of Byron Arryn who was being forced to sit and watch Allison's body be violated by Sean Lovie. Andrew was thankful that Hanna was fine, and because of this he told Ezio that he would have his anwser in an hour. With that William called in his commanders and they discussed their options about how to move forward. After talking for some time it became clear that they needed to gather more troops, and especially Andrew wanted to have some of his up and coming leadership involved so that they would feel important to him. He planned to travel to Forks where he would meet with these leaders and make them aware of their involvement and then they would launch the attack. He got Ezio back in the tent, and he told him that he needed to allow his men to take control of the first tower, and that this would amount to his test of loyalty. Ezio agreed without hesitation and left with Jasper, and Leven to make the arrangements of which Franklin Brent would volunteer to command the first forces into the tower. Emmett was left in command of the siege while William was gone alongside the commanders, and this would be the situation that was left as William left for Forks. Franklin Brent would lead a force of men alongside his friend Dexter Hill, and several others of whom they would enter the first tower using massive ropes hung down by the loyalist Arryn rebels within the tower.

Meeting in Forks

“It took days to travel to Forks, and days to travel back to Berne, and thus it's hard for me not to wonder what might have been had we of just moved against the fortress with just House Lovie's forces. Atleast I got to see Bella, and it was in the comfort that she offered me that I knew exactly why she was the one for me.”
— William Lovie III.

After talking to Ezio and having silently infiltrated the first tower with his help William accepted that this was the only plan that had any quick hope of success, and he now felt incredibly rushed due to the threat to the people inside the city of which there were many that he cared for on a deep level. In order to do this he needed the most elite force he could get, so he begin calling his banner houses in, as well as commanding several houses travel to Forks to meet him. All the houses that had been called clearly had to send representatives but when they arrived this mission clearly could be seen as a silent attack that didn't require huge numbers. House Crane, House Swan, House Scarlet, and House Lovie were the houses that would be leading the attack along with leadership from many other houses in Lucerne. Alongside this House Skane, and House Starke were sending numbers led by Robb Starke, and Torgon Skane of whom would join the other forces in entering through the main courtyard once the towers had fallen, or in the worst case even if they didn't fall. As William waited for Bella to arrive so that he could see her, he spent many hours talking with the leadership of the houses that were

going to be involved of which included Orival Crane of whom he wanted to one day be a very important figure in the Kingdom of Lucerne, and he made this very clear to Orival as they talked. The Arrival of the reinforcements also brought news that House Jestife had started a revolt taking control of Brill, alongside a spreading rebellion elsewhere which were being handled by loyalists in House Clegane, and House Tyrell. In his talk with Orival Crane he and Hedrik discussed how William was trusting heavily in this traitor of the True Sons of Lucerne, and also discussed how his older lover Amber Heard had been captured likely as a last minute threat to William in order to make him turn back. It was late when Bella arrived in Forks, accompanied by Freddie Highmore, and Wilhem Martell - alongside a large force of House Martell, and House Shephard of whom were also sending forces to join the attack - and when they did he said his quick hellos to Freddie and Wilhem before he and Bella made their way to stay in room in the House Swan estate of which he was technically a member of House Swan. After being together romantically he talked openly about how scared he was of seeing Sean there, and also he feared that he was going to be made to make a choice in that final room between killing Sean and keeping his old friend Amber alive. Bella already knew of the old relationship between the two, as Alice had told her of this long ago, and because of this she understood that he didn't simply care for this girl, but he in fact loved her. Bella tried to make him feel better about it, but there really wasn't much you could say to that horrible of a situation so she just held him while he went through it all with her. That night he left Bella who was sleeping and went outside to speak with Leven of whom brought him a response letter from Brooke of whom had quickly sent a letter after William's had reached her. William would read the letter with Leven and Brooke sent her emotional support and told him how much she loved him, of which Leven at that moment didn't believe but didn't want to upset William.

Discovery of Betrayal

“I saw you once Your Grace. It was at the Battle of Minus Ithil. You were slashing and stabbing at the monsters and for a moment I stopped. Just stopped and watched you. All the fighting surrounding me and there I was watching you move like a god. I knew then that you were my king.”
— Edric Nighting

It was at this point that Edric Nighting would arrive in Forks where he had made the decision to turn against his family and reveal the plans of his family. Edric Nighting had several weeks before this begin hearing talk from his father and older brother that they planned to rise against House Scott and murder the Scotts in the city before taking control of Tree Hill itself. He would watch his brother in secret as his brother James Nighting II. followed Brooke Scott watching her movements, and watching her himself he discovered that she was the mistress of William Lovie III. through listening in on a conversation between Brooke and Haley Scott. Learning of this relationship between William and Brooke the loyal Edric Nighting would depart Tree Hill by horse with his friend Hanzal Grightling heading towards Forks where they had heard William Lovie III. was meeting with his wife and the leadership of Forks. Arriving at Forks the two would quickly gain an audience with the king of whom was surrounded at the time by Charlie Swan, Leven Martell, and Bella Swan, and seeing how influential the group was Edric would immediately tell the king what he knew which horrified the group of whom had already rallied their forces and was planning to move out the next day to Berne. Realizing the main forces still needed to go to Berne he would command Jasper Hale to lead a secondary force to Tree Hill in order to defend the Scott's once the Nighting's moved against them, and after discussing it was decided that Jasper would move south through the province of Rosten where he would summon a force from that province's lord in House Elric alongside Northern Tree Hill's lordn in House Guntbold and then lead them southward to Tree Hill.

“Tell me Jasper how it is fair that your love for him is more valuable then my own. He doesn't love you any more then he loves me. So tell me the truth why you must always stand by his side?”
— Leven Martell

Following the breaking up of the meeting Jasper, Leven, and Bella would follow William back to his tent where Jasper would convince William to take him with him to Berne and instead send Leven to Tree Hill. Making up excuses about why she needed to go instead of him Leven was left shocked by what Jasper did and thus limply accepted this change of plans, and with a kiss to her forward she and William would say goodnight and following this Jasper and Leven left the tent. Leaving the tent Leven would follow Jasper trying to get him to explain himself, but he refused until she became quite agitated leading to an argument between the long time friends. Fighting loudly forced Jasper to take the argument into his tent where he would reveal that he did not trust her abilities to protect William considering how in love with him she was, and following this she would punch him in the face before returning to her own tent. The next day William, Jasper and the larger force from Forks would leave the city leaving Leven and a few hundred men at arms and knights to move south towards Castle Elric where she would go to defend the mistress of her beloved.

Sneaking Inside

“This was the moment thousands had been waiting for. The moment my brother's madness would finally come to an end.”
— William Lovie III.

When William Lovie arrived back at Berne flanked by the forces of House Swan, Scarlet, Crane, Starke, Martell, Skane, and many of their vassals he entered the command tent and prepared alongside his commanders the method by which they would do this. Ezio told them that the only real way into the valley of Berne was to take control of the towers defending the passes, and this was possible since they controlled the first tower. From the first tower they would attack the second tower, and then the third, and fourth control towers which would allow them to bring the entire army into the Valley where the defenders would be unprepared for their entry. Once this was achieved they must take control of the fifth tower which was inside the City of Berne itself and was connected through a long tunnel which could be locked from the inside meaning if they failed to take it before they were noticed it would be shut and they would have to attack the main walls.

“I felt fear being pulled alongside those golden armored men. This whole thing just reminded me why I didn't get personally involved in these political matters. As I regretted my decision to put myself in this kind of danger I remembered the brave look in Amber's eyes as she surrendered herself to save her child. If she could have that kind of strength then I could, and would do everything in my power to save her.”
— Ezio Ederiz

With this plan in place William Lovie would send the forces of House Scarlet led by Darion, and Saiden Scarlet to enter the First Tower where they would push their full forces and they alone would be responsible for working alongside the rebels in order to take control of the towers. They would be assisted by the Order of the Golden Dragon of whom was forced to follow William Lovie of whom was going to assist here alongside Edward Cullen and several members of the Order of the Blue Dragon, as well Orival Crane would convince William to let him join the forces attacking the towers. Entering the tower and joining the Arryn loyalists, and Franklin Brent and his forces that had initially taken control of the tower from the rebels and had held it while the main forces gathered. At that final moment Robb, and Jon Starke joined the assault group and this would force William to also take Wilheim alongside with him as Wilheim now wouldn't take no for an answer.

The Battle

“The Towers all held so many moments where everything could have gone terribly wrong. It was by the shere luck of the dragon that we were able to sucede as easily as we did.”
— Saiden Scarlet

With the main force now preparing to enter the first pass into Berne they only needed to see the response from the second tower to know when to move in, and they would get that call the first night as they would be signaled by a flag hanging from the wall set out by the tower forces. The Tower forces would wait until night, and that night as they moved forward the few guards meant to make sure such infiltration of the towers were not possible were rebels and thus they allowed the tower forces to infiltrate the towers, and within they found the mercenary forces of Sean Lovie in the form of the Stormblown. The fight for the tower was swift as with most of their forces asleep the few on sentry duty found themselves being attacked by a huge number of troops flooding into the tower. As the Stormblown moved to raise the alarm they found the alarm room locked, and when they finally broke inside they found inside several rebels of whom killed the Stormblown that tried to enter the room. With the tower taken Orival Crane would raise the flag thus giving the main force the safe call to enter the first pass. Torgon Skane alongside the other commanders would move their forces alongside the Elves and reached the very edge of the first pass as the attack move forward, and during this they also moved forward with the siege machines that everyone hoped they would have no need of using. At the third tower they would basically be allowed in as the rebels had taken complete control over this tower, and the few members of the Stormblown that were present inside the tower were barely able to get out of their beds before they were killed by the vengeful rebels and the incoming Lucernians.

“I watched each flag go up and each time a piece of me felt better as I knew my king was safe for yet another moment. It was his bravery that made people love him, but in these moments his braveary was horrifying for those of us who were forced to watch from afar.”
— Joshua Jackson

The fourth tower was the true test of the attack as while it was held by the forces of House Krinner who was a member of the rebellion the tower held the largest contingent of the Stormblown outside of the city itself. Robb Starke, and Wilheim Martell alongside Robb Starke would lead a contingent of forces east of the tower to cut off any kind of relief once the main attack went forward, and with that the main assault could begin on the fourth tower. As the Lucernians made their way into the tunnels approaching the fourth tower they were spotted by a Stormblown soldier of whom alerted the rest of the force to a betrayal, and with this becoming clear the forces of House Krinner would assemble under the command of Danzal, and Benjamin Krinner of whom defended the tunnel route heading towards the fifth tower so that none of the Stormblown could warn their comrades, and inside the tower House Krinner under the command of Oskar Kinner the defenders would block the gate into the alarm room thus preventing for a time the forces of the Stormblown from gaining entry to the alarm. A fierce battle would commense between the defenders in House Krinner and the Stormblown. As the forces of Lucerne attempted to enter the fight they were forced to attack through defended barriers quickly set up by the forces of the Stormblown in order to resist the attackers. During the fighting here Darion Scarlet would become famous for defeating the Stormblown second in command in single combat after they entered the last room of the tower and it was held by the Stormblown second in command. With his death the rest of the Stormblown slowly surrendered, and with that the flag was raised and the main army understood that the way into the valley was clear.

The Final Tower

“The Sound of that horn going off could have meant the massacre of our entire force. It could have meant the deaths of thousands but the bravery of the three Arryn brothers. They could have stayed hidden and not risked death but instead they did what was right and resisted a tyrant and they saved thousands. History may say that I won that day but I know the truth of who was responsible for our victory.”
— William Lovie III.

As the main army moved into the valley silently in the darkness of the night the tower forces moved into the tunnels approaching the fifth and final tower. Ezio had told them that they had to get to the other end without being stopped or else the way would be blocked and there would be no way in except a truly viscous fight for the valley. As they entered the tunnel and were only two minutes away everyone including the main force heard a massive horn go off, and the rebels told William that someone had set off one of the alarms of the towers. With this all sense of stealth went out the window and the tower force charged into the tunnel in the hopes of reaching the gate controls before it was shut. As they ran down the tunnel they watched as the massive portcullis gate was slowly shutting, and then suddenly as they were getting closer it slowed and then stopped and they could hear the cries of battle at the other side, and as they reached it they entered a brutal battle between members of House Arryn and the Stormblown who were trying to shut the gate. With the entry of the Lucernians the battle went away from them, but the Stormblown survivors were able to retreat in good form and make their way towards the Berne Keep where they would blow the alarm horn again and the Stormblown throughout Berne would retreat to the keep alongside those still loyal to Sean Lovie although that number was very slight now that House Arryn was in full rebellion. With the stormblown in full retreat the defenders that were on the wall moved completely into the rebellion allowing the main force to enter through the front gate, as the rebels opened the gate letting them inside. The rebels, and the tower forces would move throughout the city, and kill or capture anyone still flying the colors of the Stormblown and as well as this making sure that everyone knew that the city was Lucernian again and they had nothing to fear.

