House Scott

House Scott
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Power Level	Arch Duke of the Stormlands
Kingdom of Loyalty	Kingdom Of Lucerne
House Banner
Coat of Arms	Four Crosses
Words	None
Vital statistics
Founder	Unknown
Current Leader	Dan Scott
Current Heir	Lucas Scott
Date of Founding	Unknown
Headquarters	Tree Hill
Level of Control
Level of Control	Controls the Grand State of the Stormlands.
Loyal Houses	Vassal Houses House Toldor; House Oakheart; House Lonmouth;
Demographics
Race	Human
Ethnicity	Gothic

House Scott is a major Gothic house living in the Kingdom of Lucerne, and dominating the town of Tree Hill where they stand as the Arch Duke House of the Grand State of the Stormlands. The Scott House was once very weak but Earl Scott brought them into the limelight when he took over Lordship of Tree Hill following the madness of House Targaryan. House Scott in the reign of William Lovie has made many very important connections with the regime, but perhaps none as important as having a heir to the throne of Lucerne within their ranks, but all of this has also been shadowed by the rise of a conflict between Dan Scott and the ruling regime.

House Scott rose to prominence during the rise of House Targaryan in Tree Hill, and they would do this after they had made a good impression of themselves during the Driving Tide, and thus had been granted a post with the Targaryans. House Scott was one of the many sworn houses of House Targaryan's Vassal House Tyrell but during this time Earl Scott rose to power and brought them enough power that they became a Vassal of House Targaryan. As a Vassal they watched as House Targaryan imploded and they then were shocked when James Lovie named them the new Lord of Tree Hill. Under this new power they grew steadily until they were betrayed by the madness of Bill Loie and watched as Tree Hill was destroyed around them. Fighting a seige for many years brough them to the brink as they were constantly forced to defend themselves against the Orcish army that had camped itself within the ruins of the outer city of Tree Hill. After many years of siege they were relieved by the army of William Lovie III. of whom would later become king, and his kingship would corespond with the rise of Brooke Scott as the mistress of the king during this time. House Scott would watch as half of the Stormlands was given over to a new power in the Tyrells following the creation of the State of Highgarden, and this severely weakened their position, but they still controlled a lot of power.

History

Early History

“It's difficult to imagine how different of lives we had back there. It was only a few generations ago, and yet its hard to even picture it.”
— Dan Scott

The original members of House Scott came from the east, and were members of the Gothic tribes of what is now Kizlev . The original members of House Scott fled these lands when the forces of Chaos first began there invasions. They fled westward and made there way into the Empire. The Scotts attempted to find their place in The Empire, but discovered as many of the migrating tribes did, that The Empire wasn't much safer or kind then the harshness of the attacks by Chaos were. After only a few generations here, the landscape was not what they wanted, and made their way southward where they eventually found themselves in the valley of Lucerne.

Valley of Lucerne

The Scott Family once they made it into the Valley of Lucerne they would found and come to dominate the small fishing village of Patria. The family existed here for several generations until eventually Earl Scott came to live in Tree Hill and took over Lordship of the town following the period in which House Targaryan the previous Lords of Tree Hill were removed, and James Lovie placed House Scott in charge.

Fall of House Targaryan

Main Article : House Targaryan

Fall of House Targaryan
Once there were three friends that had started the Kingdom of Lucerne. Today we say goodbye to one of our friends, and hello to a new world without one third of our hearts.

“My father used to tell me that there were three major houses in the Kingdom of Lucerne that were our friends without any question. House Targaryan was one of those three. ”
— Bill Lovie

Aryes Targaryan II. would be the Lord of Tree hill following the death of his father Aryes Targaryan I. and he would oversee the complete embarrassment of his House from Lucerne. His reign started simply enough but it took a dramatic and horrifying turn when there was a hostage situation caused by two vassal houses in House June against House Cash. The two houses had been stuck in a battle over some farm land east of the city, and were unable to solve it diplomatically, and some of the more headstrong members of the two families had gotten into a fight at a tavern where two members of House Cash ended up dying alongside several guards for each house. When Aryes went to the estate of house June in order to solve the problem he was accidentally taken hostage by the House June honor guard and during the early part of the captivity he was tortured using a fire pick against his arms. Eventually a member of House June entered the honor guard station and discovered the beaten body of Aryes targaryan, and having never meant for that to happen House June immediately let him go, but the damage was done.

