Emma Bell is the daughter of Catherine and Christopher Bell, making her a member of House Bell through her father and a member of House Lovie through her mother. Emma Bell has two siblings in the form of Hanah, and Chris Bell of whom Hanah is a reclusive girl who has remained this way because she feels overwhelmed by the large shadow that Emma casts over everything that she does, while her brother Chris is a young boy who is being groomed to join the House Lovie Honor Guard. Emma Bell would be finally married off to Freddie Highmore following the Invasion of Westbridge, and the two are a loving pair despite the constant danger that surrounded them due to House Faraday. Emma Bell has one child with Freddie Highmore in the form of Elessa Highmore of whom was born following the death of her cousin Marcel and was named after Marcel's mother's maiden name.
Emma Bell is the youngest child of Catherine, and Chris Bell, making her a member of through her mother Catherine Lovie, but she lies out of the line of succession due to the gender succession laws. Emma Bell would be assigned to her first Malatine when at the age of twelve she was incorporated into her mother Catherine's malatine in a move that brought the already very close mother and daughter even closer together.Emma would be at Bell Hold when most of House Lovie came there for the summer of 5119 and during this time she cemented herself within the sphere of William as a close friend and also proved herself valuable to her mother with this friendship which led to Catherine moving Emma into Dallia Lovie's malatine thus allowing her to be a part of what Catherine was planning. Emma Bell would travel to Lorderon during the events of the Lorderon Civil War but she would leave for Westbridge well before the violence happened and would thus remain away during the true events of the Civil War.
Emma Bell due to her extreme popularity and beauty has become widely known as the oldest and most known of the three children. She is a princess within the Kingdom of Lucerne, and she is below only Marcel Lovie on the ring of succession if the leadership were to fall.
Personality[]
Reputation[]
As she grew up she became close with her cousins William, and Alice Lovie, along with her other cousin Marcel Lovie of whom were the next generation of House Lovie and thus all shared a similar experience in the stresses. Obviously her relationship with William was the closest and in this relationship she was seen much in the same way that William saw Alice but not quite as strong. Emma Bell and William shared a great similarity in their love for economics, and unlike other people William didn't bock at a women becoming interested in such topics and they became often involved in these economics conversations. At first all this time together meant that she was also close to her cousin Alice Lovie but as she became more and more aware of how much William loved Alice she became jealous of the hold that Alice had over William, and this led to a bitterness towards Alice. As time went on she stood beside her beloved cousin as he underwent his severe rises and falls of which first was the sexuality that he gained following the loss of his moral compass in Edward Cullen. It was during this time that a sort of rivalry and conflict came to exist between Alice and Emma.
"My early life consisted of exactly what I was made to understand I needed to be. I was to be the studious young women that always acted appropriately and never stepped out of line. My cousin came to show me that more existed to our lives then just walking a straight path. He showed me that the world was full of twists and turns and you had to enjoy the ride, or risk missing it."
-Emma Bell
Kameister of Catherine[]
Emma Bell would be assigned to her first Malatine when at the age of twelve she was incorporated into her mother Catherine's malatine in a move that brought the already very close mother and daughter even closer together.
Revelations[]
"I just loved my cousin so much that it pained me to see how much influence she had over him. She wanted him to be the person she saw him as, but I saw him the way he was. A young man with flaws but at the same time nearly perfect. Who were we to question his perfection."
-Emma Bell
Alice first approached Emma Bell with the idea of going together to try and convinse William that what he was doing was wrong, and Emma in person agreed with her, but when the time came to actually go through with it she backed out. Emma didn't do this as a slight to her cousin Alice but just wanted to try and drive a wedge between the two and saw this as the perfect oppurtunity. So Emma went to William after Alice had approached him and basically counterdicted everything that Alice had said, and told William that he wasn't doing anything wrong. So as Alice pestered him about his behavior and its consequences Emma stood by and was his soundboard for all his complaints agains the critisism. When Alice was removed from Lucerne all the animosity that the two had was gone, as she no longer remembered her, but she was forced to watch as her family collapsed around her following Alice leaving and the subsequent coma it caused in William.
A Steinmare in Lucerne From the moment they understand what it means to be a noble, its the dream of every noble boy to get the chance I got. From the moment I arrived in the capital I was determined not to waste it. I wouldn't come here and not leave with what I wanted. I would do what was necessary. I would make my dreams come true.
A Steinmare in Lucerne[]
“Every noble boy dreams of the chances I was given, and I was determined not to waste it. I wouldn't come here and not leave with what I wanted. I would do what was necessary.”
— Dylan Steinmare
During his youth Dylan Steinmare would be sent to Lucerne alongside his half sister and fake twin sister Erica Steinmare where she would join the Lucernian Academy while he would not technically join the Academy but became the squire of Draco Highmore of whom was constantly at the Academy due to being the main gaurd of William Lovie III. Dylan and his sister Erica had grown far closer then they had with their other brother Martin, and in truth the relationship between Erica and Martin was not simply not strong but it was in fact filled with a lot of anger towards Erica from Martin, and thus it was easy for them to determine that Erica should go with Dylan to Lucerne. Dylan and Erica arrived in Lucerne and were met by Draco, and his son Freddie Highmore of whom would escort them to their temporary homes with the Highmore's, and arriving there they expected due to the modesty of the Highmore's that the home would be rough but instead they found a luxurious home filled with the true wealth of the Highmore's. Dylan Steinmare during his time in Lucerne as the squire to Draco Highmore would become a well respected young man of whom befriended Jasper Hale, and through this friendship would become involved in some major things and also meet Laera Griffin. While escorting Jasper Hale, and William Lovie III. they were present when Hostella Hale was killed in the drowning accident, and as Jasper's friend Dylan took this very negatively towards Edward Cullen and would never forgive him for what had happened, but
“I truly wanted that victory, and I prayed to the Dragon for the first time in my life. I have forever after prayed to the Dragon, as he gave me what I needed on that day.”
— Dylan Steinmare
It was at the Nortburg Tournament of 5122 that Dylan Steinmare, and Laera Griffin would finally get their chance at sealign their marriage prospects as while Dylan's mother visited quite often and knew of what Dylan planned this would be the first time that Laera had seen her mother and father since she had left for Lucerne. Dylan would escort his father, and uncle who had also made the trip alongside his mother to Nortburg, and when he arrived there he told his father that he had met the girl he wanted to marry, and that he would prove his value when he won the tournament, and declared her the Queen of Love and Beauty for the tournament. His father remained impassive, but nodded at Dylan before Dylan left to go and find Freddie Highmore and get prepared for his first joust. Laera would have much more success seemingly with her parents of whom jumped at the oppurtunity to marry a growing in influence young squire of whom by all acounts was friends with the crown prince.
“I knew somewhere inside of me that I was deeply in love with him before he won at Nortburg, but seeing his grace, and honor would seal everything for me.”
— Laera Steinmare
The Jousts would go in his favor as he defeated Ian Trant, then his friend Emmett McCarty, and then his enemy Edward Cullen of whom he would embaress following the victory by taunting him after he had knocked Edward off his horse. In the final rounds he would defeat the very talented Franklin Brent, and then Logan Lerman and winning the tournament he would name Laera Griffin his Queen of Beauty and Love, and then in front of the entire crowd would choose knighthood over the dowry being offered to him by Catherine Bell. Choosing who would knight him he chose Draco Highmore, and he was knighted in front of everyone and Laera held his hand as he was knighted. Following this Laera, and Dylan's parents would meet with them, and both reavealed that the bethrothal would happen, and the victory in the tournament was never going to determine whether it happened.
Marriage and a New Life[]
“I didn't see any reason to hold off the wedding as there wasn't a single sliver of doubt within me that she wasn't the girl of my dreams. I loved everything about her, and I really couldn't imagine another moment where she wasn't mine.”
— Dylan Steinmare
Following his victory at the tournament, and the admission by their parents that there betrothal was accepted by them it was openly made clear by Dylan that the two didn't wish to wait any longer to be married. Laera's father Lucas Griffin was resistant to this as he knew that Dylan had befriended many powerful people and he wanted to host a truly amazing wedding that everyone in the Kingdom of Lucerne would be amazed at, but Dylan would speak to Lucas and in no uncertain words reveal that unless the wedding happened soon then he couldn't promise there wouldn't be a bastard birth in their future. Afraid again of what Dylan might do Lucas attempted to have Laera return with them to Griffin's Castle but when Laera this was the plan she snuck out of the home her parents were staying in and found her way to Dylan. Seeing that they couldn't hide their daughter until the wedding they set a date of three months from them, and Dylan was able to dissuade some of their fears when he revealed that with the wedding being held in Lucerne it would be attended by William Lovie III. and his Shadow Council.
“I promise to love you until the last breathe leaves my body. I promise to always treat you like the princess you are, and never forget that it is only with the greatest of luck that I have you. My love for you will never diminish. The years may move forward but my love for you will always remain. I love you Laera. I will always love you Laera.”
— Dylan Steinmare's wedding speach
The wedding would be held at the Aerene Temple of Lucerne, and was attended as promised by Dylan's friends in the Shadow Council outside of Edward Cullen of whom he refused to accept at his wedding. Laera also had many friends and they would come alongside much of their families making their wedding one of the most influentially attended weddings of the year, and for several years afterwards. Following their marriage they abstained from the bedding ritual, and stayed the night in their own house which had been prepared on the Steinmare estate, and for the first time they would be together physically.
Summer at Bell Hold I have loved you since the first day I saw you. I will never love another person in this world the way I love you.
“Your getting out of here Matilda. My sweet child there are simply no words to tell you how much I will miss you. You have a great purpose ahead of you though. We both know how important your mission is.”
— Catherine Bell
Tristan and Lauren[]
“One part of me never wanted to leave my family. That part wanted to stay by my mothers side for the rest of my life. The other side. That side looked at the big city and thought. This is my future.”
— Lauren Garrn
Lauren arrives at Lucerne having travelled from Garrn and entering the city she is overcome by the sheer size of the city. As they enter the city her father takes them to the Garrn apartment in Lucerne which are in the District of James in the eastern part of Lucernian Proper. Traveling east off the main road of Lucerne they pass through the endless rows of houses in Lucernian Proper and seeing the number of beggars lining the streets causes a shock for Lauren who has only ever heard of how glorious and rich the capital is. Arriving at their apartment they get settled but don’t stay long as her father says she is to go to meet with Tristan at his seat at the Fortress of Aelfris the Gentle. Arriving at the castle they find a young man and several other young men all waiting for them. One of the young men who she thinks is quite handsome steps forward and her father introduces her to the young man as Tristan, and Lauren internally is happy looking at him. Her father leaves her with Tristan which surprises Lauren who thought she would have him as a chaperone for some time, but Tristan smiles at her nervously and realizing that he is just as nervous as she is makes her feel better. Following Tristan, she is taken by him inside the castle where he gives her a tour of the castle showing her the walls and the towers but says very little during this but when he does speak, he speaks with a stutter. Lauren doesn’t think the stutter is annoying and finds it cute leading her to have a good time with him.
The Nortburg Tournament of 5120 This tournament is for all of you. Its time you started building your own family now William.
“You are my son, and more then that you are the heir to this kingdom. That does not require me to keep you aware of everything that is going on at all times.”
— James Lovie II.
Its while sitting in the gardens outside the Skytower kissing Rosalie Hale when the two are interrupted by the arrival of Carlisle Cullen, and Kieth Schwartz. The two attempt to send Rosalie away but William resists this and she stays with him as they tell him about the coming Nortburg Tournament. It’s revealed that following the wedding it was William that was shuttled back to Lucerne and has been locked away inside the Tower of Clouds estate with only his friends able to visit him inside. William demands to know where Alice is and as the group is arguing about this its James that comes out of the front gate. William looks to his father and is shocked at his appearance. The last time he saw his father was only a few weeks ago but seeing him again he looks like he’s aged twenty years. The whole group is quiet as James is helped to get over to them with the assistance of two guards under each arm. Alongside the guards he is followed by Aelfwynn Turnidlon, Fabian Klauseburg, who all have an aura of nervousness as they reach William. Carlisle attempts to have James returned to the tower, but James ignores him and tells the guards to sit him down on the bench. After sitting down, he sends everyone away except for Kieth, and William. As Rosalie goes to leave, she gives him a kiss on the cheek, and it makes William feel a sense of safety. The discussion between the three of them does not go well as James reveals several hard truths for William. The first being the fact that Alice has indeed been betrothed to Paulus Yernese and nothing William does will change this fact. The next is that he would not be accompanying them to Nortburg and that Kieth would be his guardian while he was outside of Lucerne. Williams attempts to resist the words of his father lack any real aggression as he is thrown off by how sickly his father appears and having never seen his father looking so close to death, he is unable to quickly adjust. James discusses that at the tournament there will be many girls sent to the tournament as he has made it known that he wants to decide on William’s future bridge and will decide at the tournament based on Kieth’s negotiations. James begins coughing which again puts William in a state of panic as he watches his father break down. The coughing gets bad causing the return of Aelfwynn and Fabian who joined by several guards pick him up and bring him back to the Cloud Tower leaving a shaken William behind.
“Your father is a good person. I have spent my whole life near him. My life’s mission is to protect and serve him. There are moments when I think back to the boy he used to be, and I can barely recognize the man I see now. The truth is that’s how life goes. People change. People have flaws and as the days go by these flaws become more apparent. Listen to me when I say this, William. Once you love someone. Once you have given someone your word. Loyalty doesn’t have an exit door.”
— Kieth Schwartz
Following this its Kieth that stays behind and talks with William and the two show themselves to be close as despite everything happening William looks at him in a father like way. Kieth tells William to have the servants pack some things for the trip, and he does this following Kieth onto the lift of the Cloud Tower. Kieth commands two servants to accompany them up the lift to assist William and two girls quickly shuffle on to the lift in response. The two go up the lift but Kieth gets off on the fifth floor leaving William to travel further up with only two of his servants with him in the form of Adolfa and Helmgarda. Going up the next fifteen floors on the lift he looks on the two girls who keep their head bowed the entire time up the lift, and William begins to ponder who he is as a person. Thinking back to the peasants on the mountain he realizes that he has been detatched from the common man of Lucerne and decides to be better. William sparks a conversation with the two but only Adolfa pushes past her nerves to speak with William and the two share a laugh as the lift arrives at his floor. Going onto the floor they move past two guards towards his room where Adolfa follows him, while Helmgarda does the same but trails further behind. While discussing the trip to Nortburg its Adolfa that tells William that she overheard discussions to have his friends not accompany him on the trip to Nortburg and hearing this news he thanks her with a kiss and rushes to the lift. Leaving behind Helmgarda, and Adolfa to pack his things he goes back to the lift and prepares to find his friends to bring them back to the tower.
“You didn't think you could get rid of me that easily did you?”
— Leven Martell
Lying to the guards that he is just going to the garden he can escape the tower and get into the garden. Inside the garden he hops the wall and sneaks onto the walls where he uses a rope to climb himself down thinking how this gets easier the taller, he gets. As he reaches the bottom, he pulls the rope with him and then sees Leven sitting down across from him smiling at him. Revealing that she knew he would escape sooner or later she had come here to meet him. Pulling her into a hug he explains what has happened and attempts to take her hand and go and gather the Shadow Council, but she stops him. Telling him that she had been with Aria when guards had come and commanded that she begin packing for the trip. She had then tried to see Jasper and Rosalie but saw guards there as well revealing her attempts to find the Shadow Council had all ended in failure leaving just her not taken away. At Leven’s words he prepares to sneak her inside so that she is not sent away with the rest of his friends. Using the rope, he pulls himself back up and then helps Leven do the same. Going back to the tower he goes inside where he finds the servant clothing, he has hidden for events like this and brings them back outside. Taking them to Leven he gives them to her to change and while at first, he turns away to give her privacy he sees her reflection in a vase. Seeing her body exposed he feels the desire to turn around and touch her skin but controls himself and does not turn around. With Leven pretending to be a servant they go inside returning to the lift and go back to his floor. Arriving at the floor they find his things packed and by the entrance to the lift and no sight of Helmgarda and Adolfa. The guard on duty is Erik Fahnrich who recognized Leven but doesn’t say anything just smiles and lets the two go past him. William wakes up in the morning and finds himself and Leven cuddling in bed together and feeling her skin against him he begins touching her this time unable to control himself. Leven wakes up to this and embarrassed at first to be caught she silences him with a kiss. The kiss becomes heated with the two touching each other but as it risks going somewhere further, he stops them as he becomes ashamed of betraying Rosalie. Leven looks disappointed but smiles at him, and the two get dressed as by this point they were both naked. Leaving Lucerne with only Leven, and his servants they travel by carriage towards Nortburg with Leven and William sharing the carriage together. During the ride they talk as they always have but things have changed between them as there is a chemistry now there that William resists due to his feelings for Rosalie. Leven does tell William briefly about her time on the road back to Lucerne and hints that she believes Wuldrik Toyne may be her real father.
Blood of Old Atlantis[]
“You didn't think you could get rid of me that easily did you?”