Battle of Krinner

Main Article : Battle of Krinner

“As the Stormblown mercenaries, and the other True Sons were pushed back more and more the call from Sean was not for them to pull completely back, but instead it was for them to attack the estate of House Krinner where much of the women and children alongside nearly all of the nobility of the city had fled too. Thousands fleeing into the estate were never under the belief that they would be under threat, but that was proven wrong the moment the forces appeared near the walls.”
— Paul Arryn

As the Lucerne forces took the final tower before the wall there were some who suspected something was wrong, but all orders were that everyone stayed inside so no one was allowed to leave the inner fortress to investigate, and in order to occupy the forces he had at alert (and in order to further make sure the defenses failed as was hinted at by Sean Lovie during the final duel with William) Sean would command that they attack the House Krinner estate of which was the site of the retreating nobles of Berne. While the commoners and the vast majority of the population had fled into the deeper sections of the city, and to the walls where the more Lucernian houses guarded it was the nobles that fled into the estate of House Krinner. Other then the nobles and politically far more important then that was the fact that Alistair Bedregen had retreated into the Keep alongside Thomas Lovie of whom was the true target of Sean Lovie this late in the fight. News reached them late that Alistair had gone there following the attempt on his life and Thomas and when it became clear this was where he was Sean would send basically everyone available including most of the defenses of the tunnel in order to try and kill Thomas. The estate itself was a sort of mini castle that was built into a large cave deep in the northern section of the city and was defensible from one large tower that covered the entire entrance, and from the ramparts built into the gatehouse.

“Massing on the walls I could make out the hundreds of attackers that swarmed all around the courtyard. I knew what they would have to do to take us, and I just prayed we were strong enough to resist.”
— Paul Arryn

It was this spot that the forces of the Stormblown, and the other True Sons loyalist houses would move towards in heavy numbers in order to try and complete the commands of Sean Lovie. Some three hundred Stormblown (including many of their most elite members, and two of their top three commander) alongside some four hundred more True Sons loyalist (of which only the fifty from House Ignirt would actually take part in the battle while the rest simply miled about faking interest in the siege. House Ingirt would be this only truly loyalist element due to the fact that Lord Beren Ingirt's daughter Lia Ingirt, and heir Harren Ingirt were captives of the prince and he was basically blackmailed into supporting Sean Lovie's forces out of fear for his two children. The forces of the True Sons would charge out from the shadows and attack without even a call for surrender, as they were commanded to destroy them and thus no surrender was neccessary or warrented. Charging the walls they suffered accurate and deadly archer fire from the large tower that surveyed the courtyard, and the archers on the ramparts. During this charge Lord Beren Ingirt would fall with an arrow to the neck and with his death the forces of House Ingirt fell under the command of Beren's brother Brandon Ingirt of whom would silently slip away with most of the relief forces moving them towards the prison where they would take part in the taking of the prison. With no cover the Stormblown and others got to the walls much diminished but still with high strength, and once at the gate they bashed at it with quickly made battering rams and climbed the sides of the wall to get to the ramparts, while hoisting a large ladder against the tower.

“I could see Trailen Dorin`s heir, and Danzal Krinner standing on the ramparts, and from their position they were able to shoot anyone that came up the ladder to the tower without any cause for fear from the ground. On the tower they were just massacring those on the ground with a nearly endless stream of arrows into their ranks. At the gate I stood with my shoulder against it alongside my men as we tried to buy more time for the archers to thin their numbers even more.”
— Paul Arryn

The men attempting to get up the ladders and climbing the walls suffered terribly as the tower was able to hit the men climbing with ease while the ramparts were hitting the men climbing for the tower, and thus it all came down to the gate. During this initial fighting the defenders on the walls were joined by Alistair of whom desperate to make sure that Thomas survived would take a bow and fight on the walls where despite his age he would fight bravely before being hit by an arrow from the ground, and fell dead at the age of nearly seventy three. It was near this point that Vaedin Stormblown`s next brother Sordin Stormblown was also shot through the chest by Danzal

Danzal Krinner would make a further name for himself during the battle as he led the tower in its attacks and coordinated the fire very well.

Krinner of which led to the final Stormblown son in Tolin Stormblown fleeing the field, and taking several other high level commanders with him as well. By this point the other houses of which had been milling about watching the siege, would retreat and pull back to their respective estates of which they decided was the only logical thing they could do as they would be most likely targeted by the Krinner estate for their believed betrayal. The battering at the gates was shattering it, and it was only a few more minutes before it finally came crashing down. Moments before it went down, Paul Arryn would gather with his most elite men, and forces of the loyalist houses, and prepare for a charge out of the gate. Warning the wall and tower that they were charging out, they opened the gate and smashed into the unsuspecting attackers outside the wall. Pushing them back the force fell back and was cut down from behind, killing nearly the entire force attacking but the loyalist forces returned into the keep to repair the gate and didn`t persue believing the larger force was incoming. At this point as the line melded together Hanna, Aria, and other noble ladies would move into the front and do their best to relieve the men by bringing water, and other supplies while helping to repair the gate.

Taking of the Prison

Hunting a Beast

Morrigan would serve for the final time Bill Lovie in his command of her to go to Berne and murder Forder Braxton and stop him from killing several of the prisoners. By this point she was till under the directive of Flemeth to assist Bill Lovie and using this directive she would be more then happy to serve Bill Lovie who was beginning to attempt to silently assist his son one last time before he lost himself to madness completely.

“I don't have much time before my mind is taken over again by the monster. Go to Berne and stop Forder Braxton. The monster in my mind has ordered him to kill as many people as he can in Berne, and I need you to stop this from happening.”
— James Lovie II.

It would be Forder Braxton, and his son Markus Braxton that would be sent to Berne by James Lovie II. to represent the dealings of the Circle of Magi and a believed loyalist faction, although Bill Lovie had no intention of ever assisting Sean as he wanted William to gain victory, but this was not known by Fordor of whom arrived in Berne to find the city in Chaos and surrounded by the Lucernians. Traveling into the city through Magi he would meet with Sean Lovie and at this point he would join the upper tier of the leadership of the True Sons of Lucerne executing several loyalists alongside his son, but it would be only a few weeks before the city came under assault by the Lucernians. During the battle Fordor and Markus would wander the city of Berne killing at random as was their command by James Lovie if/and when the city fell, and reaching the prisons hoping to kill as many valuable hostages as he could before leaving Forder would be shocked to find Morrigan his old Circle of Magi partner waiting in the gallows before the prison entrance surrounded by the dead bodies of the Stormblown mercenaries guarding the prison.

“You think you understand what Bill Lovie truly wants of you? Do you think you even have the slightest idea what that madman wants of you. This great king of yours killed hundreds for doing nothing more then asking why they should serve a madman. You stood by...I stood by as he murdered these men, women and children, and then we did it again...You come here because of reasons you could not even hope to understand. He commanded you to come here and murder innocent men, and women, and children, and at the same time he ordered me to come here and stop you. What kind of king do you follow? What kind of man do you worship at the feet of? What kind...I'll tell you now that you shouldn't follow a man who gets your son killed...”
— Morrigan

Confused why Morrigan was resisting him he told her he was only doing the work of James Lovie, and at this she would retort saying that so was she and then launched a killing spell at Markus, but it was deflected killing the two guards accompanying them, and then fighting Forder, and Markus who barely managed to resist her strength. As the three fought Forder, and Markus were no match for the more powerful Morrigan and Forder dropped his wand surrendering, but after surrendering he expected to be allowed to leave but Morrigan instead slew young Markus and then prepared to kill Forder but he unleashed a Magi blast at her and was able to escape through hidden tunnels.

Duel with Sean Lovie

“Forgiveness is never easy. Bitterness is easy. Hatred is easy. But forgiveness, that's a tough one. Sometimes, people say things they don't mean or do things they can't take back. Sometimes we do things we can't take back. So we feed ourselves to starve the pain. I have to believe that's what happened to Sean.”
— William Lovie III.

With the civil war all but over the moment had come for the final confrontation with his brother. There wasn't really a doubt in anyone's mind who would win in a fight the difficult part of the coming fight was the fact that Sean had the emotional advantage through his capture and hostage taking of Amber Heard the first love of Andrew. The room before the throne room was gaurded by James Nighting II. of whom laughed at them for not realizing that House Nighting was truly on the side of the True Sons of Lucerne. James and the three House Nighting men that were with him charged William and his group, and after a brief fight the four were killed by the far superior forces of William. Jasper held James down, and with a wave William commanded his death and Jasper ended his life. Surveying the rest of the room there were bodies stacked in the corner, of which not all were adults, and the the scope of the atrocities in this city were becoming clear. William before entering the throne room ordered Wilheim Martell to return to the camp at all speed and send word that House Nighting had betrayed them. They all knew that if House Nighting turned then who knew what sort of alliance might be present outside of Berne and with a large quantity of the loyalist forces besieging Lucerne they could be open for a betrayal.

Amber Heard never thought she was going to survive to see William again, and the sight of him caused her to leap up and great pain as the chain around her neck kept her stationary.

Before entering the final room William would also command Robb, and Jon Starke to lead forces to make sure that no holdouts would cause them any problems, while he briefly met with Alleria Windrunner of whom would wish him the best in the next room as she knew something about fighting siblings. She attempted to one last time make sure he understood that his brother had made his choice and that no amount of sympathy from his side would change what Sean had become. When Andrew entered the throne room of Berne flanked by Jasper, Edward, Emmett, Faye, and his elite guard they found Sean standing alone with nothing but the bound and strapped form of Amber Heard keeping him company. Looking around the room briefly he could see the ruined corpse of what he assumed from the words of Ezio was the poor Allison Arryn, and all along the wall he could see broken corpses of men and women that had obviously fallen victim to Sean's madness.

“He sat the way you would expect any psychopath to be sitting when they were idle. He just had nothing in his eyes, and I had to try to force my mind to even remember a moment that he didn't look that way. My brother was gone. He was lost into madness, and no matter what he said he couldn't leave this room alive. After all the years and the pain he was going to pay for everything he had ever done.”
— William Lovie III.

As he entered the room Sean remained silent but the look on his face told Andrew that Sean had a plan and whatever happened this plan was something he believed could work. Amber Heard never thought she was going to survive to see William again, and the sight of him caused her to leap up and this led to great pain as the chain around her neck kept her stationary. Laughing at what had happened to Amber through the fact that she was crying and holding her neck the situation turned as William charged forward only stopped by Sean holding his sword to Amber`s neck.

Look at the world father. You were born into this land. You grew up here. These people swore their lives to you. How could you have done all of this? Look at everything you have done. You destroyed a city. Killed hundreds of good men out of fear. Is this how you want to be remembered father. Is this the world you want to leave behind? I know you were a good person once. Don't end it all here. Don't do this. For me father. For everything I supposedly mean to you. Don't do this.

``Really brother. If I were you I would take a couple of steps backwards.`` Everyone stopped as he held the sword to Amber`s neck. I held my hands out to make sure he knew I was willing to atleast talk this out. As I did I noticed the windows in the corner of my eye which I noticed had archers in them. ``Thats right you listen to me now.`` Everyone just stood in place and I hated having him control even an ounce of anything in this world. ``Now that I have your attention tell everyone to leave. This is between me, you, and the bird.`` I looked behind me at Jasper and his eyes told me there was no way he was going to leave, but I knew he had to if I wanted to try and find a way into his mind and to somehow save Amber. Knowing about the windows I had to hope that there was some kind of back entrance into the throne room, and from there perhaps they could infiltrate the windows and gain the upper hand. Moving closer to the men I whispered to the group so lowly that poor Emmett with his poor hearing was forced to come nearly to kissing level.

"We need to do what he says.``Seeing the rejection in their eyes I stopped it immediatly. ``There are windows all along this room, and I need you to get in them so that we can get a handle on this. Emmett, and Edward I can`t tell you what to do. If you want to go with Jasper and the windows then so be it. I would prefer if you saved as many innocents as you could. The rest of you wait in the last room and give those poor souls a cleaner end....they deserve better then to be piled in the corner like garbage. If I should fall.``Edward stepped forward``If I should fall you all must make sure under no circumstances does he leave this room. He cannot be allowed to survive this no matter what happens. Now go. We have little time.``Relunctantly they begin filtering out of the room to the sound of laughter from Sean behind me. ``Yes Sean you have us exactly where you want us, now tell me what you want.`` His laughter was the first thing that happened before he grabbed a key from behind his back and undid the chain around Amber`s neck. Pulling her farther away it took everything in me to not move forward and attack him on the spot.

``I don`t want anything brother. You see that`s the trick. You had the same repository of books that I did, and let me tell you something about the villians in a story. Sometimes the villians want something. They want gold to build a mighty castle. Or maybe they want a women." He swayed as he spoke flayling his arms about like a mad man. " In the end brother It doesn`t matter what they want, it just matters that they want something. You see its important that they want something because for this reason these villians you see, they can be bargained with. They can lose.`` Knowing where he was going I interupted him.

``And let me guess. Your the kind that wants nothing.`` Standing up taller before he spoke he pulled Amber closer to him, and I could see the tears flowing from her eyes. I tried my best to comfort her with my eyes, and her eyes followed suit with mine, and I could tell I had calmed her down. He pushed her to the ground holding the sword so close to her neck I could see a bit of blood fall before raising his face to me again with a twisted look to his face.

``I don`t mean to interupt your longing towards the Arryn whore. " He stared at me clearly trying to make sure that I got the message. "Good. Now that I have your attention again I'll tell you the secret." He looked so excited to say it, as if its was some secret. "I'm not the villian brother. That honor is for you.``

``In what twisted world do you live where your not the villian. You are the same man who sits on a throne covered in the innocents that hes killed. Your the same evil that tried to molest his own sister, and now dares to threaten such a innocent as Amber Heard.``

"Its all a matter of perception." He pulled Amber back up to stand in front of him, and he begin to pet her hair causing a whelp from her. It took every piece of my control not to burst forward and kill him where he stood for touching a hair on her head.

Controlling my increasing rage I spoke to the monster standing before me. "And what perception is that?"