Destruction of House June

“He supposedly locked himself completely in his room not allowing anyone to see him. He was frightened, and one could understand why, but he allowed that fear to overtake him, and destroy everything we had built.”
— Aryes Targaryan III.

When Aryes targaryan returned to tree hill he withdrew himself into the keep of Tree Hill and basically disappeared from the public eye for almost a year. During this time he was tended to through the dropping of food at the door, and only his sister Shaelenia was allowed to come into his room, and even she is said to have been kept at a great distance by the now disturbed Aryes Targaryan. When he finally came out of his office he was completed unkeped and he had nails that were insanely long. He had dropped an immense weight due to the fact that he had eaten so little over the time he was hidden. But on top of the physical change he was emotionally changed as well as he had become unhinged mentally and now saw visions, and heard voices. The once quiet peacemaker ordered the Tree Hill army to march on the House June estate and kill everyone inside. As this was happening and over the year previous the leadership of House Tyrell had been making movements in order to sap the support of House Targaryan, and knowing that the Targaryans would most likely take revenge for the imprisonement of Aryes the Tyrell's would promice both House June, and House Cash that they would come to their aid in the event that the Targaryans attacked them. The Tree Hill army acting under the command of Aryes Targaryan would marshal and besieged the House June where they would surrender themselves only a few days into the siege, as it was clear that outside assistence was not coming in the form of House Tyrell of whom had promiced them they would help them. As this happened the army of the Tyrells would arrive from Highgarden, and they joined the more southern Stormlands houses as the siege continied of the small hold of House June.

“Noone had seen it coming, but afterwards noone could stop the momentum of death and destruction that Aryes had unleased when he killed House June.”
— Earl Scott

Aryes at this point would arrive at the estate and despite hearing the pleas of House June that they had no meant to imprison the Lord of House Targaryan he wouldn't hear it and killed the two June members that had come under the protection of the Guest Right, and following this commanded his army to massacre everyone inside the castle. When many of the houses refused this Aryes turned to his brother Aegon Targaryan of whom led the Targaryan forces into the now opened castle where they killed everyone inside. When the massacre was complete the city was shocked at the near complete destruction of a large noble house (with only the youngest son, and his sister surviving the massacre due to the intervention of Drunten Targaryan), but in this instance the city felt that since house June had started it perhaps this action was necessary. The next retaliation of Aryes targaryan was far beyond the acceptable scenario of tree hill though, and it was finally the moment the large Tyrell at the edge of the city had waited for.

Destruction of House Cash

“It is said that so great was his hatred that he burned them alive himself. Screaming and laughing while he did it.”
— Mastir Tyrell

House cash was the other house involved in what Aryes came to believe was a plot to capture and embarrass him, so Aryes once again ordered the tree hill army to do his bidding through the destruction of House Cash. Unfortunately for Aryes the army wasn't willing to destroy House Cash so Aryes was forced to turn to the House Targaryan honor gaurd who moved quickly in the massacre. The honor gaurd moved throughout the house cash home and murdered nearly the entire house in a three hour battle that spilled into the street and ended up leading to the deaths of almost 200 people. With this kind of death count the people of Tree Hill turned swiftly against House Targaryan and their started to be open resisting against their movements. As this rebellion continued the ire of House Lovie was brought in through the involvement of James Lovie who left Lucerne in a convoy to Tree Hill and would arrive in a week.