— Leven Martell
As James and his council begin planning for different marriage options for the prince William Lovie III. it was James that became very interested in the idea of having a Numenorian brought. James understood that the blood of Atlantis was very rare in the valley and thus they would have to find this Numenorian girl from somewhere outside of the valley. As word was sent to loyalists throughout the surrounding kingdoms it was a trader in Lorderon that passed on the information that a princess in Arnor was not back on the market. It was thus James Lovie was sent information that the young Ar-Brentey Hemsworth was now free following the death of her proposed husband in battle. James sent letters to King Jonas Hemsworth asking him if her hand was open for his young son William Lovie III., and after a series of back and forth letters Jonas would take this option to his council, and their would little debate among them. It was decided that clearly this was a top tier marriage option, and thus was one of the two eventual Numenorian betrothal options that were brought in. The second Numenorian option was discovered much closer to home in the form of Seri-Relisia Terrick of whom was a member of the Dragonoph Temple that had become increasingly attached to the Shadow Council and thus an obvious option. With Relisia an obvious option it was Aldiel that appeared before the Circle council and was told of this plan, and would give permission for the betrothal discussions stating that she had the full authority of her husband. The truth of this was the Aldiel was long dead and this was actually in fact Septemax that was acting as Aldiel and thus it was Septemax that became perhaps the last true Dovah influence in the capital.
“Noone told me the distance between the two places, and for that reason it was shocking not only the distance but the complete changes that you go through in travelling from Arnor to Lucerne. The ice tipped mountains of Arnor pass through the lush Riverlands, and the hardy lands east of Stormwind, and then finally you reach the prestine valley of Lucerne.”
— Brentey Hemsworth
Ar-Brentey was told about the plan, and having spent the better part of two decades in isolation at the Anchorite of Fornost she was overjoyed at the chance to leave the Anchorite. During the time before she left she was left a list of things that William liked that had been sent by James Lovie but unfortunately James did not know his son half as well as he thought so the vast majority of these things were inaccurate. As she was leaving she was forced to for the first time accept life without her family of whom had been her rock for most of her life, but she was sent with her handmaiden Ilana La-Phellion of House Phellion. So it would be nothing more then Ar-Brentey her handmaiden Ilana, and a small party of men at arms to protect them when they went for a trip to a completely foreign land. Also along with her learning she begin taking the name Britt the rough translation of what her Numenorian name became in common germanic. The Journey for Brentey was extremely long, but over the time she and her best friend Ilana La-Phellion would be reading up on the history of Lucerne through several books that they had been given by James Lovie during his time in Arnor. Through this they learned the history of the Kingdom of Lucerne, but more importantly they learned all there was to know about House Lovie in book learning. During this reading she came to greatly admire her betrothed's name sake in the form of William Lovie of whom she read all about, and the relationship that he had with the dragons. She tried her very best for the situation that awaited her, and for her part was desperate to have this work not wanting to return to the anchorite but also desperately wanting a partner.
“I did whatever I could to keep him interested. He was a maturing young man, but for all intesive purposes he was a child. I had to be the greatest of all the distractions he would be met by or else I would lose everything. ”
— Brentey Hemsworth
When Brentey arrived in Lucerne James made sure to use all of his skill to manipulate the young girl into keeping her purpose their a secret. With the element of surprise still with him, he set Brentey out on a mission to seduce William, which based on his adoration at the time of Rosalie Hale made this difficult but James told her that she was not going to have a problem with Rosalie who he planned on removing from the equation.
The Tournament Starts[]
Royal Betrothals[]
“Brentey Hemsworth came to the land of Lucerne with a purpose. At first I thought it was marriage, and it was for this reason that I dismissed her so quickly. It was only later that I realized she actually cared for me on a deep level.”
— William Lovie III.
The Joust[]
“I did whatever I could to keep him interested. He was a maturing young man, but for all intensive purposes he was a child. I had to be the greatest of all the distractions he would be met by or else I would lose everything. ”
— Brentey Hemsworth
The Yellow Dragons[]
Main Article : Meeting of Volker Yernese and the Yellow Dragons
Departure of Princess Alice[]
Ezio's New Mission[]
“I did not have the power to stop my niece from being sent southward to danger, but I will not stand by and do nothing. I must try and keep her safe. I need you to help me with this.”
— Catherine Lovie
Its Ezio Ederiz that is watching as William leaves for the lands of Turnendorf and standing beside Carlisle Cullen the two discuss the next steps for Ezio. Carlisle tells Ezio that he will be traveling alongside princess Alice Lovie as she journeys back to Pomeria. While he is guarding the princess on this journey, he is also going to deliver a letter to House Yernese. Once they have arrived at Pomeria and he has confirmed the letter has been given to Caeparia Macrinus the daughter of Lord Aldo Yernese he will then attempt to contact an assassin in Pomeria named Ysabel Foucault who will take over for him in protecting Alice. Once this has taken place, he will then head directly to Turnendorf and assist William in anything that does come up for him. As he is leaving its Ezio that Is stopped by Dallia Lovie who asks to speak with him privately. Agreeing to this he commands Catherine to prepare their things to go with Alice southward which she does with a nod leaving Ezio to follow Dallia. Dallia takes him to the market where they go through a stall passing the owner with a nod and go into the shop behind. Entering the room, he finds several prominent nobles waiting inside and while he recognizes several its Catherine Lovie that gains the focus of his attention. Inside the room he is asked by Catherine and the others to kill Ysabel instead of handing over ownership of Alice to her, and then to hand over protection to Gudrun Ganzfried. Seeing this as an obvious move against Carlisle he demands to know why he would do this, and Catherine takes a risk by telling Ezio the truth of what Ysabel’s true purpose is which is to not protect Alice but to instead kill her. Ezio agrees to find out the truth of what Ysabel’s purpose is and only if murder is her purpose will Ezio stop her. The group agrees and not wanting to be discovered they tell him to go on his way but as he leaves Catherine forces him to promise that he will do what he can to protect Alice.
The Second Crisis of Turnendorf Do not forget that you are a good person prince. You will need memories of that in the coming days. Monsters are coming, and I fear you are the only one who can stop them.
Ezio's Work in Turnendorf[]
“The situation on the mainland is spiraling quickly out of control. Baron Turnidlon is still hiding out in his keep while the entire province falls to the cult. The coward I heard even imprisoned his own son when the boy tried to step in. At this point its just the Rosler's holding out. If I were you I'd make sure they don't turn.”
— Marwin Nordidlon
Ezio that is meeting with Deacon Marwin Nordidlon, and his first enchanter Ursella Klorindorf. The three are discussing how the situation has deteriorated quite rapidly on the mainland due to the work of the cult that has done on the population. Marwin is unwilling to send his people to join while only House Rosler remains loyal to the crown, and his main concern is that House Rosler’s leadership may break. Marwin tells Ezio that an upcoming meeting at Rosler Castle is of the most immediate concern in this regard as two prominent members of the Voiceless Angels are traveling to the castle to attempt to bring the Roslers finally to their side. Ezio is also told that a major concern is the imprisonment of the leadership of House Burnendorf, and House Telstendil both of which are keeping those houses under the control of the Voiceless. Ezio leaves the Tower of Tuhrendlor alone, but as he gets on the boat its Ursella that joins him alongside her sister the Second Enchanter Ophellia Klorindorf. Travelling to Rosler Castle its Ursella that tells Ezio the story of how she became a Magi revealing that the Voiceless Angel have a device that allows them to create Magi users out of regular people without abilities. Arriving at Rosler Castle they see a boat flying the flag of the Voiceless and know they are arriving late. Entering the castle, they are let in out of respect for the Circle of Magi and are taken to the dining hall where a feast is being held. Entering the feast, they sit down together causing quite a stir as everyone there knows that they are there to clearly resist whatever the Voicless are going to push for. The Voiceless group is sitting nearbye and one of their members who Ursella names as Astrid Flortindorf II. - of whom she knows to believe a fanatic for the Voiceless – comes over and sits with them. Ezio and Astrid talk for a time with Astrid at first attempting to get the group to support the Voceless and arguing for their moral path, but Ezio views them as rebels who cannot be bargained with and so rejects this offer. Landsgrave Thomas Rosler III. makes a speech where he points out his desire to remain loyal to the crown, but also details that he will hear out the Voiceless before making his decision. Astrid speaks in front of the room describing the situation in Turnendorf as already being over, and that she and her order are not traitors to the crown, but instead are attempting to make the lives of the people better while also wanting to reconcile with the crown. As Thomas is about to speak its Ezio that interrupts and reveals that prince William is on his way to Turnendorf and that when he arrives, he will be destroying the Voiceless and to join them would be to doom everyone. With the revelation that the prince is coming its Thomas that refuses to support the Voiceless and requests they leave the castle which they begin to do but as they do an angered Astrid taunts Thomas about his daughter Taylor having joined them. This taunting leads to a fight breaking out but as Astrid uses her Magi its Ursella that resists her leading to a duel between the two. The duel goes for a few minutes before an apparition appears in the room. The apparition shows itself as Sogronul the leader of the Vicoeless one and demands that Astrid stand down which she does. The Voiceless leave the castle after this without resistance and the apparition of Sogronul speaks to Ursella forgiving her for leaving and threatening everyone in the room with death if they do not surrender. Ezio stands up to this voice using a Magi device he carries with him to block her Magi and cause the apparition to disappear.
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.
“What have you heard about the situation on the mainland?” The Deacon Marwin sat back in his chair sipping on wine as I sat down in the chair offered to me. He appeared withdrawn. He appeared bored by my arrival.
“I was told to come here and prepare the land as much as possible for the arrival of the prince. I would say basically nothing.” It was the truth. I knew that a cult had taken root again in the land, but as the actual on the ground situation I knew nothing.
“Its not good Lord Ederiz. The entire mainland outside of the capital has basically fallen to the cult. The cult took control of the town of Klorindorf much to the shame of my young second here.” He nodded with disappointment at Ursella who scowled at him in response. “To this fall the baron did nothing.”
“Has he acted since?”
“He remains locked up in his keep. His yes men are now in charge of the city.” He laughed as he spoke the words. Leading to Ursella speaking up.
“We heard Lord Ederiz that the Baron has imprisoned his sons for attempting to take a more active role in resisting the cult.” Marwin looked away towards the painting on the wall appearing overjoyed that Ursella had taken over speaking to me.
“Do you believe that the Baron is in league with the cult?” I spoke now to Ursella who pulled out a large scroll and laid it across the table.
“He’s in league with no one but his own cowardice Lord Ederiz.” She showed me each settlement across the province. Each one crossed off indicating their fall to the cult.
“It sounds as if I must pay a visit to the Baron then.”
“I would argue against this being your first move.” Marwin got up from his chair as she spoke, and he moved closer to the painting he was so enamored by.
“Where would you argue I go?” Her hand instantly pointed to the map.
“Rosler Castle is the seat of House Rosler, and it remains the only true powerbase outside of the capital outside of the cult’s hands. A meeting is being held there very soon. If things go badly during this meeting the prince may arrive to find his route blocked. The Rosler’s control most of the ships of the province.”
“So, if they turn the prince will be blocked in his movements.”
“Correct. I would say that making sure the Rosler’s don’t join the cult is your main concern.”
“I agree with this.” She pulled the scroll together and packed it back into her bag while Marwin continued staring at the painting.” I will leave immediately.”
“We wish you luck on your trip.” He didn’t even turn towards me as he spoke the words.
“What assistance may you provide my party with Deacon?”
“I will supply you with a boat. More then this I cannot offer.”
“I have the seal of the king Deacon. Surely you will provide me with more than this token offering.”
“I will not. I am tasked with the protection of this tower. This tower is vital to the defense of this area. Only a directive from the king himself would make me intervene in the province.”
“This seal is his directive.”
“That seal grants you access. Access is not authority. I entertained your presence here. Consider anything further as a gesture of kindness.” The deacon
“Deacon perhaps a compromise could be reached with Lord Ederiz here.” Ursella stepped in as the Deacon begin walking out of the room.
“What do you suggest my loyal second?”
---
“The cult took her sister when they took control of Klorindorf. She was the wife of Estmar Turnidlon.”
“He was imprisoned by the baron?”
“If the rumors are true. It sounds as if he demanded command of the army to retake control of Klorindorf and get his wife back. His father disagreed.”
“Do we know why he has acted this way? It would appear to me to be the acts of a man siding with the cult.”
“He lost a lot in the previous cults uprising.”
The Prince Moves[]
“Your father cannot fix this. He is not the man he was when the Voiceless rose the first time. This is your time.”
“It has been decided that a wife is to be found for you.”
— Dallia Lovie
William Lovie III. is the POV Character of this chapter and during this chapter he is sitting in his room with Edward, Jasper, Emmett, Dylan, and Byron where the group is joking around and having a good time together on the boat heading towards Turnendorf. A knock at the door brings Draco Highmore, and Ortwin Reinmann II. into the room and the two request William follow them so that he can meet with his cousin Dallia. Following behind them they go up a level to Dallia and Ortwin’s room and entering they find Dallia sitting behind a large desk with Aelfwyn sitting in a chair beside the desk. Aelfwyn and William share a smile as he sits in the chair prepared for him in front of Dallia. Dallia explains to him how things are going to go while they travel to Turnendorf with her having decided to give each of the girl’s time with him throughout the trip with the first of these being when they stop at Mirador Keep. Dallia tells him that she has already met with all the girls and has made the timeline for his meeting with each of them but refuses to tell William who he will meet with first. The fleet stops at Mirador Keep and its size leaves it forced to disperse for the night across much of the coastline, but the White Dragon of the Valley moves inland down a tributary river and stops at a smaller holdfast that Draco tells him is Tirador Holdfast a burgrave noble family sworn to House Kilgor. As the boat docks itself as best it can be due to its size its William that sees the Glory of Aerene also move towards them and prepares himself to meet with one of the girls. The first girl to meet with is Mary Kilgor, and accompanied by Aelfwyn, and Dallia its his aunt that introduces him to Mary. Mary is quiet and appears very nervous so William comforts her by kissing her hand as his greeting to her which leaves her smiling. Dallia tells William that the plan is for the fleet to restock their supplies for several hours and that Mary will escort him to the nearby Tower of Kilgor which is a large tower that oversees the entire nearby region. Taking a horse its Mary and William that travel the road, and as they ride talking its Mary that begins to open up to him. Joking about how much work her father went to replace all the fencing along the road and even had his men trimming the trees so that William would be impressed. Leaving the tower, the two ride back to the boat and with the two agreeing they would make better friends its Mary that is now completely showing her true self as they ride, and she cracks jokes making William laugh. Arriving back at the boat its William that escorts Mary on board and like he warned he would he introduces her first to Dylan who he believes is just the type of person shes looking for. After watching Dylan take Mary to the girls boat its William that talks with Jasper, Edward, Emmett, and Byron about how the day went with her revealing to them that he doesn’t see anything romantic with her and thus wants her to be with Dylan. William speaks with his aunt that night telling her as well that he wants Mary to come and that he wants attempts made to make a match between Dylan and Mary if the two of them get along as well as he believes they will.
“Some part of me always hoped for this Will.”
— Aria Arryn
Traveling again they make their way onto the Upper Greenhave River on their way towards the town of Sunspear Hold where William is excited because he hopes that Leven will be there. When they reach Lake Gurse its Dallia that tells William he is to meet another of the prospective betrothal options, and they stop once more. This time they dock at the town of Gursia where instead of someone new its William that is overjoyed to see Aria waiting for him on the docks. William and Aria are to spend several hours together visiting the local attraction known as the Falls of Gursia. After kissing Aria its William that feels a slight pang of guilt as he thinks on Rosalie but seeing Aria smile, he brushes this aside and the two continue kissing. William and Aria hold hands as they return to the boat, and while she joins the Betrothals boat its William that returns to his boat where the boys are all shouting and hollering as they see William and Aria holding hands.
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.
“It has been decided that a wife is to be found for you.”
“Who has made this decision?”
“Everyone. The council. Your aunt. Your father. Everyone agrees.”
“Shall I have any choice in these options”
“Of course, William. I have arranged for you to meet all the prospective girls. You shall spend time with each. Tell me how you feel. We shall find you someone who will make you happy Will.”
“Thank you Dallia.”
Sunspear Hold[]
“Leven will not be one of the girls that you meet with on this journey. It has been decided that she is not suitable for this position. I know how this will make you feel, and I want you to know that I am sorry.”
— Dallia Lovie
When they are getting close to Sunspear Hold its Dallia that summons William who is very excited to see Leven who he hasn’t seen in some time. After meeting with Dallia and learning that Leven is not going to be one of his betrothal options he goes to the lower levels where finding Byron and Jasper playing dice, he convinces the two to join him in letting off some steam. The boats of the fleet are moving close together, and as they have traveled, he could see the betrothal boat and thus the three sneaks to the top level of the boat and despite attempts by Edward to stop them they convince the captain to steer the boat closer and then use ropes to jump on board. Edward remains behind where he, and Emmett cover for them.
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 should be exploring every feeling that you have my prince.”
“Glaurung himself said that while life has many meanings to it. One of the main is to find happiness. To find joy. To feel love. How better to feel all those things then to let yourself go.”