``The perseption that comes from knowing the anwser to this question." He stopped and stared at Amber before looking back at me. "What makes her innocent my brother. Is her innocene borne from the fact that she opened her legs for you whenever you pleased...``

``How dare you...``

"It is an honest question. I want you to tell me how this girl. This piece of meat. I want you to tell me right here, and right now what makes her innocent. "

"She hasn't harmed anyone. She hasn't done a thing in this world other then be a good person."

"And that makes her innocent, does it?"

"Yes it does."

"Your a fool."

"You wish to brandish words around like a bunch of fish wives then do it your way. Or do you want to finally become a man and face what you've done."

``I get this moment brother. You forgot through your youth, that unlike you the rest of us out here in the world have things happen to them. Your the villian along with this whore because of what you have allowed to happen. One does not blame the virus for infecting its victom. You blame the monster who created the virus, and you my brother are the reason I am the way that I am.``

``You want to find a way to escape the person that you are you need to find someone who cares for even a moment for whether or not you live or die.``

``There it is right there. Don`t you see. It was that uncaring neglect. Outright hatred at times that left me utterly alone.``

``You don`t get to blame becoming a monster on the fact that you and I weren`t best friends.``

``I have the sword. I have the damsel. Those mean I get to say, and do whatever the fuck I want to do. Do you understand what I`ve done. Do you have any idea the scope of the things I`ve caused.`

...Continued

Death is the End

“As the minutes went by my brother fell into a darker and darker place, and despite knowing I should be pulling him back, I hated him so much in that moment that I basically pushed him off.”
— William Lovie III.

Watching his brother implode in front of him, and basically throw him in front of the bus for everything that had ever gone wrong for him in his life, wasn`t something that William was able to accept. William would begin badgering Sean and insulting him to the point that his brother begin to reveal to him certain darker acts then anything anyone had ever thought he was possibly involved in. Sean told him how he had become obsessed with seeing the death of this particulary noble girl of whom he refused to name but said she unimportant in the grand scheme of things, and that this obsession had followed him for years. Finally one night he had been invited to dinner for the first time in months and was told by Bill to not criticize anything throughout the meal or else he was never eating with them again. Tasting something horrible in the meal he ignored it and kept eating, and following this he said that a dark entity would offer him assistance and when he accepted he begin hearing terrifying voices in his mind. After going through all the terrible things he had done throughout this time he finally got to Berne where he told William that he just wanted to die. He just wanted to

Amber watched as Sean appeared to fall apart in front of her, and all she could think was that she just wanted to live. She just wanted another chance with William. It didn`t matter that he had remarried. She just wanted to be with him again.

escape all the pain that he was constantly bombarded with, but that as time went by nothing he seemed to do incited anyone to kill him, and this annoyed him even more. Sean would tell him that he had broken and abused Hedrik Clegane's now wife in Rachel Wood, and that he was responsible for the rape of countless other noble girls, and that he was specifically attempting to escalate it so that he could die, but no matter what he did he continued to escape justice. Sean would reveal to him how that night he had attempted to kill Alice it was as if this voice in his head was literally screaming, and it was screaming to ravish Alice. He had honestly been incapable of stopping himself, and despite trying he found himself constantly moving towards her room, and he had been glad that William had assaulted him. He told William that he had been forgotten by their father when he made the spell removing Alice and that he had followed her to Forks where he had watched her for months but was stopped by men of Bills from revealing anything to her.

“I watched the first archer fall and in that moment I saw Jasper nod at me from the window followed by Emmett standing in the window with his own bow prepared to launch an arrow at Sean, but foolishly I believed I could talk him down. I also knew that any attempt to fire at Sean would most surely end with Amber`s death as Sean was too much of a coward to go down like that. I did know one thing though, with the one window down, it was only a matter of moments until the other three went down as well, and when that happened their would be an opening.”
— William Lovie III.

William watched as Sean devolved and saw Jasper kill one of the archers in the window thus revealing to him that they had found a way into the windows. Seeing there were only three other windows he waved away Emmett`s offer to kill Sean from the window as he knew it would end with Amber`s death. Sean seeing the look on William`s face

would demand to know what was so interesting that his brother was ignoring him, and when William could not appease him enough Sean slashed Amber across the shoulder with a blade narrowly missing her head, but still causing serious damage. Seeing this Sean would pull a lever behind him which the moment after he did all the windows slammed shut with Stone portcullis, and the gate they had entered from also was barred with portcullis. Rushing to Amber he knocked Sean to the ground, and picked up Amber. Picking her up he realized instantly how bad the wound to her shoulder was as it had cut far too deep for anyone there to heal her, and he panicked knowing she was going to die. She held him tight, but he could feel her grasp on him loosening as her life left her. Closing her eyes he let out a cry as he believed she had died, and he held her tight crying into her shoulder before kissing her hard on the lips and then gently laying her down before moving towards Sean who was slumped against a post nearby.

“As I walked to him, I knew this was the end. He would die in this moment. I didn`t expect him to be crying.”
— William Lovie III.

Grabbing Sean by the shoulders he found his brother crying, and Sean grasped onto Williams arms as if to try and hold onto him. There was no resistance, and as William held the sword to his chest he held a moment and looked into Sean`s eyes waiting for his last words. Sean in that moment would tell William that Bill still lived and had gone west to France, and would begin to start an apology when William stabbed him through the chest and covered his mouth with his hand. Looking behind him at the lifeless body of Amber he would proceed to be overcome with rage and strangle Sean as the last of his life left him. Getting up he walked back over to Amber, and ignored the sounds of crashing as his men attempted to break there way through the gate, and the windows. Kneeling beside Amber he ripped some cloth from his tunic and covered her wound not wanting her to be seen like this. As he wiped her wound her arm would move up and grasp onto his, and her final grasp for life would continue and it gave the two former lovers one last chance to talk to each other.

The Rise of Lucerne
I saw the destruction of the world, and knew I had to stop it. There was nothing left to do but become bigger then everyone else. The Empire was never going to be the beacon the world needed it to be. Westros was on fire. The Bretonians had reached for the stars and been burned. And the old shadow of Numeron was fading far too quickly. It was left to us in Lucerne to change the fate of all those who wished to reject darkness. We were the last hope for a world who had long since given up on believing.

I could almost feel her leave me as there was a lifelessness to her eyes, and when I did I gently let her down to the ground. I left a kiss on her lips before closing her eyes and taking a moment to stare at the girl I had loved first in my life. She was the innocence of youth. The kind of person who is always the victim of monsters like my brother and that sad fact just left me more angry then any other death I had seen in my life. I had seen good men die in battle, but to look down at Amber and realize that she was just innocent, and had still died hurt me deeply.

Hearing a sound come from Sean I gave one last kiss to her lips before letting her go, and turning around to find my brother. He had moved himself into the corner and was shaking while holding onto a large flag. As I went towards him I couldn't make out what he was saying, but to be frank it was not going to matter what he said. Sometimes men are just guilty and words cannot escape that fact.

Reaching Sean I grabbed him by the shoulders and turned him to face me, while I took out a knife and held it to his throat. Turning him had revealed what the noise was as his face was covered in tears, and the sight of the sword made him pull himself towards it.

``Please William. Kill me now. I cannot live the things in my mind anymore.``

``You murder someone as innocent as Amber and you dare to look for pity now.``

``No pity brother. I want mercy.``

``You do not deserve mercy. The things you have done are beyond imagining.``

``Then punish me William.`` At these words I threw the dagger away and a look of sadness went to his face, before being quickly replaced by understanding when I pulled out my sword and aimed it towards his chest.

``No punishment in the world would ever be far enough to be justice. You deserve so much worse then I could ever give you.``

``You are right brother.`` Sean begin to shake, and I swear I saw somesort of cloud come from his body towards the roof above us, and as it did he looked up at the roof of the room and a look of peace went over his face that just horrified me. I didnt want him to feel peace while she lay dead. He didnt deserve to feel anything even close to that. The things he had done were too much. ``I think its gone.``

``No more talk.``

``Perhaps just one more thing brother.``

``Say your last words and be done with it.``

``Our father went west. He went into the ruins of France.``

``I will find him and give him the true death I will soon give you.``

``I hope that you do William. I hope that you avenge everyone who has been hurt by him.`` I felt such overpowering rage as I looked at him that my eyes must have been showing it as he looked at me with a realization that it was over and he closed his eyes. ``Goodbye Will...``

Before he got the words out I stabbed him through the chest piercing his armor between the plates and he let out a sigh before going limp in my arms. I let him down with a loud bang as his body hit the floor, and leaving behind his body I went towards Amber wanting to just hold her one last time. Kneeling at her body I pulled her closer and held her tight to me.

As I held her in my arms crying into her hair I felt her arms clasp themselves around mine and I looked into her face hoping beyond hope that she would live. I held her face with my hand and begged her to wake. My other hand held her wound with everything I could trying to somehow stop it. I pleaded with her, and I watched as her eyes flickered open. I hugged her tight knowing in my heart that I would want to always remember the feel of her life, as she was perfection, and it was a tradgedy that it had taken all of this for me to realize that. ``William...

``It`s alright my love. Just rest my sweet, Edward will come and...he will...he`ll find a way...``I hadn`t realized that I was crying until I couldn`t see from my eyes anymore, and I felt her hand wipe across my cheek clearing me of the physical signs of my sadness.

``William I love you...Thomas is your son.`` I didn`t understand. She had left, and no one had ever said a word. How many lies had been told to keep this from me. ``It was my doing. Don`t blame anyone but me for keeping it from you.``

"They all lied about where you had went...I loved you with everything in myself. I would have protected you from everything.`` Her eyes closed as the pain must have overwhelmed her. Looking at her shoulder the blood was smeared all across my hand as it was too large a wound for me to keep from gushing.

``I thought I could protect you. He told me he would kill you...he held a knife to your throat and bid me to leave. I`m so sorry William. I`m so sorry you never got to see him grow.``She stopped and coughed out blood, and I knew she was going quickly. The shoulder just kept bleeding through and I couldn't even bear to look at it knowing there was just nothing to fix this. ``You must promise me that you will protect Thomas from everything. Protect him the way I never could.``

``He lives Amber. You saved him. My brother would have killed everything to have killed any son of mine.`` I kissed her on the lips gently carressing her hair before looking into her eyes again.

``I tried my...`` Her eyes closed and her arm went slack for a moment before I shook her gently and she opened her eyes again. ``It doesn`t hurt anymore. You have to promise me William. Promise me.``

``I promise you Amber I shall protect him. I shall love him, and cherish him as the son that he is. He shall never know pain, or anguish, or sadness. I shall love him as I love you.`` Her eyes begin to once more close, and I selfishly shook her again.

``Stay with me Amber...just hold on please...``I shook her again, but this time her eyes didn't reopen and just staring at her I could see that I had failed to save her. She coughed one more time and her eyes opened somewhat and she looked at me again.

``I`m so sorry Will...I`m so sor...``Her eyes remained open, but she just never blinked. Holding her I couldn't feel anything as I knew she had died. I would never hear her voice again. I would never know her touch again, and I let out a scream which I could barely control.

Following her grasping of his arm the two would talk briefly as she bled out but she held on for long enough to make sure William knew that Thomas was his child, and the two would heart sadly say goodbye to each other before finally she bled out from the horrible wound on her shoulder. It was several minutes of banging on the door with William crying into the hair of Amber before the rest of his men were able to get into the throne room, and by this point the Battle of Berne was over with the remaining forces of the True Sons of Lucerne either dead or having surrendered, but for William it felt increasingly like a hollow victory. As Faye, Jasper and Emmett tried to console him and help him with Amber he would refuse without words picking her body up and carrying her out of the throne room before collapsing outside of the inner keep where he would be helped up by Faye. He whispers to Faye that he needs to take her out of the fortress so he can bury her, and Faye goes ahead clearing the gatehouse, and letting the front gate open where William carries her all the way out of Berne and reaches the Valley of Berne where the large Lucernian army awaits and it is at this point that Alice meet him and he finally surrenders Ambers body to Jasper and breaks down in Alice's arms.

Meeting a Son

“You are too young to understand my son, but know that I have loved you, and I will always love. The world will be tough on you because of how you were born, but understand this. You shall always have a place at my side. You will always be a member of my house. You are my son. You are our son.”
— William Lovie III.

With Thomas sleeping William gathers with the Lucernian army leadership and following a long discussion on their next steps he commands his friend Hanna Arryn be brought to him, and then the meeting breaks up and joined by Jasper, and Edward he returns to his tent where saying goodbye to them he goes into the tent and finds Alice sleeping on his bed holding a sleeping Thomas. Looking at the scene in front of him he starts crying as he thinks about the loss of Amber, and at the sound of his crying Alice wakes up and gets out of bed gently leaving Thomas in bed and the two siblings hug. Thomas eventually wakes up to the talking of Alice and William and Thomas at first only wants Alice, but William goes to him and talks to him about his love for Amber and when Thomas reveals that Amber had talked about William to him almost every night William tells him the story of how he met Amber of which was a story that Amber had told him a thousand times before.

Control of Berne

“I would name you the Arch Duchess of this place if you would let me.”
— William Lovie III.

Meeting with Hanna Arryn the two old friends discuss a more personal view of what happened in Berne, and Hanna reveals to him the depths of some of the things that happened, but also refuses during their conversation to come with him back to Lucerne telling him that Aria needs her more. Discussing Aria, and her father Byron it becomes clear that he needs to speak with Aria and asks Hanna to bring her to him something she agrees to if William agrees to be lenient on her father of which William agrees to out of love for Hanna. The conversation ends with Aria and William agreeing that in one month it will be the leadership of Berne that will travel to Lucerne to meet with William and the Kings Council who will decide the future of Berne. William Lovie III. leaves Berne with the majority of the army but leaves behind several thousand as a garrison of the city under the command of Dylan Steinmare, and this garrison is under orders to further the control of the crown over Berne who at this point there is still fear may be mixed in its loyalties.