The Week

“By that point we were basically just praying to god that James would arrive in the city before the Tyrell's got their hands on us. Despite the fact that we were still members of the royal family of Tree Hill we started to hear the calls against us in the streets.”
— Aegon Targaryan

House Targaryan was now in open revolt amongst themselves as well as Aegon Targaryan said they must all stay together but Drunten Targaryan wanted to hand over Aryes Targaryan and try to appease the mobs that were out for blood now. This blood lust was spilling into the streets as the members were being verbally and physically attacked in the streets after the massacre of House Cash of which caused them to have to hide themselves into their estate within the city. The House Targaryan estate was what the current Scott Keep was and thus it was built into the cliffs in the center of the city, and from this it was extremely heavily defended, but by this point the Tyrells had picked their side. The Tyrells would lead the army of Tree Hill in sieging the Targaryan estate, and they were able to kill a large number of the Targaryan honor gaurd during the intial assaults on the keep. In only two days following James Lovie getting the letter and leaving Lucerne the House Targaryan estate became under siege by the citizens of Tree Hill along with House Scott, and House Tyrell. The siege continued for three more days before the gate of the estate was finnally breached, and the city waited with held breath for what the people would do as punishment to House Targaryan. The siegers entered the estate and begin gathering together all of House Targaryn and before House Scott - who didn't want violence done before James Lovie arrived - could stop it the House was marched to the center of Tree Hill where House Tyrell had erected a temporary executioners square. As this was happening several of the more level headed houses joined with House Scott where they massed themselves in a possible belief that they might storm the square and fight the Tyrells over the violence they were doing. Over the course of three hours the members of House Targaryan were brought to stand before the city of Tree Hill, and depending on the wishes of the city they were exectuted. The violence reached its apex as the Tyrells executed Shaelenia Targaryan the young sister of Aryes but before they did a man of House Lonmout would sexually violate her as her head was bound prepared to be killed, and this caused the already insane Aryes to go completely insane. The last to be judged was Aryes Targaryan, and before he could say a word Kraven June the eleven year old surviving member of House June stepped forward and stabbed Aryes Targaryan through the neck killing him. With the trials all done the surviving members of House Targaryan retreated back to their estate where there was full scale looting underway. House Scott moved into the estate and offered House Targaryan protection, and it was this act that basically saved what remained of House Targaryan.

“House Scott saved the rest of them because I was five minutes from ordering the killing of every remaining Targaryan in the town. Five minutes longer and House Scott loses the chance of saving them.”
— Mastir Tyrell

In the end in the four hour trial of House Targaryan thirty two members of the House were dead including its patriarch in Aryes Targaryan II., and the remainder were in the custody of House Scott of whom had taken them alongside the rest of the houses allied to the Scotts and fled outside of the city. By this point the Tyrells had gone completely in on retaking Tree Hill, and trying to gain back what they had lost with the rise of House Lovie, and so they massed their forces and moved towards the Scotts in a movement that if it had more time would have resulted in a battle between the Scott forces, and the Tyrell's. Before the two could fight though the arrival of the vangaurd of the Lovie forces in House Swan would stop any further violence, and as the Swan troops entered the city they would alongside several neutral houses move to stop the rioting in the streets that the Tyrells had incited.

Arrival of James Lovie

Lord of Tree Hill

The First Battle of Tree Hill

Main Article : First Battle of Tree Hill

Fall of Tree Hill
We were trained to fight. We built walls, and we made plans for our defenses. All of this training and planning was for naught when we were ambushed by an enemy that knew everything we were.

The Summit of Castle Blastner had led to much of the Tree Hill army, and nearly all the loyalist leadership leaving for Castle Blastner, and those that remained would be shown as less then loyal.