“How do I do that Ar-Brentey?” She smiled at me before sliding herself closer to me. Her hips rested up against me, and her hand moved onto my chest.
“Shall I help you?” As her hands ran down my arm and towards my waist, I couldn’t find the words. I just nodded.
Time at Krebville[]
“While we are at Krebville you will be meeting with the Northern Lucernian lords. You want there help with this campaign. You need them for anything that you plan to do in the future.”
— Seri-Relisia Terrick
Meeting with Council of Destill[]
“We need you to help us faciliate a conversation with the prince. In return for this help I will promise to help you..”
— Aranna Jovinsson
Edward Cullen is walking through the streets of Krebville with Jasper when he begins seeing the vision of a women hovering over a building in front of him. Going into his pocket he puts the ring on his finger and shakes off the feeling. Continuing to walk with Jasper the two go back to joking when he feels the ring fall off his finger. As this happens the girls appears again in front of him now holding the ring, but she clearly cannot be seen by Jasper. Using an excuse, he leaves Jasper and follows the girl down an alleyway where she waits for him. The two speak for a time where she introduces herself as Aranna Jovinsson and that she represents a group she calls the Council of Destill who want to speak with him, and by extension she hints they want to speak with prince William. Edward tells her that he will speak with William but when could they offer prince William that would bring him to the table with them. At this she holds out a tiny scroll and hands it to Edward telling him to read it and then when he and William agree to the meeting that she will be found at the docks just west of Krebville tonight. She walks away from him leaving him to open the scroll and reading the contents he discovers that this scroll which is known as “The Codex of Sogronul” details a plot by this Sogronul to convert large numbers of women in Turnidlon to Magi and then create an army from them. Following the Shadow Council discussing things its William that sits up from the table and asks Edward’s opinion of what they should do. It becomes clear to Edward in this moment that William is giving him the final decision powers and Edward wanting to help William pushes the idea of meeting with the girl. With the plan decided on it’s the Shadow Council that sneaks from the Krebville palace grounds joined by several prominent guards and heads towards the docks. Also, among this group going to the meeting are Aelfwynn Turnidlon, Tanya Denali, and Ar-Brentey Hemsworth. Arriving at the docks they find several women waiting for them. Aranna Jovinsson steps forward and thanks William for coming and then goes into the deal that she wants to make. She offers to help William in his campaign against the Order of the Voiceless Angel and in return they ask that William requests two things. Firstly, they want William to authorize the founding of a Guild for them which has been rejected up and till now because of its Magi origins. Secondly, they request that House Reinmann make House Gollwitzer an Ealdorman so that the guild would be further protected. William agrees to these demands and following this the girls swear an oath of loyalty to William and say that in the morning they will be at Krebville with a boat to join his forces in their final journey to Turnidlon.
Seas to Rosler Castle[]
“I look at you and I see a young man that is drowning. You are so lost Edward Cullen. Let me help you.”
— Madeline Gollwitzer
Edward, and Tanya leave the Shadow Council and join the boat of Aranna as the fleet leaves Krebville and while sad to not be with the Shadow Council he does look at this an opportunity as William told him to eventually lead a Magi guild that the two want to create once he is king. While on the boat towards Rosler Castle he is introduced to the other Magi aboard the boat in the form of Laisa, and Elissa Klorinsson, Cercilia Borisson, and Frida Scheid.
The Prince Arrives[]
The Meeting at Turnendorf[]
William, Edward, and Jasper join a small group of the upper command in moving from the main fleet towards the tiny lighthouse island outside of Turnendorf in order to meet with the Voiceless leader a women described as the voiceless angel.
The Meeting of the Prince's Fleet[]
After leaving Sogronul on the island its William that discusses things with his commanders as the small boat returns to the fleet, and its Oberyn, and Benjamin that push for William to move quickly against the Voiceless and use the distraction the fleet provides to do it. Returning to the fleet its William that calls a meeting of the leadership, and while the leadership gathers its William that meets first with his Shadow Council of whom he talks openly about his position in the upcoming meeting and they each give their opinions. Following this its William that meets with Ar-Brentey of whom further pushes William to make the aggressive play in this situation. The two kiss and William tells her that he is seriously considering her idea of taking multiple wives, but tells her that while he can see himself marrying her he cannot fully agree to the multiple wives until he has discussed things with Leven.
Arrival of the Circle[]
“Cardinal Amund has sent me here so that you might understand the faith that we have in you. In the past I know that what we have done may make you question us, but I am here to assure you that Cardinal Amund is someone that you may trust.”
— Marwin Nordidlon
Following this they are surprised by the arrival of a boat carrying the flag of the Circle of Magi, and rejoining the leadership they meet with Deacon Marwin Nordidlon, alongside his First Enchanter Ursella Klorindorf. The Circle of Magi group would under the direction of Marwin swear themselves to William’s cause and this would cement in William’s mind that the aggressive approach was the proper path. Marwin would be sent to Rosler Castle to support what would be a side move to retake Nordidorf a large town controlled by the Voiceless but this attack was planned for what William timed would be after their capture of the more important Castle Telstendil. While Marwin would do this it was First Enchanter Ursella that would join his force alongside a small group of Circle members to further supplement their Magi forces, and she was assigned by William to work under his increasingly very trusted friend Aelfwynn.
Battle of Castle Telstendil[]
Arriving well away from the island of Telstendil the leadership of the fleet meets on the White Dragon of the Valley and they plan out how they will take control of the island. Telstendil is defended by a series of lightly garrisoned watch towers that dot the south of the lsland on the edge of the massive bluffs that are a main feature of the island. If the guards are able to see the fleet before they are able to land troops then the element of surprise is over and the castle will be warned leading to a fleet action having to be taken and many lives lost that William is trying to avoid. In order to do this its Benjamin that details a plan where they will use the night to swim to the edge of the bluff and then use climbing tools to ascend the bluffs reaching the towers where they can easily take out the guards peacefully. William uses his leadership position to delegate command of the fleet to Oberyn Martell while he will join the climbing group led by Benjamin. The leadership group is very against him doing this due to the danger but he overrides them all and forces them to move on to the next steps of the plan. Joining William and Benjamin is Jasper, and Lyanna alongside one of Benjamin’s men named Florian Couvreur, and as the sun begins to disappear in the sky its Benjamin that attempts once more to change William’s mind on coming with him. William succeeds in convincing Benjamin of the wisdom of him coming with him, and they get into the water making the long swim towards the bluff, and during this swim it’s the group that occupies themselves as best they can but even William is fearful in the dark water.
Fall of Castle Telstendil[]
Taylor Rosler would be at Castle Telstendil when the forces of William Lovie III. attacked the town and during this battle she would be captured by the Lucernians without incident.
Docking at Mestilghot[]
Taylor would be taken by the Lucernians as they moved northward and falling under the guardianship of Wuldrik Toyne she would be convinced by him to see the start of a new life and shown care for the first time in years she felt a strong pull to support the Lucernians as the days went by.
Fall of Trestilghar[]
While the main army
Fall of the Keep[]
The chapter ends with William, and his elite force entering the keep of Trestilghar and entering the keep they are forced to fight against several Drakah but they outnumber the Drakah badly and the defenders are wiped out leaving William and his group to begin searching the rooms for the leadership of the town. William, Edward, Leven, Aelfwynn, Jasper, and several knights all go through the main door and find two girls who attempt to use Magi against them but Aelfwynn and Edward resist them as well as their runic armor and the girls are then restrained revealing themselves as Angels of the Voiceless One. Following the Battle of Trestilghar it was Byron that convinced Aelfwynn that Edward's Magi was a threat to William finding out that she was taken on the role of other girls so that she could be with him, and with her help he begin plans to conspire to have William send Edward southward towards Mortildorf instead of joining them at Thaig Roelet.
“Edward I need you to go south. Take Mortildorf and hold the road until we have taken Roelet. Once we do we will head south to you. I need you to do this for me my friend. There is no one else I would trust with this.”
— William Lovie III.
Greta Rosler would reach Mortildorf before the Lucernian army arrived there and taking charge of the defense of the town she would send further updates to Songronul as she prepared for the arrival of the Lucernians. Leaving the main army at the head of his force he marches at the front carriage joined in this carriage by Dylan Steinmare, and Lyanna Starke while Trent of Klorindorf rides alongside them. Edward doesn’t talk much with Dylan as they ride south, but he and Lyanna talk as they always do. Lyanna and Edward talk with Trent about where he grew up and he tells them of his childhood near Klorindorf and gives them his own opinion of the Voiceless Angels who he appears very angry at. Lyanna and Edward talk about how Edward misses Tanya and that he wants to talk with his father about a true betrothal to her. As they talk about love its Lyanna that is reluctant to get into it but it seems clear to Edward that she is talking about William when she talks about wanting someone she cannot have. During the march its Oliver Meigstrad II. and his forces that form the secondary leadership of this force as he Reigstrad forces are almost half of the overall force that Edward leads south. Not knowing Oliver well its Edward, Dylan, Oswald, and Lyanna that invite him onto their carriage which he accepts alongside his son Markus Meigstrad, and his top commander Edric JuestredAs the carriages get further down the road the commander of the scouts (find man) tells them that the road and woods are heavily scouted and that he doesn’t see a path to sneaking to the castle. Edward stops the entire force and calls all the unit commanders to the front of the carriage. Meeting together they decide that sneaking is no longer an option and thus they will reach the outskirts of the town fully prepared for battle. Reaching the break in the forest where the scout said the castle would be visible, they are met by the sight of the deployed force of the Voiceless. Several lines of Draknoid soldiers are arrayed in front of the castle and the group questions why they would deploy outside the walls instead of hunkering down for a siege. At the onset of the Battle of Mortildorf it was Trent of Klorindorf and Greta Rosler that got into an argument with Trent taunting Greta over her daughter having turned, and then Greta revealing that House Klorindorf assisted the rise of the Voiceless in exchange for the Voiceless turning many people of Klorindorf to Magi sensitives.
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.
“Did the honorable Trent tell you about why so many of the Klorindorf’s have Magi?”
“Why don’t you stop talking and take your wand out. We end all this right here.”
“Making deals with Klorindorf’s men has always been helpful for the Voiceless. Tell them how your lord sold us information and ignorance in exchange for our help.”
Enraged by the taunting of Trent it was Greta that left the battle line and engaged in a duel with Trent and defeated him before using a death Magi blow on him which led to Edward removing his ring and engaging her and despite his lack of experience his raw power overwhelmed Greta leaving her a smoking ruin. The death of Greta would cause panic in the lines of the Voiceless as she was the most senior commander there with the only other commander being the thirteen-year-old Kendra Numeterix of Morrot who briefly attempted to lead the other girls but as this panic was seen from the Lucernian lines it was Edward that ordered a charge of his forces at them. As the uncontrolled Dragonkin lashed against the control of the Voiceless it was the attacking Lucernians that cut them down leading to the Voiceless members surrendering or being hacked down by the enraged Dragonkin.
Occupation of Mortildorf[]
Following the battle it was Edward that made quick work of establishing control of the castle and the area around it, but his main focus became the fortifying of the castle which was rundown after its occupation by the Voiceless. Edward would send scouts south of the castle towards the nearby siege of Turnendorf but they didn't reach the castle as by this point the Voiceless army was already on the march northwards.
“This fort stands as their capital. We take it and they will be forced to come back here and retake it. This is how we force them to fight us on our terms.”
— William Lovie III.
William watches as Edward’s convoy moves southward and as he thinks on whether it was a mistake to send Edward south its Byron that comes to him and supports William on his decision. During this conversation Byron reveals that it was him that first put the idea into William’s head and thus even if it was wrong Byron makes William understand that the guilt would be spread out and not just on him. William leads the army towards Thaig Roelet, which they are approaching during the night so that they will be able to surround and prepare without the defenders becoming aware of them. Reaching a half an hour away the army sets up camp in the forest and prepares for the night where they will attack. During the day its William that meets with many people in the army buts its Leven that he really wants to speak with about her opinion on the arrangement being discussed between the four. As the camp is secured and they have time before the final meetings its William that walks with Leven into the forest and the two find a quiet spot to talk.
The Night Attack[]
The army executes the plan and moves slowly towards the camp with the front groups reaching the wall without issue, and seeing the success of the anti-warding its William that makes the signal to climb the walls and enter the camp. As one of the front line its William that moves quietly through the camp attempting to make it as far as he can in, and this move is stopped by a young girl coming out of one of the tents. As she does its Byron that lunges at the girl covering her mouth with a rag to keep her quiet.
Aftermath[]
Jocelyn Nordidlon would be captured during the First Battle of Thaig Roelet and placed inside the dungeon following this battle she would very hateful towards the Order seeing it as too weak to even protect them in their own capital, and this hate would allow her to ignore the attempts by the other imprisoned leaders to keep them from assisting the Lucernians.
Locking the Vault[]
“It will take you months to enter this Vault Lord Toyne. My Lady has been warned of what has happened her and it will not be long before she comes for you.”
— Astrid Flortindorf II.
Alice Telstendil would be at Thaig Roelet when William Lovie arrived at the fortress and inside the actual Thaig she was forced by Astrid Flortindorf II. inside the vault to keep the staff safe despite Alice having by this point lost faith and wanting to surrender. Alice would be targeted by Wuldrik Toyne following the occupation of Thaig Roelet by William Lovie III. as she had secretly taken off her ring of protection allowing Wuldrik to recruit her to his side of attempting to break into the Vault of Thaig Roelet. As Wuldrik worked with Aelfwynn and the other Magi sensitives in Williams force to enter the Fade it was Olivia that was exposed to this by Alice Telstendil who damaged the ring of protection that Olivia Restildon had and this allowed her to be targeted in her dreams by Wuldrik who worked to turn Olivia to his side.
“You two ruined everything. All you had to do was stay loyal.”
— Astrid Flortindorf II.
Olivia would go against the plan and attempted to open the vault but was stopped by Astrid who tortured Olivia and during this torture Olivia revealed that Alice Telstendil had been turned leading to a duel between the two which ended with Alice fleeing into the deeper part of the Vault. Ursella would at the urging of Angela take Leven hostage in a move that allowed several of the loyalist girls out of their cells where they were eventually cornered but not before they gained control of a Shiftstone. Confronted during this escape it was Ursella that finally gave into her doubt and turned against the Voiceless Angels releasing Leven instead of killing her but in response she would be fatally wounded by Angela.
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.
“Put down the dagger Angela.” The girl didn’t look scared. She looked resolute.
“You all put yours down and then I’ll know your serious about me not dying here.” She pointed at us with the dagger and the movement grazed across Leven’s face eliciting a painful response.
“Everyone just calm down. Put down your weapons.” As I lowered my staff, I took a silent movement of my leg preparing to lunge towards them.
“For Lady Songronul” Angela pushed Leven to the ground in between us. In the instant it happened I lunged towards Leven to get her into my arms and shield her from anything that might happen. As I pulled Leven away, I watched as Angela stabbed poor Ursella just below the neck.
“Stop her!” I heard someone yell out but as I gently let Leven down and move towards Angela, she grabbed the blue stone and with a quick smile she disappeared into nothing.
“She has entered the Fade.”
“We must follow her.”
“Were divived right now. Most of our number are working on the spell. We split ourselves further we will never complete it.”
“If we defeat them in the fade we won’t have to.”
“We can’t…”I stopped suddenly as I watched Leven step to the table. The entire world seemed to slow as I realized what she was doing. “Leven do not do that.”
“She’s right though. This is the fastest way.” With a small smile she grabbed the blue orb off the table and disappeared into nothing.
“Do not follow me. Put the orbs into a safe and then help with the ritual.”
“Wuldrik I can help you.”
“You have your direction.” I turned away and grabbed the blue orb. As I touched the smooth surface, I don’t know what I expected to happen. But as soon as my fingers made contact, I felt a jolt of pain and pleasure, as if my very soul was being torn apart and stitched back together. I screamed, but no one could hear me. As the world around me shook and changed I closed my eyes. As I opened them, I felt a hand on my shoulder and smiled at the sight of Leven. Looking around I knew immediately the change.
Fight for the Vault[]
As the Vault of Thaig Roelet was about to the infiltrated by Wuldrik Toyne and his forces it was Astrid that attempted to stop him by removing her protective ring and engaging Wuldrik in the Fade where she was horribly over matched and despite Wuldrik attempting to take her alive she would force him to kill her.
The Western March[]
Main Article : Second Battle of Mortildorfhet
Following the capture of Thaig Roelet it was Laisa Klorinsson II. that would lead a force westward alongside Jack Shephard towards Mortildorfhet where they knew a large number of rebel forces were being held captive by a mercenary group, and arriving at Mortildorfhet they found the guards were outnumbered immensely by the prisoners. Ella Mortikore would be still bedridden when a splinter force sent by William Lovie III. arrived at Mortildorfhet and her forces would be surrounded leading to her ordering a general surrender to the Lucernians leading to her and her forces being brought to Thaig Roelet alongside the released rebels.
Ar-Brentey's Move[]
“So many people have so many different goals here. The truth is Aria, that only the plans and goals of you and I matter here. All these others. They don't matter to us.”