Invasion of Westbridge

Main Article : Invasion of Westbridge

Invasion of Westbridge
The Fall of Westbridge would shake the entire continent to its core.

“I understood that Karl was far more hawkish then I could have imagined. In my view the only way to deal with a hawk is to take out everything around it, and watch it flop around. Soon Karl was going to see that trying to intimate the Kingdom of Lucerne would be getting a lot harder to do.”
— William Lovie III.

The invasion of Westbridge was a plan that William finally finalized in his mind followed his meetings with Karl Franz through the Magi stones known as the Meeting of the Dragon and the Griphon. The meeting had started with a lot of promise but following the initial talks it became clear to both of them that they shared some serious ideological problems, and on top of that where William had believed there would be talk about the survival of Arnor when Arnor was brought up it was as if it was a forgone conclusion that Austria would take control of Arnor, and that wasn't acceptable for Lucerne. On one side of things he knew he had a sibling that was now queen of Arnor and thus he could not leave her survival to chance. On the second part he knew that if The Empire struck against Arnor and took it then the bottleneck they had for centuries would be gone, and they might spread south without resistance. When he looked at actually being able to intervene in Arnor and what that possibility might lead to his commanders and strategists would all suggest that would be foolhardy and would have little chance of success. What wouldn`t have a slight chance of success was if they could take Westbridge as a position to hold against the potential invasion of The Empire. In order to stop this William went about planning the invasion of Westbridge which he believed would create the defense position from which even with the fall of Arnor which he now believed was a certainty Lucerne could hold on against The Empire. In order to launch this main assault House Lovie would bring with them nearly all of their vassals including everything not part of western Lucerne of which would be remaining behind.

Noble House	Leader of force	Size of Forces
House Lovie	Marcel Lovie II.	29,000 Men at arms, 2,000 Knights
House Martell	Wilheim Martell	6,500 Men at arms, 800 Knights
House Trant	Meryn Trant	310 Men at arms, 25 Knights
House Faraday	Charles Faraday	2,500 Men at arms, 250 Knights
House Ambrose	Arthur Ambrose	400 Men at arms, 32 Knights
House Aubern	Robin Cross	45 Men at arms, 1 Knight
House Highmore	Freddie Highmore	3,200 Men at arms, 350 Knights
House Cullen	Niklas Cullen	1,500 Men at arms, 45 Knights
House Portmane	Jamie Portmane	800 Men at arms, 22 Knights
House McCarty	Emmett McCarty	2,100 Men at arms, 180 Knights
House Toyne	Alester Toyne	14,100 Men at arms, 380 Knights
House Ghelen	Arryk Ghelen	6,100 Men at arms, 150 Knights
House Floren	Wendel Floren	13,500 Men at arms, 600 Knights
House Duneria	Maeger Duneria	11,500 Men at arms, 320 Knights
House Poinler	Edmund Poinler	4,900 Men at arms, 280 Knights
House Skane	Torgon Skane	5,500 Men at arms, 900 Knights
House Anthor	Anduin Anthor	2,000 Men at arms, 200 Knights
House Scarlet	Saiden Scarlet	18,000 Men at arms, 1,500 Knights
House Mien	Sigmund Mien	18,000 Men at arms, 1,500 Knights
House Fraizen	Tirion Fraizen	18,000 Men at arms, 1,500 Knights
House Royce	Yohn Royce	7,100 Men at arms, 320 Knights
House Jackson	Joshua Jackson	450 Men at arms, 25 Knights
House Percy	Conrad Percy	950 Men at arms, 95 Knights
House Vaith	Rendrik Vaith	350 Men at arms, 16 Knights
House Moore	Mandon Moore	1,200 Men at arms, 312 Knights
House Ongrill	Daryn Ongrill	950 Men at arms, 120 Knights
House Rosby	Grogen of Lucerne	825 Men at arms, 150 Knights
House Denali	Eleazar Denali	550 Men at arms, 65 Knights
House Steinmare	Fenrick Steinmare	600 Men at arms, 150 Knights
House Cleef	Saiden Cleef	1,750 Men at arms, 550 Knights
House Arryn	Paul Arryn	14,000 Men at arms, 750 Knights
House Krinner	Benjamin Krinner	4,000 Men at arms, 250 Knights
House Dorin	Trailen Dorin	3,200 Men at arms, 220 Knights
House Hale	Matthew Hale	4,000 Men at arms, 400 Knights
House Vorn	Jacob Vorn	2,200 Men at arms, 250 Knights
House Keath	Liane Keath II.	7,900 Men at arms, 450 Knights
House Butterwell	Ambrose Butterwell	4,200 Men at arms, 150 Knights
House Shephard	Christian Shephard	13,000 Men at arms, 670 Knights
House Vypros	Lucius Vypros	4,700 Men at arms, 90 Knights
House Handlin	Harras Handlin	4,400 Men at arms, 220 Knights

Many houses from the region would send nearly their entire force, and in this way this was a large gamble in many ways as the way of the Orcs coming through the pass would be only defended by the forces of House Greymane of whom were commanded to not send anything into the Invasion of Westbridge and would remain behind to defend the pass. The main army would also be supported by several smaller but still significant mercenary, and volunteer forces including a mercenary group in the form of the Tarried Men sent from the Yairns and led by Jaerenor Aerareon of which was kept completely in the dark but moved north with the force in what they were told was a rebellion in the Riverlands.

Making Camp

“It was the deciding day. All across the line we were breaking them, but one mistake and it would all crash down.”
— William Lovie III.

As the main land force moved northward into the Riverlands it was idea that directly before the two major towns of southern Westbridge that the main army would make one last major stop, and allow the fleet to be in position north of Kul Tiras, and allow House Scott, and House Shepard to marshal their forces to attack Westian, and Braedin. Arriving at Riverrun the main army would meet with significant forces from Lorderon led by William Lovie III's brother Jamie Portmane of whom would accompany the main army in its movement north. The Martells fought beside the main army as it moved towards the southern gateway of Westbridge, and as they camped out during the day in the forest Leven got the chance to see William Lovie again for the first time in a long time. During most of the day the men were resting so that they would be ready for the night attack, but William was constantly on the move visiting the different house leaders and finding out all the things that were going on with them. The visits with many of the Lords went smoothly but his arrival in the camp of House Scarlet really showed him a true side of his vassals. Entering their part of the camp he was met by their members of whom all spoke kindly, and inside the main tent they revealed how many men they had brought of which was far more then he had believed they would have been able to mount on such short notice. Saiden, and his brother Renault led the meeting as they promised that anything that was needed of House Scarlet and their vassals they would gladly do, and Nicoli Machievelli would tell William that he would stay behind and discuss more things with the Scarlets. Meeting after House Scarlet with House Swift of whom assembled in a long line upon the arrival of William Lovie III. and his entourage. William Swift, and his brother John Swift both stepped forward and led William and his force into the center of House Swifts forces where they met with the Swift vassals of whom Joshua, and Emile Hirsh also stood up and made themselves known to the King of Lucerne.

“Leven had always been there for me in a way that few people in this world would ever truly be there for you. She was beyond just someone I counted as a friend, and other then Jasper and Alice she was the be all for me. A person you shared everything with, and of whom never judged you was too much to ignore, and seeing her then made me realize how much I had ignored it.”
— William Lovie III.

One of his final meetings would come with House Martell of whom was one of the premier houses of House Lovie`s entourage and also Leven Martell a member of the Shadow Council was with the Martell forces. Leven Martell would be waiting all day for the arrival of her best friend, and their actual meeting took place when William came to the Martell part of the camp to meet with Doran Martell who he assumed would be leading the force, but when he arrived at the command tent to find the three Martell sisters looking over the battle plans and talking furiosly over the plans. When they finally noticed that he was their flanked to his right by Jasper Hale, and to his left by Draco Highmore they watched panicked for what his reaction would be to the realization that Doran wasn't leading the force but instead it was his three young daughters. Instead of anger he looked to his two friends and begin laughing before walking to the table and discussing with them the upcoming battle. As the group dispersed, Leven stepped forward towards William and she made a note of how quickly Jasper moved to shield the prince from what he must have deemed as a hostile gesture from Leven. Instead of hostility she wished to speak to him, and he was basically done for the day so he said that she could follow him to his tent and they could discuss old times.

“I wanted to have everything with him. He was supposed to be my future. It should have been me he marrid and fathered children with. I just couldn`t let go of that belief, it didn`t matter that he had married and had children with someone else I just couldn`t move past him.”
— Leven Martell

As she followed him back to his tent she had a moment to watch how much he had changed. Where once he had been wild and charismatic in a way that made you feel used but at the same time want to, he was now kinder, and his charisma was a gentle thing that seeped off him and instead of feeling like their was a nefarious reason behind the kind words now he seemed to truly care. She watched as he greeted everyone that he walked by, and when they finally reached his tent they moved through the numerous gaurds, and entered his inner room. Inside the room she wondered what would happen but she was suprised when he let out a sigh and slumped down on a chair. She laughed at the moment before joining him in the seat beside him, where she gave him a moment to relax before they begin talking. They laughed and joked and the feelings that Leven had for him returned just as strong as they had once been, and as the conversation got later she begin to plan to attempt to seduce him. This plan changed when they begin discussing his children, and when she heard him discuss them she realized just how far he had come. Despite the fact that she wanted him. Despite the fact that she was still in love with him, she knew that she couldn't do it. Even if she believed that she was capable of seducing him she didn't have the heart to do it to him considering everything he had become. So without that in mind she ended up falling asleep in his room with perhaps the first true friend she had ever had.

The Rise of Lucerne
I saw the destruction of the world, and knew I had to stop it. There was nothing left to do but become bigger then everyone else. The Empire was never going to be the beacon the world needed it to be. Westros was on fire. The Bretonians had reached for the stars and been burned. And the old shadow of Numeron was fading far too quickly. It was left to us in Lucerne to change the fate of all those who wished to reject darkness. We were the last hope for a world who had long since given up on believing.

"Your Grace please follow me." I bowed my head at the young heir to House Swift, and followed beside Jasper as we filed behind John Swift. He led us through row after row of tents all emptied as seemingly all of the occupants had left their sleeping to take time staring at us as we walked by.

Of the vassals under my command I knew little of the Swift's and their vassals outside of the meetings I had with John during the time in Gondor. He had seemed honorable, and Nicoli had told me how he had been knighted alongside many of his vassals following the freeing of Tree Hill. I could tell we had reached our destination when the large tent colored in the

Standing kneeling before the largest tent stood two men in green armor. Two guardsmen stood to the right and left of the two men and their shields told me they were of House Hirsh. As we reached them the smaller of the two men stood from his bowing and bowed his head before me. "Your Grace it is beyond an honor to finally meet you."

Before I could speak in turn, William Swift stepped from the tent and made his presence known. "Yes it was a pity that House Hirsh outside of your brother Emile, and some of his men were absent from our king's great Journey."

"Our father felt that the great King of Lucerne would need our strength later." I watched as William went to speak again, but silenced him with a raise of my hand.

"My Lords please let us speak in private." The two shared a glare briefly before bowing once again and entering the tent. I would have to remember to speak to Nicoli about what sort of problems existed between House Hirsh, and House Swift, but for now I had one last meeting before I got to see Leven.

~

I walked with Jasper, and Jamie passed the orange tents of the Martell`s and had a tinge of excitement as I knew I`d see Leven. She was a truly great friend, and the fact that I hadn`t seen her for some time gave me pause as to why I seemed to always treat her that way. She was one of the Shadow Council, but in a lot of ways she was the forgotten member. Treated as an outsider without every really saying it out loud.

Jasper constantly questioned to me whether the feelings that she held for me were reciprocated, and it was never really something I had been forced to deal with. When we were young and sleeping together I had pushed it aside because I was angry and bitter, and she was one of the few that loved me to such a level that in the back of my mind I knew I could treat whatever way I wanted. I would never be able to apologize enough to her for what I did to her back then, but she had never asked for an apology which honestly just made it worse.

Shaking hands, and saying my hellos to the knights along the way I was stopped by the fat lord Mavin Vaith of whom was a good man, but my uncle had always joked he loved his pies and cakes far more then he did anything else. When I questioned how I could trust such a man Emmett had joked that I should simply send him cakes and pies as often as possible. Jasper would sacrifice the time of Emmett so that we could move past, and I could just make out the look of anger that he shot at Jasper who just laughed in return. Walking into the Martell`s main camp, I saw Leven, Dorea, and Obella on one side of the table, flanked by Wilheim, Mandon Moore, and Maryn Trant who were on the other side. As I got closer I saw a young boy that looked the spitting image of Maryn and despite never knowing him I assumed it was his heir in Ian Trant, and the boy despite his youth would immediately know to bow on my entrance. ``My Lords, how goes the planning.``

I shouldn`t have been suprised when Leven was the first to anwser. ``My King the Martell forces are well ready for anything asked of them.`` You would hardly know that we were best friends with the dutiful way she spoke, but I knew even if I told her not to she wouldn`t ever speak to me outside of privacy in anyway other then extreme class.

``My cousin is correct my King. The final elements of House Trant arrived just this morning bringing our entire force to bear. We are now completely ready for the assault.`` Wilheim would bow as well after speaking, and pointed towards the different elements on the papers they were looking at, showing how strong in number they were.