“Everything that has happened here is a result of his actions. He doesn't get to just stand by his bible and pretend hes not responsible for all of this. Peter Scott is a monster. Peter Scott shall from this day forth be known as the Traitor of Tree Hill.”
— Daniel Scott

While the smaller Loudlon had failed at the Battle of Forks, and the Loudlon leadership being almost completely massacred at the The Hackenholtist Massacre the success of the Tree Hill part of the plan rested on the shoulders of Abdosir Zestoponnid. The larger Loudlon army continued moving towards Tree Hill controlled now solely by Abdosir Zestoponnid, and thus the army’s movement was slow as Abdosir was unable to fully stop the infighting that begin to grow among the Orc army with the deaths of the more powerful Exemptus members. As they moved through the plains of Central Tree Hill, they first lost control of the Ragechoppa Clan who moved away from the main army and begin sacking villages. As they made the final movement towards Tree Hill it was an exhausted Adbdosir that lost control of three clans in the , Bonecrusha, and Eadsplitta Clans and this forced the army to briefly stop and the Circle of Magi members still within the army made quick adjustments. Deciding that these clans getting loose was not a part of their orders by James Lovie II. they would send word to the army of Peter Scott which they knew was already moving from Forks to Tree Hill following the First Battle of Forks. Abdosir would continue to move the rest of the army the final stretch to Tree Hill which they reached successfully, and massing north of Tree Hill it was Abdosir that gave his control over to Jurden Hardaxe who now unleashed would prepare the invasion of Tree Hill. With the assistance of maps and information provided by the Circle members the Orc army moved to surround the city and attack the different hills as well as the two main Tree Hill gates with a force that would make retreat impossible.

“The insanity that leads a man to turn on his people. The madness filled him to the brim until the point came that he snapped. There was no stopping it. It was all blood and death.”
— Earl Scott

When Peter Scott was pulled away from Tree Hill with most of the army due to the Summit of Castle Blastner the vacuum of power fell to the hands of Leonard Nighting III. of whom was named the Grand Marshal of Tree Hill and thus placed in charge of its defenses. Leonard was not what Peter believed him to be in a loyal member of the rebellion but in fact was a secret member of the Circle of Magi, and thus knew that the Orcs were incoming and that the Summit of Castle Blastner was a ruse. Leonard would work for the weeks before the Orcs arrival to move troops loyal to the Circle or the Nightings out of the city, and those that remained were given time off with pay leaving the city undefended. While removing loyal troops it was Leonard that also invited many nobles who were rebel supporters to the city of which included many prominent families and planned a large feast for what he knew would be after the arrival of the Orcs. Leonard would be warned of the Orcs approach and thus when they were only two days away it was Leonard and most of his loyalists that left Tree Hill travelling westward towards Nighthold and named Daniel Scott as the new Grand Marshal of Tree Hill. Daniel had been tricked into believing that the Orcs coming was a plot to kill Peter and that following this ambush he would defeat the Orcs with the large army that Leonard and the Circle had waiting outside the city. In truth Tree Hill had been promised to House Guntbold and thus his purpose was gone for the Circle leaving him to remain in Tree Hill under a mistaken belief.

The Baker Killings

Lindsay Baker saw her fathers attempt at separating herself and her beloved brother Julian Baker as a betrayal so deep that she was unwilling to accept his apology. And thus from the date of her argument with Brooke forward she planned for the eventual murder of her father. Eventually as her resentment increased she also grew to hate her mother of whom in her paranoia she came to believe was also involved in the plot against her and Julian.

“He is mine. It was clear after there failed attempt to marry him to you that they were going to keep trying. I had no options other then to kill them”
— Lindsay Baker

House Baker had through the Magi power and general lack of morality of Hanne Baker joined the Circle of Magi leaving them very much aware of the coming Orcish assault on the city of Tree Hill. Hanne Baker would return from her time in the west where she had been assisting Bill Lovie with his Orcish manipulation and fresh from her time there she would summon her entire family including her husband Haden Baker, son Julian Baker, and two daughters Lindsay Baker, and Margerette Baker and proceeded to tell them about what was about to happen in Tree Hill. The family sat with the increasingly cowardly Haden Baker immediately begin preparing to leave the city without warning anyone of what was coming and return to their seat at Bakervale. Following the departure of Julian two organize their retreat, two things happened with the first being Margerette attempted to run away from her family confronting her sister Lindsay, while Lindsay finally realized she had the moment she had been waiting for to finally kill her mother and father. When Margerette took Lindsay into the other room while her parents loaded up the carriage outside with their two dozen men at arms and servants, she would tell Lindsay that she was going to reveal what was happening to Lord Typhon of whom she knew was an honorable man.