— Ar-Brentey Hemsworth
As the main army moved away from Trestilghar it was Ar-Brentey and almost all of the noble girls that had accompanied the army that remained behind and for Brentey this was an isolation that she knew at this time she could not accept. Ar-Brentey free of the leadership of William would begin making adjustments to her position in the idea that for her the only people she was truly loyal to were William, Aria, and perhaps Leven. With this in mind the first move she made was to send away several of the remaining noble girls in the party to the island of Mestilghot for the on the surface purpose of more protection. The first girl that they were planning to send away was Tanya Cullen who on the surface was a close friend to the Shadow Council and the future wife of Edward Cullen. Unfortunately for Tanya it was Ar-Brentey that had joined the rising number who viewed Edward as a threat to their own position and thus in a move to further isolate him they would attempt to send Tanya to Mestilghot. Another of the girls being sent away was Alysane Mountain who seeing what was happening would decide to make a move against Ar-Brentey when she approached Dallia and told her about the offer that had been made to her about the group marriage by Ar-Brentey. Dallia would not believe Alysane at first and not wanting to believe that Ar-Brentey was conspiring in such a way she pushed forward the timeline of the girls being moved to Mestilghot and brought Ar-Brentey closer when she gave her authority over the execution of this move. One of the girls that was being sent to Mestilghot was Seri-Relisia Terrick and not wanting to be away from William she would make her move to protect herself. Relisia and Alysane had become close during the journey and thus Relisia was told by Aylsane that she was going to tell Dalia leading to Relisia following her and witnessing the conversation between Aylsane and Dallia. Having heard the truth of the conversation she would the use this information to go to Ar-Brentey and reveal that Dallia had been told of her plans with the group marriage. In order to show herself as not a threat she would tell Ar-Brenrey that she was in love with Dylan Steinmare, and had no interest in William as anything other then a friend. Ar-Brentey would make the mistake of believing that Dallia had believed the lie and was going to send her away as well and in this belief she would get the assistence of Relisia in getting aboard Dallia's boat.
The Angel Arrives[]
Second Battle of Mortildorf[]
Main Article : Second Battle of Mortildorf
Following the defeat of the Voiceless forces at Mortildorf it was Edward that takes a small force and heads towards Thaig Roelet in persuit of Sogronul and what he knows will be the critical Second Battle of Thaig Roelet.
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.
He couldn't continue helping, not with the voices in his head. They whispered to him, taunting him, tempting him, trying to make him do terrible things.
"Kill them, Edward. Kill them all. They don't deserve to live. You are the chosen one, the master of death. You have the power to end their miserable lives. Do it, Edward. Do it now."
Edward shook his head and gripped the railing. But it was no use. The voices were inside his mind, not outside. He couldn't escape them. He couldn't silence them. He could only endure them.
He was trapped, in his own body, in his own mind, in his own hell. And then as he opened his eyes, he found himself alone in a giant meadow. He was alone. I turned around. “Lyanna!” I looked around. There was no one. Then I turned around again and saw her. The same purple robes. The same calm look in her eyes.
“You should be proud that someone as untrained as yourself was able to survive this long.”
“Where have you taken me?”
“You are in my home. This is the place I was born.”
“Release me.”
“I wish that I could. Despite your lack of control, you have immense power. If only you could control yourself, you could have changed all this.”
“What are you doing?”
“While you are in here with me, I am killing everyone in the castle.”
“Let me out!”
“Does it make you angry to know that your friends will soon be dead?”
“LET ME OUT!” I felt the anger flow from my body and as I blinked the meadow in front of me begin shifting back to the castle. As the world around me shifted I closed my eyes and begin screaming out of pain. After what felt like several minutes the pain dissipated and I could hear screaming all around me and pang of an explosion. I opened my eyes as I felt a drop of blood splatter on my face. I looked up, and saw a soldier fall from the tower. I wiped the blood away as I looked on still overcome with rage.
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.
“Somehow I always knew it would be you little one.”
“It can’t be my sister that ends it now can it.”
“Your sister died for a greater cause then you could possibly imagine.”
“My sister died for nothing.”
“How can you say that? Everything we planned. Did you forget everything I taught you?”
“Its just your vanity. There is no grand plan. There is nothing but you tricking little girls into following you to their death.”
“I’m sorry you have lost faith. I see from your necklace you have taken on your master’s tokens.” She looked at the necklace with pure distain. I knew she had hated the Dragonoph religion before I had left, but the hatred in her eyes told me that distain had escalated.
“I have found faith.” I clutched my necklace.
“You know that its still not too late to come back to me little one.”
“She’s not your slave anymore.”
“Is she your slave now prince?” Sogronul looked towards him and seeing the look on her eyes I felt jealousy run through my body.
“Raise your staff.” I felt my wand raise to point in her direction. I could hear muffled talking from around me, but everything had gone black. The world faded away as I watched her pull the staff in front of her.
"The Journey was what he needed to get away from the world that had caused him so much pain. I only wished I was strong enough that I could have gone with him."
-Emma Bell
Emma was one of the most ardent supporters of William getting out of Lucerne and seeing the surrounding lands. She was upset that she wouldn't get to go with him, but she was happy for him. In his absence she spent most of her time with her boyfriend Freddie Highmore , who was a Dragon Knight in the Lovie Family honor gaurd. She and Freddie Highmore grew close mainly due to the fact that unlike what she was with William she was a shy girl who was overcompensating for this by being over the top sociable, but with Freddie she didn't have to pretend to be anybody she wasn't. Draco himself was shy and thus the two made a perfect pair, even if on the outside people wondered what she saw in someone as low down the nobility chain as a member of House Highmore.
"His letter was so cryptic that I worried he had lost his mind while visiting the savages that most likely lived in the valley. For all my fears about his writing I was just so happy that I had heard from him that I ignored the fear in my stomach and just moved to him."
-Emma Bell
After discovering to his horor that it appeared his father was a complete failure, William sent for Emma. Emma would be accompanied by Freddie, and would meet William in Stormwind. This was the first time that Emma had ever left Lucerne as she like the rest of House Lovie basically were locked inside Lucerne by the madness of Bill Lovie. As she crossed the land she begin to understand how massive the Kingdom was in a way that the maps could never have shown her.
Love in Secret[]
“His silence told me that he loved me. In his hopelessness he found me among the darkness. His life from the looks of it had little left but to wait for his death. It always made me love him more that I managed to save him.”
— Emma Bell
When she returned from her time in Stormwind she and Freddie found themselves right back where they had left themselves. As time went on Emma discovered how truly sad Freddie was with his life, and nothing had mattered until he had met her. It was during this time of happiness that Emma would first meet Joey Faraday of whom would affect everyone's life in extreme ways. The first time she had met him was during a party hosted by House Faraday which she had joined Alice, and William at, and during this party she hadn't known it but she had been watched by Joey nearly the entire time she was there. After this Joey wanted to approach Emma but his father had found out about this through his brother and had forced Joey to not approach her.
“Everything felt perfect until the moment that it didn't.”
— Emma Bell
The Start of the Faraday Conflict My brother is dead. I demand justice from the royal family.
“It was the most painful death I've ever seen. This man was clearly lost in his own sadness to such an extent that only death could release him. I wish someone could have saved him. I wish I could have saved him.”
— Emma Bell
It was around the time that Freddie Highmore and Emma Bell were beginning their full fledged secret relationship that Joseph Faraday and his own personal level of depression would cause a massive problem that would eventually spread into a household rivalry. Joseph Faraday had been betrothed to Emma Bell for a time but this had ended after Emma had become smitten with Fredrik Highmore and had convinced her mother to end the betrothal. Unable to tell the Faradays the real reason they had offered their younger daughter Hanah Bell of whom while younger was still a prime match, and for Charles Faraday this was seen as a fair trade, but in the case of Joseph Faraday this was a terrible insult. By this point they had begun to discuss the idea of telling Emma's beloved cousin William of whom was also Freddie's friend, but at that point had not fully worked up the courage to say anything yet, and it was under these pretents that they went to a tavern in Lucerne proper to be alone together. The two were having a great time until Freddie went to the tender to ask for a refill of the drink that Emma had come to enjoy and when he did the situation would drive out of control. When he left Joseph Faraday would use this moment of departure to attempt to seduce Emma Bell of whom he had been watching for some time from across the tavern. Where once his natural looks had allowed him to get any manner of girl that he wanted, as his reputation had spread so to as a result had the number of women interested begun to dwindle. As he had become used to resistance he had also become used to forcing his way on girls and using his noble birth, and money to bribe off any trouble after the case, and thus when Emma told him she was with Freddie, and that she was noble born he saw this as the same rejection and he started to get more forceful in their meeting. When Freddie came back to the table and found the situation he attempted to remain calm and simply advise Joseph who was much older then him to back away. This calm approach did not go over well and Joseph reacted with laughter before punching him in the face knocking Freddie momentarily down, but he quickly got up and following this the two would become involved in a scuffle of which Joseph would lose causing him to request a duel with Freddie Highmore.
“Your Grace I only saw the end of the fight, but what I saw was clear. Lord Faraday attacked Lord Highmore, and despite Lord Highmore disarming him and attempting to end the fight...despite these attempts Lord Faraday would attempt to kill your cousin my your grace. Only Lord Highmore moving quickly saved Lady Bell's life.”
— Emma Bell
By this point Paulo Snow entered the tavern after finally catching up with Joseph, and by this point he found Joseph tauning young Freddie into a duel, and because of the large crowd Freddie was forced to go into the duel even though he knew that Joseph wouldn't stand a chance. Joseph Faraday would taunt him into the street and then took out a sword threatening Emma of which caused Freddie to sadly take out his own sword, and the two fought although with Joseph nearly falling over drunk it wasn't much of a fight as Freddie knocked his sword aside and shouted for him to surrender. Joseph refused and charge Emma with a dagger forcing Freddie to stab him through the back to stop him, and killing him nearly instantly. Paulo took out his sword and tried to attack Freddie of whom he was able to fight breifly before guards from the nearbye House Elbertson led by (Ser) Underian of House Elbertson would step in and stop Paolo of whom watched screaming as Freddie left the scene carrying the crying Emma Bell.
Whatever secret that Freddie and Emma had hoped to hide ended the moment that he went on trial.
Following this Emma would wake up the following morning surrounded Alice Lovie, and her aunt Catherine Lovie of whom let her cry and held her before finally telling her that a trial had been demanded by the Faraday's over the death of Joseph Faraday. At that point she begged to know where Freddie was and they said he had been taken and placed in the Lucernian dungeon awaiting his trial, but when she became irate that he was in jail for basically defending her they revealed this had been decided only after he had returned to the House Highmore estate and the Faraday's had attempted to kill him in the courtyard leading to Desmond Faraday also being imprisoned awaiting trial. Dressing quickly she accompanied Alice into the courtyard where they were met by some twenty House Lovie guards including Giblert Fouline, and James Junnsworth of whom escorted the group to the King's Keep where Bella Swan was preparing the court for the arrival of the group. With King William in the Port of Stormwind celebrating the foundation of that city while this was happening it did fall to the Councillors of Lucerne, and the Queen to determine the court, and under these circumstances Bella would prepare ahead of the time and had recalled many of the most influential in the Lucerne Court. The trial would have five judges as was the way in Lucernian courts in the form of Cersei Lannister, Bella Lovie, Brandon Starke, Liam Greymane, and Mace Tyrell of whom would listen to the words of the plaintiffs first in the form of Desmond Faraday who had been released from jail alongside Freddie. Weaving a tale of lies he argued that Freddie had killed Joseph in blind rage using Magi and trickery. The Faraday's brought forward several men who were not present at the fight of whom told the court that Freddie was a well known pedophile and had also been found killing children in Nortburg years before, and while Brandon Starke on the council would openly laugh at the truthfulness of these stories, it wasn't until the defense led by Lysa Highmore called as their witness Underian of House Elbertson that the case was completely ended. Underian as a witness and a knight testified that he saw Freddie attempt to stop the fight and even after defeating Joseph attempted to resist hurting him, but Joseph had brought death upon himself when he tried to kill Emma Bell of whom took the stand next and as a princess of Lucerne her words would end the trial when she agreed with Freddie, and Underian.
“This case was a farce, and you Lord Desmond Faraday should be embarrassed that you wasted our time in this manner.”
— Mace Tyrell II.
Following Emma Bell's words the judges would briefly speak together before Brandon Starke spoke giving the words of the judges in the form of stating they had come to terms with the fact that Freddie Highmore was innocent of murder, and then proceeded to verbally attack Desmond Faraday and several of the Faraday retainers who had wasted their time with this hearing. Desmond would at first remain silent but then responded with great anger shouting and trying to get to Freddie of whom stood stoically as the House Lovie guards took Desmond away where he would spend the day and night in the Lucerne Dungeon. While Desmond was imprison again Bella Lovie, and Alice Lovie would take up court at the Keep and would summon Charles Faraday of whom they would have a long conversation with about the events of the day. Charles made it very clear that he was demanding consequences against House Highmore and that unless there were consequences there was going to be reprisals against House Highmore. Once Desmond was released his father was told by James Junnsworth that until William Lovie III. returned and he was on his way that nothing more would be done in the matter, and grudgingly Desmond agreed as he believed that the King would punish Freddie. Following the departure of Charles Faraday she would meet with Cersei Lannister and the two have a nice conversation before Cersei unknowingly slips that Lanna Lannister had traveled to the Port of Stormwind and realizing that Jasper is a liar about not seeing Lanna anymore she says a quick goodbye to Cersei and goes to find Dylan Steinmare. Finding him talking to Emmett she has him excuse himself and following Alice the two return to the Cloud Tower where without any real words of what she is thinking she seduces Dylan and the two sleep together. Following this the two discuss there futures and Alice all but pleads with Dylan to tell her to not marry Jasper, but despite proclaiming his love for Alice he knows he cannot divorce Laera Steinmare who he loves as well, and she must marry Jasper Hale for her brother, and although she has come to hate Jasper she knows this is the case. It is following this decision by Dylan that an angry Alice would begin the plot to have Dylan removed from Lucerne and sent back to Castle Steinmare as she had lost faith in him.
Return of the King[]
Despite the trial of House Faraday's lasting effects the truly major develpment of the return of William Lovie III. was that Alice was finally able to convinse him to end things with Brooke Scott which would put into place a series of increasingly dangeorus events.
“This is a kingdom of laws Lord Faraday. The High Court of Lucerne has put forward a unanimous decision on the matter. What would you have me do?”
— William Lovie III.
Following the court decision the situation remains in a holding pattern as the Faradays await the return of the king of whom they strongly believe will reverse the decision and they will get their vengeance. When William Lovie III. arrives back at Lucerne following the debacle that was the death of Joseph Faraday and trial of Freddie Highmore, and upon his arrival he is met at the gates by Alice, and Bella of whom accompany him back to the Cloud Tower where upon their arrival they tell him about the trial and he is quite shocked but is proud of his wife, and sister for their handling of the event but despite agreeing with their decision he is forced to meet with Desmond, and Charles Faraday of whom ask for punishment against Freddie Highmore. Tired from his trip he tells them that the law is concrete and there is no changing the decision, and unknown to him the Faradays take this as meaning that he is saying they must get justice themselves and while disappointed they see this as an opportunity to get their own revenge on House Highmore. Following his conversation with Desmond, and Charles he returns to the Cloud Towers and has a long conversation with Alice, but despite wanting to and Alice pressuring him to reveal the truth of Brooke he refuses to and the two siblings say goodnight and William goes to his room with Bella where he sleeps with her. Waking up after sleeping with Bella he is overcome with sadness over being apart from Brooke, and despite having Bella's arms around him he feels no better, and leaving his bed with Bella he goes to Alice's room where still overcome with emotions over being apart from Brook he finally reveals the entire truth to Alice that he is in love with Brooke. The two siblings argue for some time as William reveals the true scope of the relationship, and only after this does Alice truly come to understand that William's feelings are more then just lust. Revealing the scope of the relationship leads Alice to go through the endless list of potential problems it creates, and emotionally exhausted and unwilling to let his sister be mad at him he agrees to Alice's demand that he break things off with Brooke.
Removing Dylan Steinmare[]
“I see now that I am the other woman. I allowed myself to become the kind of girl who sleeps with a married man. I cannot have him here one more minute.”