``Excellent. I must continue my rounds as I still have the Faraday`s and their most likely desire to see me hand the Highmore`s over as a good luck charm for the battle to deal with.``There was laughter in the tent, and it went that way for a good ten minutes longer until Emmett came into the tent with a less then happy look on his face telling us that we had to retire for the night. I bid the commanders get some rest before the night got to late, and gave Leven a nod of my head a brief smile before shaking each of their hands and kissing Dorea, and Obella`s hands and then moved out of the tent. As I walked following Jasper and Emmett who were by this point arguing about Jasper`s joke on Emmett I felt a hand on my back and went to see what Draco wanted, but when I turned and looked it was Leven smiling at me. ``Leven, its good to see you.``

``I`ve missed you too my King.`` I wanted to force her to call me Will like she did when we were in private, but I knew it was a lost cause so I just moved forward.

``I`m sorry I had to rush out like that I hadn`t meant...`` She smiled at me before raising her hand as if to say for me to stop. She had always been far too kind for me, and it was true shame and a boon to have a friend as pure as she was.

``Nothing to apologize for my king. I was just happy to see you. Its been...Its been a long time.``Her saying it brought me to the realization of how long it had truly been since I`d seen her. She had allowed her hair to grow out, and her orange tinted armor was a masterpiece that I know she took very seriously. When we were young there wasn't a moment that I was training that she wasn't nearby. There wasn't a time that I was bettering myself that she wasn't right beside me making herself better too.

"It's been too long." I meant it more then I could put into words. The problems with Edward had left me understanding how fragile relationships were. I wanted to make sure that Leven perhaps my greatest and most loyal friend didn't become an Edward so I acted. "Leven are you available?" Her eyes lit up clearly realizing or at least hoping I was going to ask her to join us.

"If you have need of me your grace I am available."

"Then follow us we have some Faraday, Highmore feuds to hear about." She laughed before looking around and making sure noone had seen before smiling back at me. "Come on milady lets go."

We walked through the paths leading to the Faradays and reaching the edge of their part of the camp we were met by Daniel Faraday of whom shook hands briefly with Dylan Steinmare before leading us towards their main tent.

It felt like hours listening to the Faraday's go on and on about how monstrous the Highmore's were, but it probably wasn't even fifteen minutes. Finally when I saw even Jasper beginning to look upset about the way they spoke of Freddie I told Daniel that we needed to leave, but there support was of vital importance. When Daniel Faraday seemed to get upset at my abrupt departure I looked to Jamie of whom nodded back to me and spoke to the Faraday's that the King needed rest but he would remain and discuss further issues. Daniel smiled faintly, but while once I might have called Daniel the sane member of House Faraday now I saw that same glint of madness as I shook his hand before walking from the tent.

The night was final at an end with the Faraday's being the final house we had to visit, and thus as a group we walked back towards the Dragon's Tent as they were beginning to call it apparently around camp. Jasper led the way surrounded on his flanks by Dylan Steinmare, and Ser Hayden Percy. Looking to my left I saw Edward and further left of him some six guards of whom only Seth Green and his House Green guard did I actually recognize.

To my right stood Elia Snow, and Leven of whom I knew to be great friends, but walking me back to my tent I would have thought they never knew each-other by the way there steel locked eyes kept their gaze constantly moving. Emmett held the rear with Marcel making some joke to him causing the big brute to laugh quickly before a look from Jasper stopped him.

When we reached the tent Jasper spoke first."Well, my King I shall go now and speak with the Arryn's. You need to get some rest now." He said the rest bit with a small smile and I knew that was as close to a joke as he could get while in his official role.

"And what of your rest Jasper? When pray tell me will you take your rest?"

"Not tonight my King." He bowed his head and grabbed Emmett by the arm before walking off with Marcel in tow as well as a few guardsmen. Edward looked at me with a look that told me he was uncomfortable, and I wanted to say something to him to make it better, but in that moment there was just nothing to say.

After it was clear to him I wasn't going to speak he bowed his head and went off to the Cullen part of the camp and causing me to be filled with a great feeling of disappointment that I had allowed one of my best friends to walk away like that. Before I could think anymore about my failings I felt Leven's hand on my shoulder and turning to her I saw a smile that would have made me follow her anywhere.

I didn't wait for her just moved in front pulling her gently by the hand within the tent. The moment I closed the tent door behind her I heard her laugh causing me to turn back towards her.

"How many different ways can such a small group describe how they hate something." She was laughing as she said it, and her laughter and beautiful smile forced me out of my contemplation and into a laugh. "William, I have no idea how you were able to just stand there and listen to that. Desmond spent five minutes describing how he felt Draco's armor was an insult to your house. I wanted to stab him in the chest." She laid her sword down as I unclasped my shoulder armor and rested it on its hanger. My gloves came off with some difficulty and I had to remember to have the armorer look at them before I went into battle.

"Please don't do that Leven. If you do then I'll have to hear about the orange armor of murderous Leven Martell and how I should send you into the mountains to live on goats." The Faraday's were embarrassing themselves, and I don't know whether they cared enough anymore to change it. Perhaps there hatred over the death of Joey Faraday was so strong now, that nothing could stop it until one side was dead. It seemed to me that death was the only way out of this mess, but when the Faraday's wanted the death of an individual that was months away from being a member of my own house they seemed the only candidates to die.

"What fools the Faraday's are." She pulled off her final piece of chest armor and rested it on the ground revealing a light shirt that left barely anything to the imagination. It was difficult not to look at her sexually, as she was a walking temptation. We had spent more times intimately together then I could count so it didn't take much to imagine what I could do to her. A girl who loved me as deeply as Leven did, and of whom looked like that was nearly a sin to not touch, but I had committed far too many sins of late to add one more so easily.

"I'v truly missed you Levia." She stopped taking her armor off for a moment and looked at me with a smile so wide it didn't seem possible.

"I've missed being called Levia." She left her lower armor on and moved to sit beside me on the bed, and again the temptress tempted me.

"Your sisters call you Levia."

"Obella has been away with Robb in Stormwind, and Dorea has been in the north visiting High Hrothgar." She said it with such sadness, and lonliness that I knew in that moment how much hurt I had caused her. I hadn't meant to send her away for so long, but she was honestly the only one other then Jasper that I could truly count on.

"I'm sorry I sent you away I just...Its just you guys are my only sure things." I wondered if I still counted Edward amongst that number. Was my bitterness towards him ever going to go away.

"Why not Emmett, or Edward then. I don't mean to be rude but I missed you. Your my best friend, and I felt like you just sent me away like I was nothing." A tear fell down her cheek, and I wiped it with my hand and as she fell into my hand I caressed her cheek.

"I am truly sorry Leven. I have taken you more then any other person in my life for granted. I love you, and I guess I thought in my mind that you and I were just...just so close that I could take advantage of you. Does that make sence." It was the truth, and if there was one thing I wanted to remain it was our honesty. I never wanted to skirt around eachother the way we all did now with Edward. It was a fate for us worth then the ending of our friendship.

"It does, but please don't anymore. We are better off close to eachother. I don't mind leaving every once and awhile, but that was a long time."

"Never again, unless the world is ending and its the only way to live." She laughed and rested her head on my shoulder. "Lets pray it never comes to that Levia."

I was awoken by a sound at the tent entrance, and looking out I saw Jamie moving to his bed on the other side of the tent. You could tell he was trying to be quiet but his armor just didn't allow it. Luckily for him Leven was not startled and stayed fast asleep against my shoulder, and looking down at her I couldn't help but think about what Brooke would think if she saw me with Leven like this. At the same time it said something that my first thought went to Brooke and not my own wife Bella though.

"No need to sneak around brother" I whispered it trying to make sure Leven stayed asleep.

"'I never was very good at sneaking around Will." He moved closer to me sitting down at Jasper's bed which was as close to mine as you could get. Once he had sat down I saw his eyes and I could almost feel his pain from the four feet that separated us.

"What's troubling you Jamie?"

"Do you remember the girl I told you about when we first met."

"Tamsin if I remember correctly."

"She remains on my mind."

"They never leave us Jamie. These great loves of our loves they just claw at our minds when they aren't around. These great loves are the one thing that time cannot heal."

"Who is yours brother?"

"An excellent question, and perhaps one day I will know the answer to that."

The two falling asleep together was noticed by Jasper Hale of whom was sleeping in the same tent as William as his main bodyguard and while Jasper never discussed seeing this he noted it for himself. While William and Leven went inside the tent to get ready for bed Jasper knew he had one last visit to make in the form of House Arryn. During this he was accompanied by Emmett who believed that he could make the situation less uncomfortable and actually get something done. Arriving in the Arryn part of the giant camp he discovered that Bryan Arryan hadn`t made the trip and had sent Paul Arryn in his stead. Knowing Paul was a skilled fighter he discussed with them what would cause Bryan to not come for such an important event and heard for the first time about how weak willed Bryan was beyond what he already knew about.

“Sometimes you looked at Byron Arryn and just thought...this man is far too pathetic to be real.”
— Jasper Hale

Leaving the Arryn tent he visited House Krinner, and Dorin of whom he would count upon to take up a significant portion of the attack, as House Arryn would be launching against the keep to the west of the main gatehouse. While the main force attacked the gate castle, the forces of House Arryn would attack the small port/town of Vlasnia that harbored to the west of the gatehouse. A relatively heavily defended section of Westbridge this was of supreme importance that this be taken quickly by House Arryn otherwise the heavy artillery that was in place inside the port. Because of the damage taken by House Arryn's leadership caste it was the decision of Byron Arryn that he not lead the force and thus House Arryn and its vassals were being led into battle by Martin, and Paul Arryn, as well as his son Derek, and his niece Spencer Arryn of whome was known to be there by Martin but most others thought she was a mercenary hired by the Arryns to offset their losses. Jasper would spend much of the night discussing the plans for the next day with the Arryns and he would find a surprising intelligence in Derek Arryn, and he would make a note in his memory to make sure that William knew of this mans potential. When this was over he and Emmett would leave the command tent of House Arryn and return to their respective Houses where they would be leading their respective attacks. For Jasper that meant he would be fighting alongside his best friend William Lovie as a member of the Praetorian Gaurd, while Emmett would be truly bringing the growing forces of House McCarty to the forefront with his assistence.

The Beginning is the End

“If there has ever been a more coordinated assault in the history of man, I`ve never heard of it.”
— Wilheim Martell

While the Invasion of Westbridge was split into many different sections with the forces of House Scott, and House Shephard attacking the two major towns south of Westbridge in Westian, and Braedin. While they did this House Lannister, and House Starke prepared to invade the main island by use of the Lucernian fleet in the dark of night, of which their attack would corespond with the attack of the main force on the south gate, and the Order of the Blue Dragon on the northern Gate. With all this in wait House Swan would invade Yerness which would block any relief from coming south from the Westbridge forces north of the town, as well as stopping Voldermorte from coming south by boat. While this happened House Lovie moved north towards the Westbridge town of Margrove which had before the battle had started been assumed to be a minor town controlled by the wealthy House Pollen but relatively undefended. Rebels in the area though would discover differently and thus information flooded into the high command that Margrove had been fortified by House Pollen and it would now be a major obstacle for the movement northwards. The High Council got together and discussed their options briefly, and William knew that he didn't have time to besiege the city so after Saiden Scarlet volunteered he left behind House Scarlet and gave them the charge of taking Margrove and then holding the town until the Invasion was over. The vast army would then surround the completely unprepared city, and once the defenders knew how many were around them they hunkered down for a siege and waited for reinforcements. Only a few hours after surrounding the city and under cover of darkness House Lovie and the majority of the force would depart and leave House Scarlet, Mien, and House Fraizen, alongside a force of Riverlanders led by Amory Justman and House Justman, and House Keath alongside House Keath's vassals in charge of continuing the siege. All of this coordination which would have been near impossible before the coming of the Magi for Lucerne was all made possible through the heavy use of the Magi Stones of Lucerne of which allowed the different sections of the army to communicate with the main army and this made sure that everyone attacked at the same time and thus the element of surprise was at its most extreme.

Final Moments

“I had this feeling of calmness that washed over me that final day. It was a feeling I had not felt the entire time we were planning, and moving...it was the calm before the storm.”
— William Lovie III.

During the next day their was an almost awkward silence that fell over the massive army, and nearly the entire command structure of the attacking force as everyone understood that night would signal the attack they had all been preparing for and obsessing over for the past week. During the day House Arryn would silently march its way out of the main camp alongside House Heard, House Krinner, and House Dorin where the would prepare for their invasion of Vlasnia the town located just west of Westbridge's main port. With their departure William Lovie begin to create a buzz as he once again spent the afternoon visiting as many of his troops and commanders as he could, and it was during the final few hours that he would order the beginning of the attack. When dusk hit he ordered that House Martell led by Wilheim Martell would move forward and hidden in the forest they would move to the east of the fortress and prepare to board the boats they had made for the purpose of their attack behind the lines. As the Martells left William Lovie would be prepared to say one last goodbye to his friend Leven Martell, but when he finally found her he heard her talking to Emmett about how excited she was to be so close to the Shadow Council again and he would change his mind keeping her with his personal guard. House Lovie, House Skane, and House Faraday alongside the Order of the Red Dragon, and the tens of thousands of men of the Lovie vassals would form the main attack along the castle while the forces of House Jackson, House Cullen, and House Vaith would attack along the flanks of the castle using heavy artillery to shield their troops who would mainly be using ladders to assail the walls. Alongside this attack would be of course the House Martell attack which would be assisted as well by the Order of the Violet Dragon who had been busy at work infiltrating the southern gatehouse keep with rebel troops, as well as murdering watch commanders so that the walls would be sparsely defended giving the attackers the most time possible to get on the walls.