“I loved my sister. She was a sweet girl. I stabbed her in the neck the moment she got in the way of me and Julian. What do you think I would do to you?”
— Lindsay Baker

In this moment Lindsay not wanting her chance of killing her parents to be thwarted would stab her sister through the neck killing Margerette and dragging her body into a closet. Returning to the living room she would hide her mother’s wand before tricking her mother into joining her in the bedroom where she would hit her mother with a mace knocking her out. With her mother unconscious she would bring her father and two servants in where she locked the door behind them to their confusion before she would stab the two servants before knocking out her father. With everyone either dead or unconscious she would tie her father and mother to a chair before she would walk out of the house. Appearing before the men at arms, knights, and servants covered in blood and a blood mace she told them that Julian was now in charge of the family, and shocked at what she had done they were cowed into submission. Leading these servants and soldiers out of the eastern gate it was Lindsay, and Julian that escaped the coming destruction of Tree Hill. When Hanna, and Haden woke up they attempted to get out of their bindings, but Haden was too weak, and Hanna without her wand could do little, and thus they were unable to escape and were eventually killed during the sacking of Tree Hill by the Orcs.

The Massacre of the Hill of Edrestic

“I was walking around the edges of the garden when I heard the noise. It was a sound I had never heard before in my life but it was deafening in its scope, and horrifying in its pitch. It was the sound of a city dying I just didn't know it at the time.”
— Margaery Tyrell

The Orcs would split themselves up as they moved towards Tree Hill with Clan Rabbidgutta and Clan Gorebasha attacking the Hill of Edrestic, while the remainder of the army went for the main city. House Slinde defended the Hill of Edestic and was a devoted member of the rebels meaning they were not warned or protected in any way by the Circle. House Slinde had lost most of its defenders to the Summit of Castle Blastner and thus was very undermanned when the Orcs arrived, and with all this together the Orcs moved through the damaged gatehouse and inside the walls. Once inside the walls what little defenders were able to fight back were quickly overrun and the Hill of Edrestic fell in less then hour its entire population killed or enslaved.

The Sack of Tree Hill

The Orcs had arrived without warning and would overrun the Hill of Edestic and break inside the northern gate without any warning to the defenders.

“I was walking around the edges of the garden when I heard the noise. It was a sound I had never heard before in my life but it was deafening in its scope, and horrifying in its pitch. It was the sound of a city dying I just didn't know it at the time.”
— Margaery Tyrell

With the destruction of the Hill of Edestic the main Loudlon army reached the main Tree Hill Gate. The northern entrance was the most fortified of the two entries into the city and thus was guarded by five towers, a large bridge, and three layers of portcullises leaving it a highly defensible position. In response to these defenses, it was the Circle that had placed much of its energy around the weakening of this defense. While the towers were meant to have been occupied by fifty men each the deployment schedules had been purposely weakened by Ebrimund Neuhazer who had been promoted to the Commander of the Gate by Leonard Nighting. Ebrimund would be warned of the arrival of the Orcs hours before and took what little men were left at the gatehouse and left the gate telling the defenders that another deployment was being brought to replace them and gave them the rest of the day off. With the gatehouse now undefended it was the Orc army that was able to enter the gate without being noticed or deterred. As the Orcs poured through the gatehouse the screaming of the slain and panicked that led to soldiers being warned of the attack. Of these soldiers it was Traven Goodsbrow, and the Oakheart twins Frasier, and Thomas Oakheart were in the vicinity and would also move in the direction of the fighting at the gate. Traven and the Oakheart twins would be overwhelmed alongside the rest of the guards at the gatehouse and the Orcs swelled into the city from the main gate shattering the cork that held the Orcs at bay. Once they had control of the gate the Orcs quickly destroyed any resistance that managed to form in the outer city, while they began destroying and setting buildings ablaze. The rampaging force of Orcs massacred their way through the packed market, which was located near the main gatehouse, and since Tree Hill was so far inside the borders of Lucerne no one was on their toes in preparation for an attack of this kind leaving the people and soldiers completely overwhelmed. The massacre continued unabated until southward of the main gatehouse the Orcs would come to the castle of the Typhon's in the form of Typhon's Keep.