— Alice Lovie
With Alice stressed about everything that was going on between William, and Brooke she would allow her anger towards Jasper to grow, but without any way to resolve that her anger turned on Dylan Steinmare. Dylan had failed to be the escape from Jasper that she had wanted him to be and thus in her anger she begin a plot to have him removed from the capital despite his close relationship with William. Another growing part of his removal was due to the relationship that Alice begin to have with Laera Steinmare, who Alice begin to become quite close friends with. This friendship made Alice feel worse becasue she had betrayed Laera and slept with Dylan. With all of this in mind Alice would send a letter to Fenrick Steinmare of whom in the letter she asked to send for Dylan and then begin arranging for the why when she had Dylan named to the Order of the Red Dragon and made a general in the order with a plan of founding the 7th Waffen Steinmare Division. As a part of this move it was Alice that conspired with Edward Cullen in order to block what Alice knew would be the eventual attempt by Dylan to have William step in and stop Dylan's removal, and with Dylan being openly hostile to Edward it took little convincing to gain the assistance of Edward. As Alice plans the removal of Dylan she decides to bring Edward into the plot as she knows the two are at eachothers throats and also wants to make Edward loyal to her and not fall into loyalty of anyone else leading her to summon Edward to speak with her at the Cloud Towers. Edward arrives that night at her summons and the two have dinner in what is an all but empty cloud towers and Alice plays on the lonliness of Edward to gain his assistance in the plot against Dylan making it out to seem to Edward that it is more Dylan than Jasper that is responsible for Edward's isolation. When Dylan was told of this he attempted to resist this assignment seeing it as little more then exile, but his attempts to until William returned to the capital were opposed by Edward Cullen of whom confronted Dylan. During this conversation it was the two long time rivals that finally bared their true anger with Edward revealing the extent of the plot against Dylan and the invovlment of Alice which was a shock to Dylan. The moment that Alice's involvement was discovered it was Dylan who understood that he was without real options and accepted that he would be going to Castle Steinmare and also that he had possibly ruined things with Alice of whom he had true feelings for.
Learning Hard Truths You think that you know everything, and then he comes back and shows you how wrong you were.
Learning Hard Truths[]
“I should have been used to the lies by this point. At some point he just became a sort of running joke in my life constantly appearing and telling me something else he had failed at or caused to go wrong.”
— William Lovie III.
James Lovie had by this point come to accept the death of his son Sean Lovie, but became in his isolation saddened by the fact that his bastard children with Esme Portmane were stuck in Lorderon far away from the growing Kingdom of Lucerne. With this in mind James would concoct a plan to infiiltrate the city of Lucerne, and the Cloud Tower specifically so that he could tell William the truth of his extended family. Late at night James Lovie used all of his power to summon himself as a spirit into Cloud Tower bypassing the light defences of the Blue Dragon members that were in Lucerne. In this form William Lovie was approached by James Lovie who told him that he had fathered other children with a women named Esme Portmane in Lorderon, and that he was sorry for doing this. James in this moment apologized to William for creating all the damage and evil that he had created in his time, but he wanted William to know that whatever he thought this meeting was it wasn't the end because James was now completely gone when it came to morals.
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 was awoken by a crash near the bed. Despite the loud crash I looked beside me and Bella remained asleep, and looking over I saw Ashley playing with the rattle hanging from above her bed smiling as if the most happy thing in her life was right before her. Getting out of bed I went to where the noice had come from and discovered nothing, but again I heard a noice. This time the noice came from outside the room, and I walked through the door finding darkness outside of the few candles that remained flickering. Following the noice into the next room I walked inside and nearly fell down when I saw my father sitting in a chair.
"Do not scream son I mean you no harm." Everything in me wanted to scream. Everything inside my soul wanted to lash out at him and kill for everything he had done. Back when I last saw him I knew only a sliver of what he had done. The massacre of a plague, the destruction of Tree Hill, the attempted destruction of Gondor, it just kept going and going.
"You give me one good reason why I shouldn't slash your throat and bury you beside the son you forced into madness, and made me kill." Seeing him brought up everything that had happened at Berne. I thought of poor Amber lying broken beneath me as I carried her fallen body back home. I thought of my poor son Thomas who would now grow up never knowing the love his mother had for him. I could tell him as much as I wanted but it wouldn't change the fact that she was gone. For whatever reason though with him sitting in front of me I thought of my broken brother. In his final moments I had seen him for he was. A scared little boy who had just wanted to be loved, and when he realized he couldn't have that, he broke.
"I'm sorry you were forced to deal with that, but I am not to blame for the madness in his soul." It was always an apology to me. Even as Alice was brutalized it was me he apologized too.
"He just wanted you to say one nice thing. How much different would he have been if you had said one god damn nice thing to him." For a moment he flickerered as if battling within himself, but in barely any time the battle ended and he continued.
"I didn't come here to talk of that boy. I came here to discuss more of the mistakes I have made. This is nothing but a spirit in the myst that I now inhabit, and already I have been senced by men better then I ever was. In the end I must tell you of things I have done wrong that you will never know if I do not." The vision of my father walked closer to me and insticively I stepped back, and the look on his face was momentarily quite sad, but he pulled that back and remained resolute.
"Thats a list too long for any man to keep track of." He had destroyed and entire city. He had killed hundreds upon hundreds of good men in the event many still believed was in fact a plague. He had created a spell to remove my sister from my life. All of this and I felt a chill at the thought that perhaps we had only scratched the surface of his failings.
"Perhaps it is, but I love you son and you deserve to know." I had never doubted his love for me, and that was the worst part of all his betrayals. I know that somewhere in his mind he honestly believes he's doing what's best for me.
"Say it and begone from here spirit."
"Long ago. While you were just a baby I visited Lorderon briefly on my way to the wars in France. During this time I met with a women. This women has three of my children. These three children do not have the shame of knowing who I am, or what I have done, and for that you must keep in mind. Find them in Lorderon, and make them whole. Do not make the mistakes I made with our family and hate those who deserve nothing of the kind."
"It never ends with you does it." He looked pained as he continued speaking.
"This will be the last time we speak son." His vision turned away from me and he rested briefly against a table, and I used that moment to loosen the strings on the dagger that I had hidden in my shirt." I know that may not pain you but for me that's the most painful thing to imagine in my entire life. I watched Kingdoms die. Watched armies destroyed in front of me. Those things don't even compare to the love I've had for you since the moment I first saw you. The first time I held you I knew you were it for me. You were the thing that would drive everything in my life, and I truly with everything inside of me wanted nothing more then your happiness. I know it all went to hell, and after this I'm going to be completely consumed by the things in my mind that are wrong...but I just want you to remember that you have a family now and you must protect it the way I never could. You must protect House Lovie. You must."
After this William would wake up his wife, and sister and as they talked his cousin Emma Bell came up as well telling them that Edward had arrived with several Order of the Blue Dragon members in order to see what had entered the Cloud Tower. Telling them what had happened there was shock around, and Edward reluctantly left not wanting to intrude as the Lovie's discussed the issue. They would all agree that the fault did not lay with these children as they were far away, and that they should make attempts to connect with them.
Finding Family[]
“It was a no brainer in reality. While I had some fear of what there involvement in the family meant, these were my blood. Blood is everything in this world, and if we abandoned them then we were no better then the father we hated so deeply.”
— Alice Lovie
With the decision made William took his sister Alice, as well as his cousin Emma Bell to Lorderon where he planned to welcome his half siblings into the family as well as welcoming this women that had given birth to his father's children. The group would be joined by many others as the King of Lucerne travelling to a province so far from home would bring about all manner of problems. House Lovie would enlist nearly three thousand men from the personal levies to travel with the force and Oberyn Martell was placed in charge of the defence of Lucerne while they were away. The Shadow Council would obviously also join with the trip and Leven and William would ride together for much of the trip while Edward would ride with Jasper of whom was cold to him for most of the trip. They would be joined at the gates of Lucerne by Hedrik Clegane III. of whom had left immediatly when he had gotten the raven about the summoning from William, and thus would join them as well. When Alice asked William how he was going to se easily let these new people into the family he anwsered her with the following.
“For whatever reason Sean never got along with anyone. I know in my head that there isn't a single kind word or accepting invite that I could have given to him that would have changed that but...my heart tells me not to make the mistake again.”
— William Lovie III.
As they made the trip the group found themselves nervous about what kind of people they would find as their new family. Emma Bell wondered outloud many times whether this was some sort of trap that had been carefully planned by his father, but when this was discussed most discarded it due to the belief that of all the things he had done James had shown no ability under any cercumstances to actually harm William. Travelling along the road they took boats waiting for them in Lole from the growing fleet of the Order of the Red Dragon. The group is forced to travel through the Trident where Walder Frey demands double the rate of usual passage from the Lucernian fleet as payment for the insults that Robb Starke had supposedly layed on them. Wishing to meet with Walder aboard the ships they were told he was to old to do this but William could land and meet him inside the castle. This was rejected diplomatically and the group continued without further interuptions to Lorderon where they arrived in the port to much happiness.
Meeting Family[]
“The idea of meeting them was one thing. Now we were actually there and had to actually meet these people who shared our blood.”
— Alice Lovie
Arriving in Lorderon they were met by Arch Lord Arthas Menathil, of whom many who had met him previously were confused by the shocking change in his appearance. Where before he was clean shaven and his eyes clear he now appeared to be ragged, and his eyes had changed in appearance to a near mennacing look. William would alert Jasper, and Leven to this change, and as this happened Edward saw that he was not consulted and was hurt deeply. The group doesn't notice as Edward is left behind and travels to a tavern, and they make their way to the palace where Arthas apologizes for his wife's absence but he cannot find her. Arthas has a fit that appears to be a siezure, and is taken away by several retainers, and following this they meet with Imlad, and Calia Menathil sister, and cousin to Arthas of whom would make arrangements to meet with Esme Portmane. Esme lived in the palace with her daughter and son while the remaining daughter lived in Arnor as a princess they were told. Esme arrived with Jamie, and Diane Portmane and the rest of the non Lovie members would leave the room as they discussed things. Esme immediatly knew what this was going to be about as she obviously knew who the father of her children were, and Diane also was aprised to the situation so it was only Jamie that they had to explain things to. Jamie would be clearly hurt, and William took him out of the room to talk as the girls all hugged and got to know eachother. Jamie and William would discuss many things, and eventually it came to his future and William said that he still had to prove himself but if he did he would be the eventual Lord of House Portmane and since it was being made into a cadet house of House Lovie his power would be heavy. Asking how this was possible when he was a bastard William made it very clear that he was no longer a bastard, and William's younger sibling and sole remaining brother would hug him so suddenly that Jasper nearly sliced him in two before realizing it was just a hug. The family would stay for several days before finally departing for the west where Diane returned with them while Jamie was left in command of House Portmane but would visit with Esme some time in the future. During those days they stayed William would also remain because he and Edward talked and he learned of the talk with Jaina and Medivh and he wanted Edward to look into this which he did with the help of Leven Martell.
Meeting with Medivh[]
The Tunnels beneath Lorderon were expansive and it was here that Leven would follow Edward.
“Noone trusted Edward anymore they just refused to speak of it. He was lost in his own little world, and here I was convinsed to follow him into some dark tunnel. Doing things for old time sake isn't a good enough reason to risk your life.”
— Leven Martell
With William travelling with his wife and family Leven had some time to herself, and found herself in her room trying to get some sleep when a knock at the door brought Edward into her presence again. She and Edward hadn't got along since he left for Hogwarts and his declining status within the Shadow Council had become clear to all, and this had led to him becoming more distant to the members and thus even more reason for Leven to not be happy with him. The two would talk and he would eventually convinse her for old times sake to help him with something as there was noone elce he trusted to come with him, and he wanted someone with him.
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.
He refused to tell me where we were going the entire time I followed him through the corridors. I knew we had time, but I wasn't used to being so out of the loop, and despite my long time as a friend of Edward there was a tinge of fear as we entered the increasingly dark tunnels beneath the palace. Finally he stopped at a door that had the sigil of an eye. "Do not fret Levia the secret shall soon be revealed." He went to open the door but I stopped him.
"I do not like keeping secrets from William, and in your current position I would think you'd be more careful of being seen as keeping secrets." I knew it was harsh, and from the hurt in his eyes I regreted saying it, but he had hit at a gnawing piece of me that worried what Edward's plans were. Had he come to the conclusion that with Jasper and myself as the right and left hand of William that he had lost his place, and that perhaps made him dangerous. Since he had joined the Blue Dragons he had been even more distant. I know he kept talking to William but I had barely seen him, and I know Jasper barely recegnized him anymore.
"Were not keeping secrets from William. He knows what I am doing, and he has blessed my mission."
"Then why all the secrets." I said it louder and more rudely then I had meant to, and I could tell he was torn by what to say, but after a moment he continued.
"The secrets are because the man were going to meet would be placed in great danger if anyone knew where we were going. I kept it a secret because here in Lorderon." He stopped and moved closer to me. "Were in a place none of us fully understand. This place is old. Older then anything elce we have dealt with, and I'm not alone in thinking that age may have corupted it." He turned back to the door placing his hand on the handle. "Do you not feel the darkness here. This place has darkness I have not felt since Berne." Without another word he opened the door and I followed him inside, and without meaning to as soon as I did my hand grasped my sword at my side. It disapointed me more then I thought it would in that moment that I still didn't trust Edward.
"I'm glad to see you Lord Cullen." I turned to the voice and saw a man sitting at a table in the corner nearly consumed by a large hood. He got up from the table removing his hood and looked directly at me. "You must be Lady Martell." He held out his hand, and not wanting to be rude despite my reservations of this situation I took his hand in return. "There is no reason to be frightened of my intentions Lady Martell, I mean you and Lord Cullen no harm." Noone frightened me. Certainly not this man. He had a sullen look to his face despite the smile that covered it. On his left cheek was a scar that stretched to his ear, and it looked like no sword or weapon I had ever seen as it nearly glowed blue. Whatever this man wanted, or whatever he was capable of he did not intimidate me.
"You do not frighten me Ser." He laughed before walking into the room and towards the back of the room. Looking back at me he waved at us to follow him.
"I am no Ser my Lady. I am Medivh a german just like you who happened to be born with the abilities as your friend Lord Cullen. I joined the Kirin Tor when I was young."He stopped for a moment and a splash of hurt went across his face clearly remembering a pain in the past, but he moved on walking further into the room as he continued talking. "Think of the Kirin Tor as the Lorderon version of your Blue Dragons, except for the fact that we serve no king. We serve Lorderon and the people that live within it. That means there are times. Times like now where our duty is to make those who are able to do something about problems, aware that these problems exist." He spoke with an aura of regality that made me think he was either noble born, or been around them long enough know how we spoke and what manurisms worked best in conversations.
"And what sort of problems exist here?"
"I still cannot believe that you don't feel the darkness here. Something evil lurks in this place, and I'm hoping that by working with Medivh we can destroy the evil." He looked at me as if I was some sort of alien for not being able to feel it, and it made me mad. Who was this man to bellitle me and what I could or could not see.
"I feel nothing." I said it with no emotion and turned my face from Edward as quickly as possible not wanting him to get anytthing from me.
"Be happy you fell nothing Lady Martell as the pain I feel when near him is unbearable." Stopping at the table he held his head down in a sort of ashamed look.
"You never mentioned it being a person before this Medivh." I felt a sence of relief that atleast I was not the only one out of the loop.
"I'm sorry for the lieing Lord Cullen but I had to make sure your Kingdom continued down the path of taking control of Lorderon this way."
"Who is this man that causes this darkness." Medivh raised his head an bid us to sit down which Edward did but I remained standing. I never liked the feel of a chair in these sorts of situations. Locking myself in just felt reckless, and I was anything but reckless.
"He was once a noble man. The people spoke of him in barely restrained whispers. They loved him, and his german bride from Kul Tiras. He defeated bandits learned his craft and everything was fine. " He stopped and looked to be in heavy thought for a moment. A smile crossed his scarred face as he must have remmebered the good times of this man. "Then one day, and I saw one day because I do not know what day, or what transpired. One day he was just gone. As if another had taken control of his body and replaced him with a demon. I was approached back then by several Magi from the Kirin Tor of whom said they had felt a terrible presence when near him, so I travelled to Lorderon to see for myself. When I did the two men had been executed for crimes created against them, but the truth they had told me remained. Walking near him was like walking near an empty space in the world."
"Who is this man you speak of Medivh."
"I know him as Azsharion Menathil, but in the toghnue of the germans he is known as Arthas Menathil."
The two would exit the tunnels with a new fear of Arthas Menathil of whome they had clearly been told by this Medivh was someone of extreme danger. Edward believed him without question, but Leven saw this Medivh as a misguided Magi that was clinging to fear and dillusions in his old age. Both of them though would meet with William and discuss the realities of what they had heard.
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.
Demons on the Loose[]
Main Article : Lorderon Civil War
Demons on the Loose Arthas was the source of so much evil, and we had just allowed him to walk around in front of us.
“It was beyond anything I could have imagined. This man was the Arch Lord of a grand state within the Kingdom of Lucerne. There was only one man in the kingdom who held more power then an Arch Lord, and that was the one man I knew would believe me when I told him about this letter.”
— Edward Cullen
Gemma Cullen would be in a meeting for Order of the Blue Dragon alongside her cousin Edward Cullen when she was told that a letter had arrived at the Tower labeled for her. She would remain for the meeting and not immediately get the letter but following the meeting with the Order of the Blue Dragon she had received a letter from a Magi from the Kirin Tor that she had met long before named Medivh and had wished to known if she had an audience with the King. He asked her that if she did have an audience with the king that she needed to use that right away to give him word of something terrible happening in Lorderon. When Gemma responded questioning why Medivh wanted to speak with the King, and what terrible thing this was that was happening in Lorderon he would respond with the truth. He told Gemma in the letter that Arthas had lost his mind, and was forming a chaos cult of which was growing more powerful each day within the walls of Lorderon, and that unless he was stopped he was going to destroy the entire state.
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.