“The fear of Lord Volermorte arriving was palpable across the entire force. Everyone of us had been told that this man may be no longer mortal, as his power made him nearly a god.”
— Edward Cullen

As the armies of Lucerne massed in the valley the Order of the Violet Dragon moved northward in their entire strength and silently over the course of a few days infiltrated the city of Westbridge. The Order already had sympathizers in the city as House Malfoy was extremely unpopular in Westbridge and as such it wasn't hard to find people that were loyal. With roughly a month before the army of Lucerne was to arrive the forces of the Order of the Violet Dragon went about changing schedules for the defenders so as to weaken sections of the wall. Those who it was planned to survive the conflict were basically given vacations on the day of the conflict so that they would not be caught up in the conflict and all those who were not were either killed if possible or allowed to go about their normal routine and thus die in the attack. As well as this they begin setting up a rather sophisticated, and well equipped rebel army that on the day of the invasion would be completely focused on taking control of the southern gate. This rebel force was made up of the forces in the villages and towns of northern Westbridge, and led by Ser Polliver Grouillin of whom had watched his household lose all influence and led the forces south of Westbridge in betraying their neglectful overlords in House Malfoy.

“When the stone begin to glow I ran inside the nearest building followed closely behind by Benjamin, and Dama. We went into the basement before I finally let myself feel the stone with my bare hands. Watching the vision of the king spread from the stone was a sight I never stopped being in awe about. As I waited for him to tell me the time was night I could barely control the tingles along my arm. This was the moment all our planning finally came to fruition.”
— Ezio Ederiz

Inside the city Ezio Ederiz stands with a large grouping of Order of the Violet Dragon in an abandoned house where they await word from the Magi stone telling them that William is ready for the true chaos to begin. After hours of waiting past when they thought it would be Ezio, Benjamin Bradfoot and Dama plan to go into the street and make sure there are no increased preparations from the defenders, and while in the street the stone activates and they are forced to answer it inside a merchants store that is luckily closed for the night.

The Attack

The Griffin Assault would bring about the fall of the already weakened tower, and keep defences of the southern gatehouse.

“All the planning, all the effort we had done, and it all came down to this moment. Either we beat them, or they beat us. It was that simple.”
— William Lovie III.

The moment that dusk settled on the skies above the army William Lovie gave the order to begin moving to attacking positions, and then quickly had his messengers alert the other sections of the attack by Magi Stone's that the attack was now moving forward. The siege machines were pushed forward in case the siege didn't work according to plan and they were forced to bash their way through while at the same time the hundreds of ladders, and dozens of siege towers were silently pushed forward as well by dozens of oxen. The siege towers were the main thing that might be noticed and thus they were covered with trees and it was hoped that the darkness and the lack of real defenders on the walls would allow the towers to get nearly to the walls before noticed. As the army pushed forward it was the Griffins of House Griffon and the Order of the Red Dragon that first hit the defenders as hundreds of Griffin Riders landed in the towers and within the keep of the southern gate and made a mess of the defenders. Led by Tristifer Griffon the forces of House Griffon would cause near complete collapse of the defenders on the wall, and as the attackers reached the walls and climbed through the siege towers there was only a few that actually fell to the defenders as they had been devastated. By the time William Lovie III., and the other members of the main force had reached the gate Clarke Greymane, and Garrett Elbertson had placed the flag of Lucerne on the largest tower, and the front gate was being opened by other Griffin Riders.

“It was the first time we had truly used the Griffins in this role, and they provided more then I think even we thought they could. I worried they would be shot out of the sky, but they were able to move quick enough and come from a high enough angle that the enemy was blind to them until it was too late.”
— Tristifor Griffon

Tristifer Griffon and his Griffon Riders had broken the defenders and opened the gates allowing the massive force inside the walls, and they proceeded to mop up the remaining defenders of the southern gatehouse. Leaving the southern gatehouse and making their way towards the bridge spanning the mainland to the real city of Westbridge William would stop the army momentarily and await the flags of the rebels to go up on the other side of the bridge. When the flags didn't go up initially there was fear it had failed for the rebels, but a few minutes later the flags went up and the entire main force begin moving across the bridge spilling into the main island.

“I looked forward and ”
— Tristifer Griffon

The defenses were by this point collapsing all across the line, and they were greeted by the sights of the rebels holding hundreds prisoner all across the main island. During their movement though William and his center would come under assault from a fanatical group of Deatheaters of whom came directly for the king hoping to kill him. The many lords and knights around him fought at his side as they fought against this final counter assault, and one by one the Deatheaters fell dead as their Magi was muted by the defenses on the runic armor of William, and the several Magi around him. William would as they pushed forward make his way with most of the main army towards the holdings of House Labeouf where they would make sure they were safe, but he sent Joshua Jackson, and the forces of House Skane, and their vassals towards the final holding of Lucius Malfoy of whom they wanted to capture but if he died it would also be fine.

Death of Lucius Malfoy

“The town was burning around me, and it seemed hopeless to believe we could survive after the arrival of Severus, and the members of Hogwarts from within our ranks. Nothing to do but wait. Nothing to do but wait and hope my family surivived.”
— Lucius Malfoy

With the fall of the final gatehouse into the main city, and the quickly debarking marines from House Starke, and House Lannister the forces remaining under the command of Lucius Malfoy waited for his command, and he ordered them to retreat to the Malfoy Keep for what everyone believed was a last stand. At this moment more then half the remaining men under his command would under the command of Peter Arnault who had joined the forces of the Order of the Violet Dragon days before, would lay their swords down instead of follow what Lucius wanted to do which was a last stand. Peter Arnault realizing in this moment that Lucius was not a terrible man, just a man who was under the leadership of a monster would offer Lucius a chance at survival but quickly discovered from Lucius's response that he no longer wished to live anymore. So without the majority of his forces and unwilling to spill anymore of his own people's blood Lucius traveled over the bridge with less then thirty men left and ordered the men to prepare for the final attack. He was reported to by a messenger that the Hall of the Deatheaters had just fallen, thus meaning their final means of escaping the city was gone as the forces of Hogwarts alongside the Order of the Blue Dragon had teleported directly inside the building after the wards had been destroyed by traitors within the Malfoy forces. With the means of escape gone, and not fearing a return of his brother he knew that the city had fallen to the forces of Lucerne and in this Lucius saw this as his chance to finally die. As his remaining men prepared to die in the last stand, he knew he had to make sure that his son Lucius wasn't going to make the same mistakes that he did. Returning across the bridge with his men Lucius first went to his youngest son in Draco Malfoy, and the only one left in his family who he felt had any morals left and told him the following.

Lucius had finally come to the end of resistence and understood it was all over for him.

“You must listen to me son. What has happened here was for the best. We are morally bankrupt, and the pain we've caused must be paid for, and I plan on making the first deposit. No matter what happens son never allow vengeance to consume you or else you will make the mistake my brother made. I love you son. I love you son. Be better then we were.”
— Lucius Malfoy

Following this he took out his sword and walked to the center of the bridge connecting the main island to the palace, and stood waiting for the forces of Lucerne to come. His men waited around him horrified but still remaining loyal to the end, and in that moment he ordered them to lay their swords down, and return to stand with his family. After a few minutes Joshua Jackson arrived on the bridge with his men, and told Lucius to stand down and accept the surrender of the city. Lucius just laughed at them and said that his time was over, and if they had any compassion they would end him. Joshua knew something about compassion for the weak, and he ordered his men to stand down while he engaged Lucius in a duel, of which both knew how the duel would end. By this point Draco had escaped the grasp of his mother of whom had been holding him back and Draco would watch from the tower overlooking the bridge as the two fought and as Draco watched on Lucius was killed by Joshua Jackson, and then released gently into the river.

“You just never think your hero is going to die. You always assume after reading books, and hearing stories that the hero lives. Either everything I'd ever read, or heard was a lie or my father wasn't the hero. And if he wasn't the hero that means he was the villian. And if he was the villian what does that make me?”
— Draco Malfoy

Joshua would lead his men across the bridge and find the remaining members of House Malfoy and their vassal aristocrats lying on the ground with their swords thrown away. Seeing this he ordered his men to take them into captivity until they knew what to do with them. As the House Jackson men moved to do this, Draco finally came to the conclusion that would change everything. Draco would rise from the rest of the surrendered troops and stand up, and seeing this his mother would yell at him to lay down, and think about his wife who was in another part of the city, but he had to escape and so he ran from the group and climbed to the top of the House Malfoy keep. Chased by the men of House Jackson, and the now arriving House Lovie forces, and the shouting of his mother he would jump from the ramparts into the water nearly thirty feet down barely missing the rocks. Hitting the water he stayed under as long as he possibly could before hiding under the outcropping of rocks so that none could see him. The Jackson men believed he was dead, and thus he managed to escape but left behind much of his family and his wife and young son.

“My King we have control of the city. Its truly happened Will, you took Westbridge.”
— Leven Martell

With the death of Lucius, and the the capture of the remaining resistance within the final Malfoy keep the city of Westbridge was well and truly fallen into the hands of Lucerne. Following this news and dealing with the Meghanna issue William would meet with the commanders of the attack at the center of town, and already news had filtered in about the fall of Yerness, and the numerous towns south of Wesbridge having fallen as well. Realizing he had a true victory William would command to have the Labeoufs, along with House Arnault, and House Hartrian brought to the center of the town where he would have a meeting with them in order to tell them of the direction he saw the city now moving towards and to make sure they knew they had nothing to fear from him the way they must have feared the Malfoy's.

The New Order

“It is the very things that made me keep this invasion secret from you that are the reasons I wish for you to lead this city. Lord Labeouf your family is known for their loyalty, and I know you are aware of what morality exists within me. I do not come here as a craven. I come here to defend my people, and in the process you can make this city something truly special.”
— William Lovie III.

The meeting of the leadership of the Lucernian attack, and the remaining nobility of Westbridge would happen in the Palace grounds of Westbridge outside in a large amphitheater where William could speak openly to the entire leadership of Westbridge. While this population of the town was brought forward, and from there he named House Labeouf the new Arch Lords of the Grand State of Westbridge, while Harry Labeouf would stand as the Arch Lord. Promicing to assist in rebuilding the city, the people would cheer as the Malfoy`s and their madness was pushed out and the new Lucerne-Labouef union began.

Wedding of Hanna Arryn

Wedding of Hanna Arryn
You truly look beautiful my friend. May the dragon always shine down on you as he does today.

“William needed to get away as he had stopped living after Brooke died. While anyone around him might have not noticed any difference for those that truly knew him they knew he was a shell of himself. ”
— Alice Lovie

With the death of Brooke Scott, William had been forced to deal with it in silence until his break down with Alice, but since then despite promising to talk to her he kept it inside, and he fell into a secretive depression. During this time the only person he discussed any of his emotional problems with was Leven Martell of whom at this point he begin to become somewhat more then just friends with again, but despite this emotional shift between the two of them it never changed physically. Alice wanted her brother back, and tried many things to get him back, but when they did not succeed she found the perfect opportunity when their old friend Hanna Arryn prepared for her marriage to Harrold Krinner, and in order to support one of his oldest friends she was able to convince him to travel westward. Returning to the scene of so much death would have been more painful but nearly every member of House Lovie traveled west alongside the whole Shadow Council outside of Edward Cullen of whom was in Lorderon dealing with the Arthas situation. Travelling westward wasn`t such a huge deal for many of them but for Thomas that was the last place he had been alive with his mother, and returning there with his family was a huge moment for the young man. When the group reached the outskirts of Berne the army he traveled with would camp outside the gates and inside the internal valley before they entered the city. Greeted by all the lords and ladies of Berne and the entire province William and the rest of the group would smile and share great love once more when Hanna Arryn, and her sister Aria exited the gate and made their way to them. Hanna, and Aria led them inside the city, and they all marveled over the rebuild that had went on inside the city under the leadership of Aria Arryn, and it was then that they would begin mingling leading to William being pulled away from Alice and taken to meet all the leaders of the city.

The Rise of Lucerne
I saw the destruction of the world, and knew I had to stop it. There was nothing left to do but become bigger then everyone else. The Empire was never going to be the beacon the world needed it to be. Westros was on fire. The Bretonians had reached for the stars and been burned. And the old shadow of Numeron was fading far too quickly. It was left to us in Lucerne to change the fate of all those who wished to reject darkness. We were the last hope for a world who had long since given up on believing.

I watched from afar as he stood on the balcony, and watching as my brother the king walked with several of the lords of Berne. My brother was planning the expansion of Lucerne`s assets into the west, and Lord Byron Arryn was no where to be found. I had heard from Hanna that he was now called the scared bird by those that served him when he was not around, and in a truth so horrifying it was almost laughable Benjamin Krinner had called him Lord Veregnst Arryn which meant scared bird in old German.

``Is it true that they call him the scared bird.`` Aria was a loyal girl, and intelligent beyond nearly everyone I had met, but I thought she would speak the truth to me. We had known eachother back in Lucerne, and our relationship was such I could trust her.

``It is true Alice.`` There was shame as she said it, and that pained me.

``I heard he was absent, and perhaps even pathetic during the time of my brother here, but to see him this way is sad.`` It was now legend how he had abandoned his dying niece, and then not even lifted a finger as Sean had stabbed his own wife. What sort of man can stand and watch that, and do nothing.

``My father is not a brave man. Not the type that instills love or adortion from his lords, or anyone really. My mother was perhaps the last one that loved him. Loved him truly for who he is.``

``What do you think could be done in terms of fixing the situation here.``Her honesty was something I truly valued, and despite not knowing if she could actually affect change I would listen to her advice and pass it on to William if he didn`t already know.