Lady Gemma Cullen,
I am sorry about the rushed nature of my last letter, but the news was not good, and you and your cousin were the only people I knew well enough in Lucerne that were close enough to the king to effect any kind of real change. I am sorry for the history lesson, but you must understood all of this if you are to believe me.
Arthas Menathil was born, and from that moment forward he was destined to be the king of Lorderon. The people cheered his every move for he was noble, and just in all things that he did. Then like the wind flowing through everything disapeared in him. Where once there was nobility there was now only darkness. His parents would send for a paladin in the north to train him, and we all thought the paladin had been succesful. He wasn`t the same true knight as he was before, but he wasn`t the same violent monster he was before either. I returned to my studies believing all was well, but I have learned it was all a lie.
You must understand that men have lost their lives to bring me this information, and now he is chasing me as well. I am not some traitor to the cause of the Menathil`s. I do not wish for gold, or power. I have learned that since he handed over Lorderon to Lucerne he has formed a chaos cult, and is planning to destroy the state in a bloodbath. I do not yet know his end game, but whatever it may be you need to understand only one main thing. It will not be positive.
My former prince wants the world to burn in the same manner as he burns. He hates all things now and he wants it all to disapear. I cannot stop him alone, and as I said you and your cousin are the only ones I know close to the king. Use what influence you have and speak to the king. If failing this go to your cousin. I warned him years ago of this, and I only hope he is the same person he was when we last spoke.
Take a leap with me Gemma Cullen and we can save the world together.
Medivh, Counciller of the Six for the honorable Kirin Tor
Gemma was moved by the letter but she knew that she had no business speaking to the King of Lucerne even if she had been rather friendly with him during their youth. She knew that this couldn't be left unsaid so she responded to Medivh that she couldn't help him but if he talked to Edward Cullen her cousin then he would be able to tell the King himself. She would go to find Edward, and when she did she showed him the letters, and when he saw who they were from he too believed their content. Knowing they were in a very tricky situation Edward would leave immediately with Gemma for the capital where he would attempt with all that remained of his clout with William to do something about this situation.
“Taylor Swift was the perfect cover for me and what I had to do. Noone believed that she would be someone that would become central in the discovery of what Arthas was. Had I been quicker. Had I listed the first time I was told and not worried about the consequences, it is impossible to imagine how many that are dead might live.”
— Edward Cullen
Edward Cullen following the meeting with Medivh would go to Lucerne to meet with William but when he arrived he discovered that William had traveled up the mountain to meet with the dragons. Most believed they had seen him for the last time based on the tears flowing from both Alice and Emma, and so he made the decision that he couldn't sit idle while his friend risked everything to save the people of Lucerne. He would travel alongside his wife Tanya to Hilary's home and while there they came up with the plan of going to Lorderon under the pretend mission of growth of Dragonoph while in fact investigate the supposed chaos worship of Arthas Menathil. During this time his relationship with Tanya is collapsing, and she shows him little to no affection of which he responds to Gemma he isn't surprised about. Meeting as well with Alice Lovie, and Emma Bell they would make the suggestion that Taylor Swift be the one they use as the center of plan, as she was known far and wide for her Dragonoph beliefs and would be more accepted then the very influential Edward Cullen. Alice would later in a discussion with William admit that she was trying to distance Taylor from the romantic drama she was beginning to have with Emile Hirsh in Brill, but she didn't want them to know that was a major reason for her being sent. Also realizing they needed more Dragonoph involvement they went to Erica Steinmare of whom Edward knew of from school, and they got her to lead a contingent from House Steinmare to Brill where they would then move to the Port of Stormwind on their final stop before they went to Lorderon. Erica Steinmare agreed to go, but her brother forced himself into going as her brother hated Edward as he was a close friend of Jaspers and he also took his wife with him of whom had always wanted to see Lorderon and the massive Rhine. Alongside this would also be Emma Bell who would travel with Edward to give their Dragonoph mission further credence as she was a member of the royal family as the cousin of William Lovie III. and joining Emma would be a force of some thirty House Bell guards, and her husband Fredrik Highmore.
“We had to make it look convinsing. If we went there and it looked like we were there for the real reason we were there then who knew what these cultists would do. I wanted to save lives, I didn't want to be the direct cause of the deaths of thousands.”
— Edward Cullen
Taylor Swift would make her first appearance in Westros when Edward Cullen, and the group would arrive in Brill and when they did they would immediately travel to the Brill Keep where they met with Timone Swift, and John Swift and they would explain to the two that they needed Taylor for an important mission and this would be agreed to and then they were told that Taylor was at the Temple of Brill praying. It would be while praying in the High Temple of Brill when she would be approached from behind and was shocked to find those who had joined her in prayer were none other then Emma Bell a member of the royal family, as well as Dylan Steinmare and Edward Cullen two man who she had never met before but she knew to be extremely promient members of the kingdom. Continuing to pray now joined by this group her mind would be overcome by questions of what could have brought such a group to her temple, and after fifteen minutes of prayer she finishes and at her ending she and the group finally speak. Emma tells Taylor that she is being tasked with leading a Dragonoph contingent to Lorderon where they will be attempting to make further inroads into converting the new state to the Dragonoph, and when she questions why her they are reluctant to give her a straight answer instead Emma hands her a letter directed to her signed by Alice Lovie who is the acting regent of the Kingdom of Lucerne while William is away.
It would be as this was happening that Anna Kendrick would be watching through the window of the temple as Taylor speaks to the group, and she is disgusted that Taylor is being given such an opportunity while she is once again passed over for Taylor. As she continues to watch she is discovered by Freddie Highmore of whom she talks with for some time, and eventually is able to convince Freddie to put in a word for her to travel with them to Lordeorn. Following this discussion Anna would return to the Freddie Highmore does put in a word for Anna but this overruled by Emma who was aware of the situation between Taylor and Anna and did not want the trouble of those two being together. Following this conversation with Freddie she returns to the Kendrick estates where she convinces her brother Tyson Kendrick to travel with her to Lorderon where she uses his desire to regain his honor following his failure at the Nortburg tournament during the events of the Journey, and with this hope he jumps at the opportunity. Following this she returns to the keep and finds Freddie Highmore of whom apologizes to her telling her that she cannot come as Emma had indicated the group was full but clearly there was more to it and Anna takes this as Taylor interfering and thus decides to go around Emma Bell to Dylan Steinmare of whom she had known during her time at the academy. Finding Dylan spending time with his wife she feels sadness at how happy they look and longs to see Orival again which shocks her that she doesn't think of Josh Hirsh for even a second when she sees there happiness. Speaking to Dylan she is able to trick him into taking her with them offering her families forces in assistance against Edward if the chance arises, and he agrees to not tell Emma about this as the two conspire that they will keep it a secret until it is too late for her to go back, and Anna promises to Dylan that she will support Dylan if the opportunity to kill Edward Cullen arises.
Having manipulated her way into going she goes back to her families estate with no plans to tell Josh Hirsh of her departure but when she returns home she is told by her sister Melinda Kendrick that Emile Hirsh has been banned from going due to what everyone knows to be the affair happening between him and Emile, and thus attempting to get back at Taylor and cause problems she travels to the Hirsh estates. Arriving at her home she meets with her husband who she realizes she hasn't seen in almost three months and tells him that he will need to accompany her and lies to him that this was a command from Emma Bell, and wanting to be loyal he adheres to what he thinks is a royal command. Wanting to sow further chaos she also tricks them into believing that Josh is also to come despite him also not being one of those who was too come. Thus having created what she believes is a great embarrassment for Taylor she returns to the House Kendrick estates and prepares her things for the journey to come. Following this they would travel to Lole where they would take a boat all the way east to the Port of Stormwind in order to make the final part of their trip to Lordeorn. When they did arrive in Lole they discovered Tanya Cullen awaiting them in the city, and she refused to be left behind, and while this should have been a happy moment for the married couple instead they just argued along the way from Lole to the Port of Stormwind as there marriage had clearly fallen apart. While in the Port of Stormwind Edward would be joined by Candice Anthor of whom would say that she had been planning a trip to Lorderon in order to arrange a series of trade deals, and this would be the perfect opportunity. Convinced by Hilary, and Gemma that the more people they brought with them with civilian purposes the more real this whole thing looked he would agree to have her come, and Candice brought with her a large contingent of troops on six ships from the Port of Stormwind.
On the Path of a Demon[]
“Reaching the top of the tower wasn't was I expected. I thought I would meet some chaos worshipper and we would find the truth I wanted about Arthas. Instead I only found my own weakeness. Instead I was forced to deal with the failings in my self.”
— Edward Cullen
Edward, Taylor, Hilary, Tanya and a small entourage of troops from House Swift, House Steinmare, House Kendrick, House Hirshe, and House Cullen would join the six strong fleet of Candice Anthor and her large force as they traveled to Lorderon and after making the trip from the Port of Stormwind, and Edward would set Tanya to the task of making Taylor believe that she was actually there for the purpose they told her she was. Tanya was by this point nearly constantly fighting with Edward, and Edward knew that barking orders at her was only going to make it worse, but a part of him knew the marriage was over and really just wanted to save lives. While Taylor and Tanya visited several Dragon Temples that were under construction in Lorderon, it was Edward and Hilary that visited the Kirin Tor. When they arrived they were met by Medivh and several of his loyalists and they went about the conversation of how to prove Arthas's madness. Medivh told Edward that in his investigation he had discovered the existence of a group calling themselves the Sons of Lorderon of whom were being portrayed to the public as a revolutionary group wanting independence for Lorderon, but under the surface he discovered that in fact they were a chaos cult founded by Arthas. Edward needed more proof and so Medivh took him and Hilary to a small Kirin Tor Magi tower south of Lorderon where he kept one of the cultists captive.
“It wasn't until I saw the devotion that the Steinmare's had for the Dragon that I knew I had to tell them the truth. Dylan was irate. Erica was just as angry. Laera though was confused as to why they been lied too. I didn't blame them for any of those feelings though.”
— Taylor Swift
Taylor, Tanya, Anna, Josh, Emile and the Steinmare's would travel throughout the capital visiting the different Dragon Temples on their first day, and during this time Taylor and Emile would sleep together nearly the first moment they had alone, and Anna was nearby and she confronted them on it, and neither would even apologize and she would leave shortly after with Josh in tow. With those two gone they were met by the Steinmare's of whom Taylor watched look with amazement at the newly constructed Temple, and in that moment being held by Emile she knew she had to tell them the truth, and she would reveal to them the true purpose of the trip to Lorderon. Dylan would leave to go find Candice Anthor in order to warn her, and the rest of them would decide they would make the best of it, and expand the Dragonoph as much as possible. Taylor Swift would reveal to Erica Steinmare that she wasn't going to continue with the marriage to Josh Hirsh and planned to marry Emile while the two were here in Lorderon, and Erica gave the two space and left to go and find her brother in the port. Anna would get into an argument with Josh and went off her own finding herself in the Lorderon market where followed by Emma Bell she and Emma who had for so long fought to keep Anna out of this whole trip found Anna crying and finally saw the real person beneath the rumors. The two would discuss openly the situation and for the first time Emma heard about the lies that Anna believed in regards to Taylor and revealed the truth to Anna of whom would be horrified to know what the truth was and how horrible she had been to Taylor over what now amounted to nothing more then her mothers manipulations. Emma would tell Anna that she was heading north to Westbridge and knew that Orival Crane was there if Anna wanted to go with her, but Anna would politely refuse saying now that she knew the truth she had to make things right with Taylor and once she had done that she would end things with Josh and go north to find Orival.
“If you had told me the truth back then, I would have done so many things differently once I was here. I felt like I was being watched this entire time, but I ignored that because you told me everything was on the up. You lied to me Edward Cullen, and I won't forget that. Don't count on my support again.”
— Candice Anthor to Edward Cullen
While the main group was looking into the cultists or working to expand the Dragonoph influence in the Lorderon capital Candice Anthor was working at her trade agreement in the port itself. When she begin making her deals and talks with the leading houses in the port she begin to feel that she was being followed, and watched wherever she went, and this led to her going to find Edward of whom she found while he was on the way to the Kirin Tor tower south of the Magi fortress, and he was dismissive wanting to go quickly, and thus he lied to Candice and told her nothing was going on. This made her feel like she was being ridiculous in thinking she was being watched, and thus she let her guard down as the cultists - who were actually watching her heavily as she had brought a large military force into the port - spied on her, and prepared for an assassination attempt on her. During this time though her cousin Hedrin Tolhmave II. would become concerned after he saw several men watching Candice and he followed them, and watched them enter a tavern of which he followed them into, and when he did they entered a back room which after following them led him into a large tunnel system where he would have to kill both of the men after they discovered him following them. Leaving the tavern as quickly as possible he met Dylan Steinmare on the street and together they raced to find Candice Anthor and arrived just as cultists attempted to assassinate her.
“There has been an attack in the port milady We have heard word that cultists have attacked Lady Anthor,a nd even now fighting is still going on. What is your command Milady?”
— Main Hunder to Calia Menathil
The cultists had surrounded the port with nearly thirty men, and once Candice arrived they killed several sentries watching for violence, and then with the way clear they would move forward. As the cultists went to attack Dylan Steinmare, and Hedrin Tolhmave would arrive and scream to the guards that cultists were about and an attack was going to happen, and realizing they had been discovered the cultists would let off a horn and charge forward into the maelstrom. The fighting was intense but the guards now aware were able to repulse the horribly outnumbered cultists of whom had been relying on the shock of their arrival to succeed and Dylan captured one of the cultists but as they were taking him away the man was shot with an arrow from another cultist on a rooftop of whom then was able to escape.
Finding Information[]
Gemma, and Edward Cullen alongside Hilary Swift would have no idea what kindof nightmare they were walking into when they entered the tower of the Magi Medivh.
“That was the first time I saw evil in its purest form. Medivh was right. It was only after speaking to that one that I understood how limited I had been.”
— Edward Cullen
Arriving at the tower it was Medivh, Edward, Hilary, Gemma, Markus Flowers, and several of Medivh's men and Medivh would lead them as they moved to the top and discovered a single man chained to the floor and roof. Medivh explained to him that this man was evil, and that no matter what he believed after talking to the man he needed to understand that fact alone. He told Edward that everything in life was a choice though and he had the decision to make if he was going to be the man that was tricked by evil, or if he would be able to see evil in all of its forms and be able to defeat it.
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 walked into the room and was shocked to find a man clearly brutalized chained to what was seemingly every piece of the room. "Why has he been chained so many times?"
"Do not be taken in by what you see on the surface. This man is beyond contempt. He has done things, and planned things that no rational human would ever do." Medivh walked to the man and raised his head so that we could see his face. His eyes remained closed but I saw nothing in his face that screamed that he was a monster. "His mind is completely the domain of a demon now. Nothing remains of what was once someone's child."
I moved closer to the man and as I did he must have realized my presence and opened his eyes. His eyes were sad, and despite the reservations I had due to what Medivh had said I found myself wanting to help this man. "How could you know that?"
Medivh walked away from the man and stood against the wall for a moment before speaking again. "Edward this is the moment you are going to learn about the demon within all of us. Your demon is slight but still there. You don't know the demon yet and that is something that you need to understand if your going to help your people through this. Talk to the man. Prove me wrong if you can."
``How are you so sure that you are right. Surely this could all be some kind of misunderstanding.`` I looked to Gemma and Hilary and when I did they had the same look of shock and confusion on their faces that I did.
``Edward there is going to come a moment when you are going to have to truly understand evil. You believe you have seen evil because you knew your friends brother. Sean Lovie was just one form of evil. Evil takes many shapes, and forms and it is very important that you understand that not everything evil will appear it at first.`` He didn`t say another word just walked away and left me to stand there with this injured man who didn`t look like he could harm a fly.
I stopped for a moment unsure of how to move forward, but when I looked around for Hilary I saw her waiting. Her eyes showed that she believed in me, and I knew I couldn't fail that kind of trust. Moving closer to the man I kneeled on the floor and spoke. "What is your name?"
He coughed a bit before speaking "Tilder Meanist of House Meanist."
He spoke with an aura of nobility despite the surroundings he was in or the condition, and that made me know very quickly that he was either a well of noble or one used to pretending he was. "What have you done to make my friend believe you a demon?"
He coughed again this time for a longer period of time before being able to speak. "I woke up and found myself in this tower with that monster doing...doing unimaginable things to my friends. He won't let me explain but I know you'll hear me...you'll believe me won't you?"
The man sounded utterly frantic, and the way he spoke of his friends made me wonder how much of all of this that Medivh had left out. "You need to tell me before I can say anything."
"This man believes me some sort of demon, but I just want the freedom of my people. Your a Lucernian I can tell. Your people were not meant to come here. This land..."He stopped and coughed again before speaking. "This land isn't yours. Listen to me none of that is important right now. That monster has killed all of my men, and left me alone while my family waits for me at home."
I looked at Medivh for a moment wanting to understand what was happening here. "What proof do you have Tilder that you are not a cultist?"
He looked hopefully at me, and I felt a slight tinge of arrogance come from him "The same proof I told the monster about. Talk to my wife. She will show you that I am who I say that I am."