``I have spoken to my father of stepping down. Of giving up his power.``I stood up from the chair as I no longer saw William through the window and wanted to find out where he was going. As I did she stood up as well and we walked to the door where hearing us move Draco opened the door and followed us as we walked. ``I told him to move on because his people didn`t respect him anymore.`` That was a brave thing for her to say to her father. I knew from my own relationship with my father that when I resisted him I was put into a spell and had my memory wiped, so there were consequences for resisting those above you.

``What did he say to that.`` We reached the end of the corridor and I followed Aria as she led me towards the cathedral sized building that William had entered.

``He doesn`t believe me. He believes that he loved. He thinks the people have forgiven him, and anyone who tried to tell him otherwise he either ignores, or tells himself they are joking. There is no getting through to him I fear.``

``My brother plans to speak to him, and let us hope that has the effect of making him see what the truth is.`` I know that William knew it would be nearly impossible to remove Byron as he was still loyal, and despite his incompetence it would set a horrible presedent and despite hating their lord it would bring anger amongst far too many vassals around the valley and beyond. Power my brother said was precarious, and if he brought down Byron Arryn every single lord, and Lady in the Kingdom would wonder if the tyrant king was coming for them next.

``If anyone can convinse him to do what is right, it is the King.`` We reached the door and were greeted by the handsome Paul Arryn of whom had his wife Lucie Krone on his arm. Both bowed as was expected, and led us into the cathedral with a greeting.

Walking into the giant room I saw William arrayed against a massive group of nobles, with Jasper and Emmett directly around him and Jasper looked absolutely cold hearted seeing William surrounded. Leven walked towards me with the young Sansa Starke, and her new husband Harrold Hardyng. The two would bow before, me along with Leven of whom gave me a quick smile before standing beside me. ``Princess Alice it is a true joy to have you in our remote city. Your family has brightened this land in more ways then I can ever truly appreciate.``

``Hanna was one of our most dear friends growing up, and we wouldn`t have dared miss a chance to see her wed. The city has certainly been turned into quite the jewel since I was last here.`` I had never imagined myself returning to this place, but William couldn`t stay in one place anymore. He was losing himself more and more each day, and unless I could change the path he was on he was going to kill himself trying to see her again. It seemed so long since he was carrying the lifeless body of Amber from the city, and I couldn`t believe he had the strength to return here where so much bad had happened.

``Terrible business Princess. I never met your late brother, but I know that despite what he became in the end he was still your brother, and I`m sorry for your loss.`` I felt bad that I had never met her before. When we had travelled to Stormwind she was in Winterfell, and while I had met nearly all the Starke`s she and her brother Rickon were one of the few I had not had the oppurtinity to meet.

``I appreciate that Lady Sansa you are too kind. My brother did more damage to your husbands people then we can ever repay, and I`m beyond happy to see things becoming positive here.`` She smiled at me, and as she did I noticed how young she was. I had thought she was of similar age to me, but it was clear she was somewhat younger, and from the way she held Harrold`s hand she was very nervous. ``How have you come to like Berne Sansa.``

``It is the same sort of climate as my home in Winterfell, and with Harrold at my side I have been very well taken care of. I will honestly be sad to say goodbye to Berne.`` As she shared a smile with Harrold, I felt out of the loop. Where was she to go that would force her to say goodbye to the city. As if sensing my confusion Leven spoke up.

``The Kingdom will be very proud to have Harrold as the Lord of the new western province. I know that Alice was one of the most strong supporters of your rise Sansa.`` The young Sansa Starke looked shocked, and again I realized how distinct I was from even her scale of nobility. It would never really matter how high up the power tree someone reached, me and my brother were always going to be somewhat seperate from them.

``We decided to name the new city Greengarden, and I promice your grace that we shall turn it into a fortress against our enemies.`` His armor and tone made him seem quite the brave young man, and I wondered if the ruins of the west would claim him, or whether he would prove himself correct.

Meeting with the elements of House Arryn it did not take long to notice the absence of Byron Arryn of whom in public excuses were made in regards to his sickness, but once the required entrance was done and William followed Hanna, and Aria Arryn into the Palace Grounds of Berne the truth would quickly come out. William would during this time convince the Lords of Berne to begin an expansion into the western lands, and would bring in several allied Elves of the west of whom promiced their support in this action. When determining of whom would be the new lord of the state being formed westward it was determined that Sansa Starke and her new husband would form the leadership under House Hardyng. As the final days before the wedding came about William travelled the city with his family and Hanna as the night came he would make love to Bella but once they were done he left her asleep in bed and went to find Alice. Finding Alice he told her that he didn`t feel the same way for Bella that he had, and he didn`t know how to get it back as he loved Brooke. Alice and William would speak for nearly the entire night, and she was able to convinse him to not do anything rash, but once again she knew that he was sitting on the edge of a knife without Brooke, and for the first time she worried he might not actually be able to move past her death.

Hanna Arryn and William would sit for a time together and he told her about what had happened to him, and she saw the depths of love that he had for Brooke.

The actual wedding went by without problem, and following this Alice would accompany William and Thomas as they walked the ramparts of the outer tier of Berne. Walking along the walls William, and Alice held Thomas's hand as William told his son about the bravery of his mother during the siege of Berne, and for the first time in his life Thomas learned the whole truth of what had happened to his mother. Continuing to talk William discussed with Thomas his place in the family, and while Thomas was young he was old enough to understand that his father was telling him that he was not a base born bastard as William had legitimized him. The talk would brighten William somewhat as after Thomas left Alice was able to convince him that if nothing else he needed to be strong for his children, and grudgingly she included the two he had with Brooke in that number as well.

“So much had changed since we were children, but the simple fact remained that one of my best friends was gaining a husband and that was a moment to stop and thank the world around us.”
— Alice Lovie

Following an argument with Jasper it is Alice that goes to find Marcel Lovie II. and together the two stand on the balconies of the Arryn estates and discuss their relationship and how close the two have gotten over the years. As Alice goes to leave for bed Marcel gives her a gift and taking it back to her room she opens the gift discovering a tiny stone and beside the stone a note that detailed that the small stone was a magi device that allowed the two to communicate no matter how far apart they were and as she touches the stone which is attached to a necklace she feels Marcel's thoughts as if they are her own. Before leaving Alice would watch as Hanna and William discussed his affair with Brooke, and how he loved her so much that it felt painful just getting up anymore. William would also mention for the first time to her that he wanted to find the Dragons, and that he thought with everything inside himself that if he did then Lucerne could survive.

Arrival of Hillsbrad

“I thought for a very long time that I would inherit House Brent. I see now that was foolish. You have your heir, and I'm not content to sit here quietly as his knight.”
— Franklin Brent

It would be following his taking part in the defense of Castle Stragnarax that a emotionally devastated Franklin Brent would return to Marburg where his wife Karyl Reyne is waiting for him alongside their son Davin Brent, and seeing her waiting for him he collapses into her arms utterly spent by the feeling that he got nothing from all his years of devoted work for his father. Sharing a moment together he tells her he is done running errands for his father and wants to rule something himself leading to him telling her that he was going to go and find his father and tell him that he needed to let him go and find his own lands. Meeting with his father his father would reluctantly send him to Berne where the wedding of Hanna Arryn was looking to be the beginning of what rumors were saying would be William's desire to expand into the lands west of Berne forming a new province there. Travelling to Berne with a small force and his wife he is met on the road by Dexter Hill of whom continues to be disliked by Karyl but their friendship leads Franklin to invite Dexter to join him on the road to Berne though in order to make his wife happy he travels at the front of the force while Franklin and his wife stay in the middle.

“I saw your coming in the water Franklin Brent. You and I were destined to meet here.”
— Franklin Anikka Salburg

Delayed by a collapsing portion of the path through the Dragon's Pass the forces of Hillsbrad under Franklin Brent would arrive following the wedding of Hanna, and Harrold, but did meet the forces of the royal family on the road.

The West

Main Article : Grand State of Tristfall

The West
Our future was not simply in Westros. The west needed to be both protected and grown.

“The King wanted the lands claimed as it was for him an abomination that the Orcs held onto the lands that were once human. With blood and tears we took the land and did our best to hold it.”
— Harrold Hardyng

The wedding of Hanna Arryn and Harrold Krinner had sparked the beginning of the idea for the conquest of Tristfall to become more then just an idea and with this plan now growing it would be three main elements moving forward in the form of the gathering of more forces for the armies. Sansa Starke and Harrold Hardyng would join William in the trip back to Lucerne where they were to meet with many of the Lucernian state noblemen in order to help gain more people for the colonization. Arriving there Sansa would become a growing influence as her kindness and gentle personality were something many of the nobles gravited towards, and her former family in House Starke supported her heavily. After spending many weeks in Lucerne she and Harrold would travel southward to Forks and rally many of the Lords of that state to their cause, but found less support among that state, although House Swan would send several smaller knightly houses to join with the colonization. Travelling finally southward to Highgarden they would find more support among House Tyrell of whom would send Lyonel Flowers of whom would be forming another cadet branch of House Tyrell in return for her being legitimized by House Arryn, and Lyonel Flowers would bring several hedge knight houses and nearly a thousand troops as well. Following this they would leave for Berne where the colonization efforts would begin. In Tristfall itself during this time Margot Robbet had found herself fighting against an Orcish agression for the first time in many years, and this led to her sending scouts out of the forest for the first time in that same period, and it was at this point that she met with some of the more eastern surviving members of the humans of Tristfall, and they would tell her that the Kingdom of Lucerne was massing for an attack all across Tristfall, and the Elves of Quel'Thalas were looking as if they might join with them. Realizing that this was her chance to make her people stronger she would prepare her Knights of the Quill for battle, and leave her younger sister in command of Robbet Forest, and she prepared to leave for Berne with her forces.

“Getting support from the other lords was just one part of what was going to be a truly inspiring crusade my dear. Sweet Sansa look out into the world, and what do you see. I see a world corupted and damaged by the Orcs, and I mean to change that. This is our land. Soon the Orcs shall understand that.”
— Harrold Hardynd

Back in Berne Sansa Starke would join alongside her new husband as he was tasked by House Arryn to colonize and expand into the region west of Berne. Using the influence and power given to him by William Lovie III. they begin forming the army for colonization as the reinforcements from all across Lucerne travelled to the lands of Berne. One of the first tasks that the human forces of Lucerne would have was to make contact with the broken human elements that still remained in the lands of Tristfall of which there were many thousands surrounded by ten times that amount of Orcs. Living in the forests and along rivers these human remnents would be contacted and prepared for the coming crusade against the unaware Orcs. One of the first of these groups was the Knights of the Quill led by Margot Robbet of whom swore themselves to House Hardyng and joined with the growing army of Berne. Sansa Starke would join her husband and Paul Arryn as they met with the Sindar Elves of Quel'Thalas, of whom were going to align with them in order to clean the land of the Orcs.

The Elves of Quel'Thalas

The Elves arriving at Berne would be another notch in the growing Lucerne-Elven alliances under William Lovie III.

“The Elves were so majestic in their appearance. Despite knowing these were not the High Elves that had begun to settle their own town in southern Lucerne, these Sindar Elves had their own magnificence.”
— Sansa Starke

The Elves had been following the situation in Tristfall very closely since the end of the Battle of Berne, and with the tensions very low with Lothlorian at the moment they would meet in oder to decide as a people if they wanted to completely throw their lot in with the Kingdom of Lucerne. Franklin Brent would first notice them when several of his scouts reported signs of Elven ambushes against Orcs near the forest, and he relayed this information to the overall commander in Gunthor Mountain of whom would relay a message to the Quel'Thalasian Elves that they were open to meeting. The leading members of the Senate of Quel'Thalas would request a meeting with King William Lovie III. of which - since William was at this point very far away - they would have via a Magi stone. William Lovie would be able to assist Alleria Windrunner in convinsing Marinda Oakwhisper that the Lucernians meant them only friendship when he revealed how in his dealings with both the High Elves, and the Lothlorian Elves he had made it clear that the Quel'Thalasian Elves were his friend and would not be harmed, and this was the reason that tensions had disapeared with Lothlorian. Seeing truth in his eyes Marinda Oakwhisper would become a direhard loyalist of the Lucernian alliance, and personally commanded some two hundred of her priestesses to the campaign in Tristfall.

“For too long my friends we have allowed fear to be greater then ourselves. These Orcs are an abomination, and it is time that we protect not simply the forest, but we protect the world from their blight. You have my support William Lovie III.”
— Marinda Oakwhisper

Under the command of Thranduil some three hundred Sindar Elves, and another two hundred Priestesses of Elune personally led by Marinda Oakwhisper entered Berne where the talks begin about the terms of the coming crusade. Gunthor Mountain was grateful for their help, and the Elves were heavily placed in a position to assist them all along the forest of Quel'Thalas but especially in the northwest of Tristfall where the Elves would lead the one thousand strong force of Forks led by Ser Donnel Swann of whom would assist them in the northwest while the main force moved in that same direction but from Berne. The Elves would mass in large numbers northward from their forests and would ambush and kill as many Orcs as they possibly could. Special notice was made to make sure the Elves would be able to assist the small villages of humans in the area as every human they saved was one person to add to the army and to add to the possiblity of the future of the land. The Elves described a series of large bridges that allowed crossing over the cliff coasts of the River Berne, and said that in order to hold off the Orcs long term these bridges would need to be destroyed. Thranduil and the Elven forces would at this point recieve reniforcements from there own side in the form of Legolas, and Tauriel of whom both would lead another five hundred Quel'Thalasian Elves into the crusade for Tristfall. By this point they were in full scale fighting with the Bleeding Hollow Clan, but were killing them in their hundreds due to poor leadership on their side, and they had gained nearly a full thousand more troops through the rescueing of stranded humans in the northwest.