"And if I speak to her and find a different outcome?" I could see Medivh in the corner shaking his head, and for a moment I looked at this young man before me and wondered if he truly was a demon. If he wasn't a demon then Medivh was a liar and that meant all of this could be some sort of trap.
"Then I am lost and you should kill me."
From the look on Medivh's face he told me silently that he knew where his wife was, and would take me to her. "Your putting a lot of faith in how one conversation will go arnt you."
"I have faith in what I see your eyes. You are a good soul, and I know you will try and do what is right."
"I will speak to your wife, and when that is done we will all know the truth."
"The truth will be known by all."
Edward would be told by Medivh where Tilder's wife lived and the group would leave the tower and go to find the women that Edward silently had no idea what would happen with. On one hand if she was truthful then he would know Medivh a liar. If she was a liar then he was a fool who had been tricked by a demon. On the way to the wife he spoke with Hilary who told him that she felt a horrible taint coming from Tilder Meanist. She wondered how he did not feel it, and he wondered why he was unable to sense what clearly so many around him were feeling. Medivh told him that his demon wasn't revealed yet, and when Edward finally understood he would know exactly why he couldn't see what was just beneath the surface.
“His wife was nothing more then a ruse meant to kill me. He knew his life was over and yet he wanted me to see death, and I suppose somewhere in his chaos mind he wanted me to see the death that filled that home.”
— Edward Cullen
Arriving at the house Medivh forced Edward to wait until thirty men from the Menathil's arirved, and then he allowed Edward to enter the home. Entering the home he found the skinned bodies of untold number of people all over the walls, and the decaying bodies of a young women, and two children sitting a table in the middle of the home with a giant hole in the ground. Medivh said he would explain everything after the ambush, and moments after this happened cultists came through the roof and a fight broke out which ended with the death of the cultists as the reinforcements were too much for the weakly armed, and trained cultists. Medivh would then explain as they carried away the bodies to be buried that Tilder was once a Magi of the Kirin Tor but had been removed due to the reading of banned Magi's and this had eventually led him to becoming possessed by a demon which had then proceeded to murder his wife and children and become a dangerous serial killer of whom killed dozens in Lorderon before the Kirin Tor finally caught up with him and took him under their custody.
Arthas Leaves[]
See Also : Capture of Jaina Menathil
“I had hoped that you would want to come willingly my love.”
— Hur-Arthas Menathil IV.
Arthas by this point was being told by his leadership core that the Kirin Tor had captured Tilder Meanist and with his capture any hope of keeping the Lucernian contingent from discovering the truth about The Scourge gone he begin plans to leave Lorderon for the north, and his true goal of getting Frostmourne. Gathering his commanders to him he would decide on leaving behind Elu-Kael Thuzad and it would be the objective of Kael to delay the forces of Lorderon and cause as much chaos as he possibly could, but then to make his way north to link up with Arthas who would wait for Kael at Fornost. Over the days that followed this decision they gathered to him his entire command structure outside of those who were staying and travelled north out of the city during the night keeping it as secret as possible, but unfortunatly despite this attempt there departure was discovered by the Dragonoph loyalist Per-Ruenya Menathil who would without delay bring this information to Sur-Talia Menathil. Arthas had left being information that he had travelled north in order to assist Marcel Lovie and thus when Talia went to the throne room she found this note detailing where he was saying he was going, but Talia had seen the change in her brother and didn't believe it instead sending Karl Donovan to bring information to the Lucernian contingent of what had happened. Karl Donovan would travel to their ships where he found the Hirshe brothers there and told them that Arthas had left the city and they both realized what this meant and thus they moved without haste to tell Edward about this. As this was happening Arthas as he moved out of Lorderon had a large fleet of dozens of ships transporting his men and in this movement they would travel to Kul Tiras where Arthas had unfinished business with his wife Jaina. Arriving with his fleet just south of Boralus they had slipped by the naval defenses as they were inside what was seen as safe waters when they left Lorderon and thus landed on the coast south of Boralus without alerting anyone to their presence. Landing his troops there he channeled a spell with his Magi leadership which gave him the location of Jaina who he discovered was located at the Tower of Toralus located west of Boralus, and with this knowledge he would march on the Tower of Toralus. The Tower of Toralus was lightly defended as it was a sort of estate for House Proudmoore and thus when Arthas's several thousand strong army arrived it was Jaina who sensed that it was Arthas and ordered her men to flee the tower before they were killed, and then she waited for Arthas to come to her. Arthas came to her alone inside the tower and seeing him clad in the evil armor he had been crafting for some time she prepared herself to die and refused to speak to the man in front of her as she knew in her heart that this was not her Arthas, but he did not strike her down instead he took her staff from her and placed Magi restraints on her restricting her magi abilities and then summoned troops who took her hostage. With Jaina in his hands he would return to the ships where by this point the troops of Jaina had not yet warned the main Boralus forces of what had happened and thus when Arthas's fleet passed Boralus they were not resisted by the large Kul Tiras navy thus allowing Arthas to escape with Jaina.
Taylor's Discovery[]
“Your grace my time there was filled with so many things, and I want you to know that the Dragon shall be heard throughout all the land soon. The cultists though were dangerous beyond anything I had ever heard of. They had infested the largest Temple in the entire capital and turned it into a den of demons and evil men.”
— Taylor Swift
Following the discovery by Edward that the cultists controlled the massive Great Temple of Lorderon he and his group would travel with Medivh back to the capital where they planned to attack the temple. As this was happening Taylor Swift and the Steinmare's would be told by a Dragon Priest that several Dragonoph worshipers had come to him to admit that they had been members of a cult in Lorderon and that the Great Temple of Lorderon was their headquarters of sorts. Disgusted that a Temple would be used for this purpose and despite the attempts by Dylan and Erica to stop her she would travel to the Great Temple and alongside Laera Steinmare would enter the Temple and using key words learned from the traitor cultists were able to enter the Temple. Entering the Temple they went through a recruitment process of sorts, but things begin to go bad after the cultist leading them around attempted to rape Laera and she stabbed him through the eye killing him and forcing them to hide his body while they escaped the Temple. Finding there way out wasn't easy though, and outside Dylan would meet with Edward telling him what had happened, and learning from Edward how serious the situation was they believed they had the proof they needed but Emile, and Josh Hirshe arrived to tell them that Arthas had left the city with a force in order to supposedly help Arnor, and Marcel Lovie. Edward told Emile, and Josh to go to the keep and force them to recall Arthas, and at the same time attempted to send word to Marcel Lovie of what was happening, but unknown to him the cultists were watching them, and the letters, and ravens were all intercepted meaning Marcel was not warned.
“We were but moments from showing him as the monster he was, and yet he slipped between our fingers. I would have killed him myself if I had thought it was possible to get through that kind of layer of guards.”
— Dylan Steinmare
Taylor Swift, and Laera Steinmare at this point would finally make their way out of the temple, but as Laera exited the door Taylor would be knocked on the head and the gate shut causing a siege of sorts as they attempted to break there way into the Temple. Forcing their way into the temple using the troops they had brought, they would fight against dozens of cultists of which forced the involvement of more troops and a battle broke out, but despite victory after the dust had settled they also found that there was no sign of Taylor, because she had been taken to the real home of the cultists of which was a large tunnel system beneath the temple itself. By this point the cultists were aware they had been discovered, and they would begin plans to launch the overall assault on Lorderon, and those traitor cultists would in these last moments release this information to the Menathil loyalists, or the Lucernians, or also in many cases the Magi of Kirin Tor.
Captured[]
“Edward I am being told that you kept all of this a secret from the people you brought with you, and I guess I wonder now in the privacy of this group...why did you not warn them of the dangers? Do you honestly think Taylor would have gone into that Temple had she of known what awaited her.”
— William Lovie III.
Captured by the cultists Taylor is forced to endure captivity for hours, as the cultists by this point are simply stalling within the tunnel system, and Taylor witnesses the leadership of the cultists flee the grounds to safety, while the few that remain behind in order to show resistance are weak old men, and ones they question the devotion of. During this torture she is somewhat protected by a young cultist of whom stops an older man from raping her, and she is saddened as he tells her of his life, but despite her attempts to get him to surrender he sees no life past this, and leaves her as Edward's force finally breaks into the tunnels. The cultists that are left are weak and are easily defeated leaving Edward in control of the temple, but as soon as he releases Taylor's mouth coverings she reveals to him that nearly all the cultists already fled, and those left were expendable to them. With the cultists destroyed Taylor reveals that the cultists are a part of a chaos cult led by Arthas Menathil of whom has not taken any true forces north to assist Marcel but is in fact taking monsters and demons of whom are planning great destruction. As they attempt to make their way out of the temple they find the route blocked by design, and they are unable to escape by means of the entrance, and instead must make their way through ancient tunnels out of the city. After days of travelling through the tunnels they find themselves in the fields far to the south of Lorderon and a note is left on the edge of the entrance on the body of a soldier with the sigil of House Scarlet on him.
“Congratulations on discovering the great secret of Lorderon. You are to be commended for seeing what many before you failed to see, but I must be the one to tell you that is the only thing you did right. You have failed to stop me, and now that failure shall play out in the destruction of Arnor. Perhaps if you had moved quicker. Perhaps if you had been smarter your people in Arnor wouldn't be dead.”
— King Arthas Menathil
Edward became infuriated by this and the realization that it was already well to late to save Marcel, or to do any of the good things that he knew in his mind he had to do in order to regain what he had lost. The army of Arthas had left nearly a week ago, and he knows that a raven will never reach Arnor in time to do any good, and he breaks down crying for his continued failure. Eventually calming down the group gathers themselves and make their way to a nearby village where they receive horses and make their way back to Lorderon to warn Arnor of the coming chaotic army. Back in the city Laera, Erica, and Dylan Steinmare retreat to the Menathil Palace, and rally the Lucernians to their cause as well as sending out word of the what everyone now knows will be a very large attack on Lorderon by a unknown amount of cultists.
Josh Hirshe, and Anna Kendrick had become stranded at the port and were forced to hide themselves with the garrison there. Taylor Swift and Emile Hirshe would retreat with the main force and retreated into the Menathil Palace, and it was here where they would remain as the palace came under siege by the forces of the cultists now bent on destroying the city. Candice Anthor in the port itself sends word to Kul Tiras in order to have them send aid, and it is this quick thinking that would eventually save the city, as noone in Lorderon had been willing to ask Kul Tiras for help due to the bad blood between Lorderon, and Kul Tiras as of late. It was at this point of the city coming under siege and the port preparing for the arrival of reinforcements that Anna Kendrick and Josh Hirshe of whom had come to hide within the keep in the docks would come to have an honest conversation with Anna admitting that she loved Orival Crane and Josh was just a distraction, and Josh admitted that he actually hated Anna and only was with her to cause embaressment to his brother. Josh would as their conversationd devolved into an argument demand that she sleep with him but she resisted not wanting this but despite her resistence he forced himself on her but just as he is about to rpae her she grabs his knife and slashes his face before also stabbing him in the shoulder and fleeing from the keep to the docks themselves.
New Leadership[]
“The Cult was something that had started to enter the frame of reality some time before we learned of Arthas's true face. The cult had abducted people, and burned buildings but for all intensive purposes it was little worse then a roaving band of criminals, and thus we didn't say much.”
— Imlad Menathil
Following the return of Edward Cullen to the city after his destruction of one cell of the cult that Arthas had formed it became clear to the leadership that Arthas had formed it in order to destroy Lorderon, and thus they went about dealing with the cult for the first time. After the conversation between William and Edward the decision is made to make Talia Menathil the new Lord of Lorderon, and she is given this immediatly after thus removing the taint of Arthas somewhat from Lorderon. This transfer of power doesn't go completely according to plan as during the ceremony for her gaining the title of Matriarch of the family, and the Arch Lord of Lucerne position the site is attacked by a force of cultists and many demons that a Magi with the cultists summons into the area. Edward, Gemma, and Hilary lead Talia out of the building and fight there way through waves of cultists, and are nearly trapped until a counter assault by Imlad Menathil breaks the attacking cultists and allows them to return her to the keep of Lorderon with her new power.
Conversation Incoming
Fairmarket. The Riverlands. Lorderon, and Kul Tiras. Westbridge. All had fallen to our might. All had sworn the sword to the Valley of Lucerne. All that power, and yet I looked north and saw a great demon the likes of which I could not hope to resist. The Empire was the reason for growth. The Empire was the reason for everything we did. The Empire was the land that should have done great things for the world, but instead of this they did nothing. They allowed chaos to breed amongst them, and in that weakeness and failing they threatened to ruin the entire continent.
"William there can be no doubt that Arthas has turned against us." He looked down, and I felt terrible, as both of us knew what this meant for Marcel. What little chance he had of defending Arnor was based on the army that Arthas said he was capable of bringing north, and if that army wasn't going to arrive then it all might be for nothing.
"This is terrifying news Edward as we know he has already disapeared from out eyes, and for all we know could already be inside Arnor. If he is there we know that Marcel is there, and I fear for what will happen." It was always unerving to hear William speak with anything other then confidence. His face moved from the vision and I knew he must be speaking to someone else. It was unfortunate that the only Magi stone that I was able to find was a one on one stone. This sort of conversation would have been much easier with a room stone.
"William we need to immediatly send word to your cousin that Arthas is under no cercumstances to be trusted."
"I will send word right now Edward." William left the vision, and I looked to my right to see that Imlad had entered the room, and he looked with wide eyes as he saw the means by which we were communicating.
"Its good to see you prince Imlad." He was wearing his eagle armor, and he looked everything that he should of, but his eyes told me a story about the fear he was feeling.
"You still have the presence of mind for titles in a time like this Edward?"
"When I was young my father told me that manners were important. I can't forget that lesson even while we are potentially surrounded by enemies and have a looming disaster in the north."
"The things our father's tell us when we are young." I would have laughed normally but the silence that followed made me shiver. It was minute after minute of this as we awaited the return of William, and I wanted him to come back to give me repreieve from the fear that filled the room.
"Do you recall anything about this cult before we learned of Arthas?" I had only learned of them a few months ago, and from the way Medivh spoke of them they must have been something that was talked of.
"The Cult was something that had started to enter the frame of reality some time before we learned of Arthas's true face. The cult had abducted people, and burned buildings but for all intensive purposes it was little worse then a roaving band of criminals, and thus we didn't say much." As he finished William reentered the vision.
"I have made the neccesary message sent, but I fear that the Order of the Blue Dragon representative that was with Marcel has apparently been killed, and we don't know what is happening at this time."
"We don't know anything bad has happened yet. We just need to keep our ears out Will."
“Alone Talia was still too young and naive to be the Lady of a land that large, but lucky for us she wasn't alone. Lucky for us Calia, and Imlad were loyal advisors and didn't have their own agendas other then helping their family.”
— Edward Cullen
Talia would recall her sister Talia to her side, and alongside Imlad Menathil they formed a sort of Menathil council for the leadership of the land alongside Edward of whom advised them as best he could. Realizing the situation they were in they knew they needed more forces loyal to them in the city, and thus they decided to call the vassals, and ask for assistence from the nearbye Lucerne forces. As they begin to recall Menathil forces from the smaller villages, and towns they begin see that the cult had become aware of the situation and the cult summoned nearly its entire force into the capital and begin besieging sections of the city and ambushing and murdering loyalists to the Menathils. Sending word to the Riverlands, and Kul Tiras, and then the main Lucerne army south of Lorderon in the Scarlets, and the Cleganes they would beg for assistance saying that the streets were becoming a battleground.
“The arrival of Kael'Thuzad was a terrifying experience as he raised thousands of dead into his ranks turning a controllable situation suddenly into something far worse.”
— Edward Cullen
As fighting broke out in the streets Kael'Thuzad would abandon secrecy and led his command structure into the city where he and his other Magi would summon the dead to their side adding thousands into his ranks and causing great destruction. As this happened the citizens of Lorderon begin fleeing by boats in the dock out of the city, and those men that couldn't and the old would retreat into the Menathil Keep in the center of the city. Arming these citizens the defence of the keep would be expanded knowing they were defending to the last man. Edward Cullen, and Imlad Menathil led the defences with Edward using his Magi stone to alert the forces south of the wall of what was happening and making sure they knew they had to do something soon. Kael'Thuzad would raise buildings, and go about damaging the city, while he sent his commander Lord Gnarls eastward towards Kirin Tor where he was to capture the fortress and bring its knowledge back to him so that they could then leave for Arthas northward. Fighting would break out heavily in the port as the Cult would attempt to commandeer boats in their eventual search to escape, and they would be resisted by the navy of Kul Tiras of whom had sent many ships to blockade the city, and provide support.
“The Liche Ras Frostwhisper would come to the docks and I remember his look as he raised his hand and summoned creatures of darkness to him. He controlled them from the docks and I knew he alone had to be stopped lest he destroyed our entire fleet.”
— Derek Proudmoore
Battle at the Docks[]
Ras Frostwhisper would come to the dock and summoning hundreds of giant sea creatures that had long laid dead at the bottom of the sea outside Lorderon, and used these creatures to assault the fleet of Kul Tiras and push them back. The fleet was forced to pull back or risk destruction as these ancient creatures pulled entire ships under the water when they got close enough, and they were only able to destroy a dozen and lost nearly twice that number of ships in return.
Battle of Kirin Tor[]
Main Article : Battle of Dalaran
“This place is a place of learning and peace, and you desecrate it with your very presence. Your beliefs are failed, and today you shall learn how much failure your moral decadence has caused for you and all those that stand behind you Lord Gnarl.”
— Medivh
Led by a mysterious Magi named Lord Gnarls the cultists would send a force to Kirin Tor as well in order to sack the Magi castle, and attempt to steal its stored knowledge for Arthas, despite the near impossibility of this task and then getting north. During the initial movement towards Kirin Tor turncoats within the fortress of Kirin Tor would murder several high ranking members of the Magi organization including the high leader in Antonidas leaving the council shattered and left with three of its members with Jaina also believed to be in the capital and not inside Kirin Tor. With their leader dead, and the council reduced Medivh would stage a sort of coup using his own forces and took control of the Council of Kirin Tor and would imprison the remaining members of Kael'Thuzad's family including his son who attempted to murder him when he took him prisoner. Medivh would lead the forces loyal to Lucerne in defense of the Kirin Tor and was able to use the superior defenses of Kirin Tor to massacre the initial wave of Cultists supported by demons that assaulted the fortress. As the battle reached the second wave though numerous Magi would turn to the side of Chaos, and the fighting got dire as the chaos cultists used these turncoats to enter Kirin Tor and were able to sack parts of the library.
“The Kirin Tor could not fall or else all of Lorderon could be destroyed through the knowledge they gained in that vault. I had to move quickly and take the situation into our control again or I watched as Lorderon fell.”
— Saiden Scarlet
As Kirin Tor became a battleground Saiden Scarlet would send Illen Purne one of his vassals alongside Kren Scarlet to relieve the Kirin Tor with a force of Kul Tiras, and native Lorderon troops. Arriving at the scene they found the cultist army flowing into Kirin Tor, and they would attack them from behind where the cultists were killed in huge numbers but managed to keep the Lucernians away for a time. Inside Lord Gnarls made his way through Vault after Vault inside Kirin Tor attempting to make his way to the deepest and most powerful infortmation, and as he did this Medivh would lead a skilled force of Magi and elementals behind him defeating Lord Gnarls luitenents one after another until both were nearing eachother. By this point Trimier would complete the summoning spell, and this allowed several dozen Blue Dragon Magi and their support troops to enter Kirin Tor, and they asisted in stemming the flow of cultists while the main army was defeated outside by Kren Scarlet, and Illen Purne.
Battle of Lorderon[]
Main Article : Battle of Lorderon
“Reinforcements had come in their tens of thousands to the area, and the cultists were horribly outnumbered in terms of military power. Their defeat at Kirin Tor had left their leadership scrambling to find a new weapon now that Kirin Tor was held against them, and before they could me and Emmett would tilt the scales.”
— Leven Martell
Following the defeat of the Cultists at Kirin Tor two shadow council members would arrive in the form of Emmett McCarty, and Leven Martell of whom brought with them thirty men each from their houses and the most elite men they both had. The cultists had barred the main gates into the city and were defending them with great strength, but many smaller gates were less defended and it was through these gates that Leven, and Emmett would infiltrate through avoiding the gaurds through the assistence of several Violet Dragons that were still in the area. Now inside the city Leven, Emmett and their sixty men would fight their way to the keep where they found the Lucernian loyalists holding out within, and thousands of citizens hiding inside the walls for protection. Kael'Thuzad would marshal nearly his entire remaining force and pulled many if not all forces from the walls and brought them to the keep where he launched an all out assault. Thousands of demons and cultists charged the high walls of the keep, and the defenders led by Emmett, Leven, and Imlad would hold out against the inital assaults and cause horrendous casualties to the unprepared cultists attacking the walls.
“They broke through the eastern gatehouse, and I charged into the breach with all the reserve I had at my disposal. They were too many in number, and if we let them loose within the castle they would quickly massacre the people of Lorderon and the defenders in short order.”
— Leven Martell
As the attack of the Cultists failed all over it was Kael'Thuzad that went to the eastern gatehouse himself and using Magi alongside his commanders would shattter the entire gatehouse destroying it and leaving a massive gaping hole in the defences. Losing a significant amount of defenders Leven pulled all the reserves from the keep, and alongside her men and Emmett's men she and Emmett would charge into the breach and attempt to hold off the attacking cultists. The defenders were hardpressed to hold the massive numbers off but the untrained barely equipped cultists were cut down in droves, and this led to Kael'Thuzad ordering in several of his commanders including his second in command in Lord Voren of whom would kill many in front of him but was confronted by Leven Martell. Leven and Voren would fight one on one as the defenders slaughtered the cultists forcing many to attempt to retreat but these retreaters were killed by Kael'Thuzad of whom sent in Lord Savryn to deal with the situation. On the western gatehouse Imlad would murder the commander of the attacks there and charged his forces through the gatehouse and massacred hundreds of cultists forcing them to retreat southward, and allowing him to send several scouts to make the Lucernians come quicker.
Leven Martell would further her reputation during the battle of Lordeorn
“When Kael'Thuzad moved into the fray I could feel it. It was like this massive ball of electricty was moving towards us, and I couldn't let Leven, and Emmett fight that monster alone.”
— Edward Cullen
The scouts reached the Lucernian forces of whom were assaulting through the weakely defended outer walls, and moving slowly fearing it was a trap. Meeting the scouts Saiden Scarlet would understand it wasn't a trap and commanded all forces towards the keep with all haste, while he sent Mathew Clegane and his forces against the dock to deal with Ras Frostwhisper. Kael'Thuzad getting word that the army was only minutes away knew he had to move quickly to take the keep and then murder the population, so he waded into the battle himself. Fighting his way through his own forces he reached the front just as Leven, and Emmett killed Lord Savryn and pushed back Lord Voren. Smashing Emmett McCarty with a blast of Magi he flew back uncontious leaving Leven to fight against Lord Voren while Kael'Thuzad sent Magi blasts into the defenders of the breach killing dozens. Sencing Kael'Thuzad enter the breach Edward had left the southern gate and mvoed to the east where he reached the fighting and was able to block a spell that would have badly injured Leven. Fighting against Kael'Thuzad he and the Liche would battle for minutes until Lord Voren fell destroyed and Leven charged him as well turning the tide of the fight. Kael'Thuzad attempted to flee but was struck through the back by Leven's sword and destroyed. At the port Mathew Clegane would overwhelm Ras Frostwhisper with the support of Gemma Cullen of whom overpowered the tired Ras Frostwhisper but he retreated using a stone and disapeared alongside several of his commanders.
“Arthas's remnents had been crushed, but he was still loose, and where he was now was anyone's guess.”
— Leven Martell
With the death of Kael'Thuzad and the defeat of Ras Frostwhisper the skeletal elements and demons fizzled out of excistence, while the human elements of the cult were swiftly either killed or surrendered and made to live out the rest of their short lives in prison before they were executed. With Talia Menathil now Lady of Lorderon the population shifted back to the capital but was diminished from the numbers before as some one quarter of the city had turned to the cultists and were basically all dead while another quarter had died during the fighting leaving half the city dead. It was following the clean up that a letter came into the keep adressed to Edward Cullen, but it would be read by Leven Martell and the rest of the commanders inside the keep.
Conversation Incoming
Fairmarket. The Riverlands. Lorderon, and Kul Tiras. Westbridge. All had fallen to our might. All had sworn the sword to the Valley of Lucerne. All that power, and yet I looked north and saw a great demon the likes of which I could not hope to resist. The Empire was the reason for growth. The Empire was the reason for everything we did. The Empire was the land that should have done great things for the world, but instead of this they did nothing. They allowed chaos to breed amongst them, and in that weakeness and failing they threatened to ruin the entire continent.
I opened the letter and was still haunted by the name Arthas that adorned the front of it. I looked around and saw the looks of fear on everyone else over what could possibly be in the letter, and how he had known with such accuracy when we had cleared the city.
Lord Edward Cullen,
I am both shocked and excited by the prospects of your defeat of my cult. Created with hate, and violence it makes me proud that they have destroyed so much of Lorderon, and left you weakened. My commander Ras Frostwhisper tells me you managed to defeat Kael, and while I say that is a disapointment know that the dragon I have killed yesterday will make your kingdom quickly forget this victory you have achieved.
Know that you will find his body in Fornost, and know that I made him hurt before he died. Tell your king that he sent him to die, and this is exactly what I did for him.
One last gift for the King of the Valley.
In closing I wish for you the best. I hope you die swift, and quick deaths for you have defeated an oponent that should have lived forever. Know this though Lord Cullen, your time will come sooner then you could ever imagine. I have seen the future and you and your darkness council shall know death in your ranks very soon. You have longed to be a part of them, and you shall never be further away then you are right now.
Arthas Menathil
King of the Dead
Return of Riley Scott[]
“Taking on mistresses. Sons coming home. The love of my life returning. What a confusing time.”
— William Lovie III.
William travel to Forks on their way back to Lucerne from Fairmarket. On the boat ride back after a long talk with Morrigan, she takes matters into her own hands and finally reveals to William that she wants him in what ever way she can have him, and despite his marriage he sleeps with Leven. Arriving in Forks they are met on the docks by Charles Swan of whom they talk with for a time, but this ends when Riley Scott arrives alone on horseback, and wishes to return with them to Lucerne for a time. Riley reveals to him that Dan Scott is conspiring to make him and heir and he loves his family and doesn't want to see them come to harm through the menipulations of Dan Scott. Leven goes with William as he talks with Riley, and after Riley leaves with Thomas for a while he tells her that he is amazed at the changes in his son, and as they watch as he spends time with Thomas, and longs to see his three oldest sons become friends. Leven once again talks to Morrigan of whom congratulates her on gaining William in the way she did, and Leven shocked to know Morrigan knew begins to take Morrigan into her confidence revealing the arrangement she offered William and he seemingly agreed to.
Meeting a Daughter I am so sorry my daughter. I would have never abandoned you had I of known.
Meeting a Daughter[]
“Roslin do you think my mother is sorry. Do you think when she looks back at what happens here she will look back at it with sorrow. I wonder Roslin if she will look upon any of this as anything other then an annoying setback.”
— Lucie Lovie
Following the attempted Coup in Stor Roslin Stor XII. would return to the capital with Lucie Lovie of whom told her everything she could about her life, and everyone was called to a council where they were told that they had the oldest child of the King of Lucerne in their hands. Following this discovery there were many in the council who begin saying they should barter her to the Lucernians, and this charge would be led heavily by Terad Ereham who had been implicated in the Coup attempt but had returned to the fold after its defeat. Roslin argued that if they did that William had shown he would never forgive the slight, and the weak willed Terad wilted under the pressure of Roslin's words and agreed with her idea of simply giving Lucie to the Lucernians asking nothing in return. The failure here of Terad to gain anything would further poison the mind of his son Tristifer Ereham III. to his father and would be the final straw which led to Tristifer turning completely on his father and taking control of House Ereham.
“My King I have a letter for you. My King the letter is said to be from a High Lady of Stor. She says shes writing in regards to your daughter Lucie.”
— Jasper Hale
While Lucie Lovie was being sent to Storhold and the letter was on its way to Lucerne the situation in Lucerne would be quite peaceful as the royal family prepared for the birth of another child of the main branch through Bella Swan and William Lovie, but as this was happening the lessening of the corruption of Morrigan would lead to a major reveal.
William
Arrival in Westbridge[]
“I looked out over the side of the boat to the docks and saw a crowd larger then anything I had seen in a long while. Nobles, and their men all crowded around, and my first thought was what they were doing. My first thought was never that they were there waiting for me. It just didn't make sence.”
— Lucie Lovie
Running From a Monster[]
“You have to die.”
— Viggo Vortisson
Arrival in Fairmarket[]
“When we return Lucie I want you to understand one thing above everything else. Our distance. The time we spent apart. I wish that I could take it all back and you could be right by my side. The people you meet in Lucerne, they are by and large good people, but they all have their own wishes and desires. Some will see you as a marriage target. Some will see you as a threat. Whatever happens, and whatever is said I want you to know one thing. You are my daughter. You are my daughter and I love you.”
— William Lovie III.
Leven and William await with many of his children as the boat of Lucie Lovie pulls into the Fairmarket dock, and she consoles him as he gets nervous about seeing her. As she arrives before he can say anything of any real substance she is taken into a hug by Ashley Lovie of whom is followed by Thomas, and William also hugging her but Riley stands back beside William and is unwilling to hug this new claim to the throne. William decides on the advise of Lucie that they will return to Lucerne as quickly as possible and Leven and William stay the night together and then after that returning by caravan back to Lucerne. The second half of the chapter is their journey back to Lucerne.
Return to Lucerne[]
Death of Bella Swan[]
Death of Bella Swan She was the queen. You murdered the queen of the Kingdom. What am I to do with you?
“I have loved her since the first time I laid eyes on her sweet sister. But the truth is. The truth of the matter is that I love others. It took me a long time to understand that doesn't diminish what I feel for my wife. It doesn't diminish what I had with Amber, or Britney. It doesn't take a thing from what exists between you and I. Its really quite simple sister. I love them all.”
— William Lovie III.
William Lovie III. would first be warned of the danger to Bella Swan early in her pregnancy after she became very sick and would have died had not Edward Cullen been able to intervene, but this was believed by William to be an attempt on her life by assassins of the Order of the Raven so he put his energy into stopping them believing he knew who was at fault.
Bella Dies[]
“We have another child soon my sweet king. This child will be a beacon of hope for the people of this land, and I love you so much Will for loving me this much.”
— Bella Swan
With the pregnancy coming quickly Bella would be taken into the birthing room, and while she was in the birthing room Riley would make his last visit to her. While William, and the others were briefly out of the room meeting with her father Bella would ask Riley to give her some water and when he obliged he would put more poison into her water and with noone in the birthing room she would drink the poison not knowing the consequences of drinking.
Confronting the Truth[]
Coming to the realization that Riley murdered Bella he is forced to confront his son alongside Alice and the two are shocked when Riley admits to the murder right away.
Conversation Incoming
When I was a young man I thought everything in my life would go a certain way. I would squire for a great knight, and he would put his sword to my shoulder one day and tell me I was now a true dragon knight. I would marry a beautiful girl that loved me, and together we would have a happier family then the one I remembered most days. I would rule the kingdom as a fair king, and the land would prosper. I was never squired because my father kept me in Lucerne for my childhood. I married a beautiful girl and had children with not only her but three other girls of which ultimately led to her death. My rule had definetly prospered the kingdom, but as the tally of my actions grew I begin to question how fair I am.
I walked with William and he held my hand as we moved down the hallway. Moving my hand to the door I looked back to see Will had followed me and it took only a small nod of the head from me to make him turn back. In my heart I didn't want to believe what was being said. I didn't believe it but just in the tiniest bit of reality that it was true I didn't want Will to have to stand there and watch his brother become a monster. My own brother had tried to rape me. Tried to kill me. My own brother had done that and William had still yet to recover from the damage of knowing what Sean was capable of. I couldn't let junior carry around that pain the way my poor William had too.
I must have been staring at the door handle longer then I thought because William's hand reached down gently holding my hand and moving it out of the way before turning the handle and opening the door to whatever this would turn to be. Walking down the hall I had this terrible feeling already, but the moment I saw Riley sitting at a chair reading something in me just knew.
"Son I need to ask you something." Riley must have been so enthralled in his book that William speaking caused him to jump a bit before a smile crossed his face at seeing William, and he turned to his father. "I need you to promise me son, that when I ask you that you will be honest. You will be true. And you will not be offended by the question."
There was no hesitation in Riley in answering William. "Of course father." William pulled a chair up from behind Riley and sat beside him before placing his arm to Riley's shoulder. I was well back, but I honestly felt in the moment this calm wash over me. Riley was so peaceful that this must just be some mistake.
"Do you know anything about what happened to Bella?"
"Of couse I do father."
"Riley tell us what you know."
Riley looked so confused as he stared at William. He looked briefly to me as if I would provide him some anwser to whatever was causing him confusion, but now I knew the truth and I was horrified. "I thought you already knew."
"Knew what son?"
"I made her go away."
"Made her go away?"
"I made it as pain free as I could." I could feel it all fall apart as I just lunged at him. I felt my hand connect with his face, but before I could strike him a second time William was on me holding me close to himself.
I was screaming. I don't really know what, but I was screaming. But as everything fell apart and I felt William's arms tighten around me holding me still I caught a look of Riley. He was so confused. He just didn't have anything on his face that said that he knew what he did.
The New Queen[]
Following this he is forced to banish his son Riley to Lorderon and following this he discovers Leven is pregnent with his child causing him to marry Leven in order to not father a bastard child, and the two are married shortly afterwards only weeks following Bella Swan's death.
Return of the Dragons[]
During the weeks following his marriage to Leven Martell Lornax the White Dovah arrives in the city and gives him one dragon egg for each of his children although there are two extra which confuses even William of whom does not know these two children and becomes fanatical about finding them.