Cleaning of Tristfall

“The land was infested with the Orcs. You didn't understand just how many until you actually looked at it from the sky, and saw their emcampents dotting the former lands of Bretonia.”
— Griffin Rider

When the Elves left Harrold Hardyng massed the vast army of Lucerne and begin preparing for the army and people joining them for the western journey. The area was somewhat deserted but using griphons to map the area for Orcish settlements they were able to ambush and massacre the Orcish encampents during the night with the assistence of the Sindar Elves of nearbye Quel`Thalas. These attackers were devestating to the Orcish population, and over the course of two months nearly half the Orcs of Trisfall were butchered in this way, while many thousands of others retreated westward away from the demons that killed them in the night. While this happened the mass flying might of Lucerne would provide support to the surviving humans of Tristfall of whom were armed and fed, and with these supplies they begin preparing themselves to do any kind of damage they could to the Orcs of Tristfall. By this point the Orcs were being pushed back all across the front, and the Blackrock Orcs begin to hear reports from their loyalists in the area about this, and back in Blackrock Mountain a large Orc force was massed in order to attack whatever force the humans were mustering. Led by Blackhand's twin sons this force would make its way southward, but along the way the Frostfang Orcs were reported to be attacking Bleeding Hollow Orcs and thus the twins would change their father's orders and instead moved towards attacking the hated Frostfang Orcs. The Orcs in Trisftall though still had sizeable numbers and the bridges still were in place so they were of great danger to the colonization of Tristfall due to the enormous numbers of Orcs surrounding Tristfall. The Order of the Blue Dragon would become heavily involved during this stage when Khadgar led a large contingent of the Order into the main camp of the army in order to assist. Flying many behind the main lines they would land a contingent of forces near many of the bridges of which the Order of the Blue Dragon would plan the operation to destroy the bridge and thus cutting off the Orcs from being able to swarm into the area. With the destruction of that last bridge the routes into Tristfall were all but cut outside of the pathway that would be fortified and a castle built onto it.

“The Bridges were the end of the line for the Orcs. There was basically one true land route into Tristfall if you took out the bridges, and that showed you right there their value.”
— Irelia Hardyng

Khadgar would split his force into dozens of piece with two main fronts being the northern river, and the western river. Leaving the northern river in charge of Irelia Hardyng the sister of Harrold he would take the majority of the Elven forces and prepare to destroy the western bridges, while Irelia was given most of the Swann forces in order to assist her. Across the operation it went mainly according to plan but along the northern river the Orcs had built a town of sorts around one of the bridges, and it was here where Irelia massed most of her forces including herself, and four other Blue Dragons in the form of Brann Roil, Traevin Rivers, Orden Snow, and Larra Marbrand of whom would summon spells for hours before the attack preparing to basically light the side of the town that was on the Tristfall side of the river on fire, and then during the confusion kill those who retreated southward, and at the same time Brann Roil would destroy Larra Marbrand would summon explosives onto the bridge and destroy it. The plan worked extremly well when the town nearly exploded after the fire of the spells struck several explosve piles the Orcs had placed around the town, and as the fire spread it engulphed the bridge and the town killing most of the town and destroying the bridge as well. The hundreds of Orcs that retreated from the inferno found themselves caught in a crossfire as Donnel Swann's forces would massacre them.

Force Sent	Leader	Stength
House Mountain	Gunthor Mountain	Nearly 2,500 Men at arms, and 220 Dragon Knights.
House Scorpian	Maron Scorpian	Nearly 2,000 Men at arms, and 250 Dragon Knights.
House Swann	Donnel Swann	Nearly 1,500 Men at arms, and 350 Dragon Knights.
House Brent	Franklin Brent	Nearly 1,000 Men at arms, and 85 Dragon Knights
House Blackwood	Tytos Blackwood	Nearly 1,000 Men at arms, and 75 Dragon Knights.
House Tyrell	Lyonel Flowers	Nearly 1,500 Men at arms, and 60 Dragon Knights.

“The Orcs massed as we moved as if they just biologically knew that there was a fight coming. Thousands of Orcs arrayed themselves against us, but caught between our forces they were crushed.”
— Harrold Hardyng

As the main army of Lucerne moved westward they worked alongside the Sindar Elves of Quel'Thalas to massacre the Orcs, but the further westward they got they begin to encounter news from the Sindar Elves and the Griffins that boded ill. The Orcs begin massing near the front lines in a huge force of tens of thousands. This large force was targeted from the sides by the Elves of Quel'Thalas of whom picked them off in ambushes, while they moved towards the main force. Gunthor Mountain would move the main Lucerne army towards this force, and met Franklin Brent's force, and Maron Scorpian's recently arrived force near a large lake. The Elves continued to harrass them, and battle was prepared when the suprise arrival of Tytos Blackwood and some eight hundred men with him caused them to wait several more days before fighting the Orcs. When Tytos arrived at the front he told them that he had been sent by his father in order to form his own wing of House Blackwood in the new land and would assist however he could, and his eight hundred men joined Maron Scorpian north of the lake where they would come down against the Orcs once battle was met.

Greengarden

Tristfall Secured

“It was the final step to finishing them, and everyone of us knew it. ”
— Gunthor Mountain

With the destruction of the bridges, and the lack of reinforcements from Blackrock the situation had deteriorated completely for the Orcs, and the Bleeding Hollow Clan would gather their remaining forces with the remaining Laughing Skull Clan and made there way towards the land opening of which was the site of the ruins of the town of Brionne. The Elves would see this retreat, and were able to make their way there quickly as well massacring scattered Orc forces as they moved about trying to reach this spot, and once the Elves reached the area they constantly bombarded the Orcish position forcing them to not move within the fortifications the ruins of Brionne provided. Khadgar and the Blue Dragons would move behind their ranks, and create illusions, and elementals which forced the Orcs to further remain in the same spot and by the time the Orcs had rallied enough at Brionne to become a problem the main Lucerne army had arrived to meet with the Elves and the Orcs were now losing incredible numbers to the entrenched forces of the Lucerne army and their allies outside Brionne. Realizing the numbers were going to switch away from them the Orcs would become enraged to the point that they begin splintering but a large force of several thousands charged southward towards the entrentched main Lucerne army. A fierce battle broke out and the Orcs begin to split through the Lucerne lines causing some to retreat, but Donnel Swann would charge into the breach with his Swann Knights and engaged the largest Orc he could find, and after a long battle he killed the Orc causing the rest to pull back where they were shot to pieces by the overwhelming numbers around them.

“On the ruins of Brionne we would build the foundation of our future in Tristfall.”
— Gunthor Mountain

With the Orcs of Tristfall collapsed, and what few remained in the land itself now heavily outnumbered the Order of the Grey Dragon was brought in nearly their entire number in Tristfall to the ruins of Brionne where they would begin construction of the fortress of New Brionne. Built between the flowing two rivers this would be the site of the major fortress that would defend the region from any attack from the northern lands. House Dumner one of the vassals of House Hardyng was given control of the province of Brionne and the fortress itself, and it would be under their care alongside a large Order of the Red Dragon contingent that the fortress would be maintained. The province of Scolpian was created west of Brionne under the command of House Scorpian of Tristfall, and they would control a large number of mines in their lands making this a powerful position. The Tinterlands were created north of Greengarden, and west of Scolpian and since they contained the forces of the Robbet forest they were given to the newly recreated House Robbet of whom was led by Margot Robbet and well known for the Knights of the Quill. A meeting was decided to be held later to decide on the rest of the southern provinces of the new Grand State of Tristfall of which they knew that they would not control as House Arryn was the Arch Lord of the Grand State, while House Hardyng controlled the State of Tristfall.

Death of Byron Arryn

The Death of Byron Arryn
I wasn't there in the end for him. I couldn't have been there at the end for him. As much as I loved him as my father, he was a monster who had failed his people. He deserved to be alone. He deserved to die the same way so many of his people were forced to die.

“I got the letter before my father did and the moment I did I knew everything was going to change. He was surviving simply off the lie he told himself about my brother, and if he learned the truth with his own eyes it would finish him.”
— Aria Arryn

The city of Berne was tense as Aria, and Hanna Arryn had become the most powerful leaders of House Arryn overpassing their father Byron of whom was hated by the nobles for his cowardess during the Battle of Berne. While this was happening Aria was somewhat rebuilding her relationship with her father and came to discover that her father still believed her brother Byron was going to come home, and it was for this reason that he was improving his image. It was weeks after discovering this that Aria Arryn would get a letter from William Lovie III. detailing to her that the Order of the Violet Dragon had narrowed down the location of Bill Lovie and that most her brother Byron had in fact been there, and he wished to know what Aria wished them to do with his body. Aria would for that moment remember the brother she knew so many years ago, and want to bury him in Forks where the family had grown up, and where she remembered him with fondness. First going to her sisters Hanna, and Spencer the group would speak kindly of their brother and the way in which they wanted to remember him, but at this point Aria would reveal what she knew about their father and his dependance on the memory of their brother, and they all realized he wouldn't survive the news.

“The three of us went to him and tried our best to say goodbye. It was a tragic moment as he knew nothing of what we were doing, and yet that conversation would be the last I would ever have with my father. I knew I didn't have the heart to tell him, and for that he died alone.”
— Aria Arryn

The girls would decide to spend time with their father one last time before they knew he would go off the deep end, and each of them had a different idea of what this would end with. The three would travel with a troop of Arryn troops north of Berne to a large waterfall where they spent the day together, and despite Byron becoming increasingly dillusional as he was kept away from Berne they had a good final time with their father. As they returned to Berne, Hanna would travel with only five men west to Greengarden, while Spencer would travel with a hundred men to Castle Scorpian where she planned to organize the living of the retreating refugees that the Violet Dragons had freed from both Orleans and the surrounding area. Left alone with her father Aria would be prepared to tell him when she grew weak and left it to Maester Coleman of whom she told to give the letter from William to once they had returned to Berne.

“I wasn't there in the end for him. I couldn't have been there at the end for him. As much as I loved him as my father, he was a monster who had failed his people. He deserved to be alone. He deserved to die the same way so many of his people were forced to die.”
— Aria Arryn

Aria would be in the keep of Berne when Maester Coleman, and Benjamin Krinner would enter followed by many other high nobles of the city. Maester Coleman would tell her what she already knew would be to pass, when he told Aria that Byron had thrown himself from walls of Berne and was dead. There was silence as though noone had loved Byron they cared deeply for Aria and thus gave her time to digest the news of her father's death of which she would sit with her head down for a moment before rising and addressing the assembled lords. Describing how good a situation they were in now she wished for them to support her as she took her claim to William Lovie III. in an attempt to make herself the Arch Dutchess of Berne. Benjaming Krinner would be the first to stand and support her, and following this many of the other lords quickly stood and joined the chorus of cheers and applause for her. Aria Arryn would call for the next oldest male of House Arryn in the form of Paul Arryn, and his brother Derek of which both arrived quickly as they were both in Berne. The three would meet and Paul would indicate that he believed she was the best choice, and Derek agreed, and thus Paul would travel with her to Forks where the funural for her brother and father would be held, and it would be there that they would support her claim to the control of Berne.

Funeral of an Arch Duke

“It was a strange thing to stand around and watch him go beneath the ground. I know he would have been happy knowing his body was so close to his heirs but I just wish it would have been different.”
— Hanna Arryn

Derek and Spencer Arryn remained in Berne in order to lead the city in the absence of Aria and nearly the entire nobility of the Grand State travelled to Forks in order to meet with the leadership of Lucerne and decide the new Lord of Berne, of which they overwhelmingly wanted to be Aria. Arriving at Forks Hanna and Aria were greated at the front of the caravans and at the entrance of Forks by William Lovie III., Leven Martell, Jasper Hale, Alice Lovie, Bella, and Charlie Swan and William would get off his Griffon and walk to the front where Aria and Hanna got off as well and he would hug Hanna and say his apologies for their loss. The funeral would go as expected with very few attending outside of the Shadow Council, and Bella Swan of whom wanted to support Hanna as she put her father to rest.

“Did you come here thinking for even a second that I might reject you? If you did then I suppose I should elect a few more females to my council.”
— William Lovie III.

Following the ceremony the Shadow Council, and the Arryn sisters would meet in Swan Keep alongside Charlie Swan of whom would meet with Aria over what she wanted to say. Aria would make an impassioned speach detailing why William should name her the Arch Dutchess of Berne, and the others stayed silent and stared at William once Aria was done. William stayed silent for a moment before breaking out laughing causing the rest to laugh until finally William revealed there was never any question as to if she would be named the new ruler. Hanna would travel with her husband back with William and the others to Lucerne where she would plan to stay for several months in better climate and try and help the sickly Harrold Krinner as they attempted to have a child. William having named Aria the Arch Dutchess of Berne would make her the first female leader of a Grand State in the history of Lucerne, and she returned to Berne at the head of the massive force of Berne and finally okay with her position in the political landscape.

Derek Arryn


Story Role
POV Role	None
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Vital statistics
Born	5099
Title	Official Titles
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Religion	Dragonoph
Status	Alive
Allegiance	Family Loyalties House Arryn
Racial Statistics
Maternal	Vandal German
Paternal	Vandal German
Family
Parents
Father	Placeholder
Mother	Placeholder
Siblings
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Internal Family
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Children	True Born With Placeholder