“Typhon's Gate was the personal keep of House Typhon, and the fact that they held to the last man bought time for the rest of the city to at least get a chance to survive at the main keep.”
— Lucas Scott

The city of Tree Hill was a double walled city with the outer wall defended by five main gatehouses, while the inner was defended by two keeps. With two of the outer gatehouses either taken or about to be taken it was the next level of defenses that was coming under assault by the Orc invasion. It was House Typhon that controlled one of the entries in the form of Typhon Keep. A vassal of House Scott they would be within their estate as the city burned and the northern half was completely wiped out. As another of the rebel supporting houses they were not warned and most of their forces including House Typhon would hold off till the very last minute trying to allow more people to flee inside the keep including Lord Robett Highport and three of his men at arms. Robett had been devoted to Daniel Scott but as Daniel had been betrayed it was Robett that was also betrayed thus leaving him outside the keep when the Orcs arrived. As the Orcs overran the initial areas of Tree Hill the panic had spread quickly and thus it was Lord Athaulf Typhon that had armed and prepared his sons as well as what men at arms he could find. As the Orcs begin to reach the gatehouse the Typhon defenders did not close it immediately allowing dozens more inside the walls until finally as they risked being overwhelmed, they closed the gate of the Typhon Keep. Blocking their gates, the Orcs arrived on the scene the males took to the walls and fired upon the Orcs drawing major attention to themselves and slowing the advance as the Orcs attempted to take the Keep. As the Orcs used overturned wagons and boxes to attempt to get on the walls it was the defenders who would resist them for several minutes giving Athaulf time to get the non-fighters out of the back of the keep. Athaulf Typhon would manage to get those who had gone through Typhon’s gates through the gate and into the inner part of Tree Hill, but the family would refuse to abandon there ancestral seat and thus hid themselves inside the holdfast of the keep instead of fleeing south.

“My family died there. They thought they were doing something brave. I see now you made sure it was all in vain.”
— Jaime Typhon

The front gate was finally bashed down as the defenders on the wall begin to run out of arrows, but the defenders had created enough time that they had been able to place a barricade behind this forcing most of the Orcs to use makeshift ladders, and ropes to climb onto the walls. Getting onto the walls the Orcs would take horrible casualties, but their number were unending, and they were able to wipe out the defenders including Lord Typhon and two of his sons, and would thus gain entrance into the courtyard within. Lord Robett Highport led a brief counter assault at the main gatehouse attempting to bar the entrance but was killed alongside his men after the walls had been completely overrun. The final son of House Typhon would defend the inner hold alone trying to protect his mother, cousins, and sisters but watched as the Orcs killed the remaining guards and the rest of House Typhon were massacred in the inner hallway. Jaime Typhon would survive the destruction of Typhon Keep after he was covered by the body of his slain brother and knocked unconscious. Waking up hours after the massacre of his family he would attempt with failed results to find anyone else alive and realizing he was alone he would hide himself in the Typhon cellar where he would attempt to plan his escape. With the massacre the Orcs would move forward towards the Tree Hill Keep of which was only real place that any sort of defense could be mounted.

Last stand at the Keep of Tree Hill

“You didn't have to be told by anyone that it was bad. There was a look in people's eyes that just told you things were falling apart. No words were needed...”
— Lucas Scott

Lucas Scott was in the Keep of Tree Hill when the first Orcs begin piling into the city itself, and like everyone in the keep it was the smoke coming from the entrance that first alerted them to trouble. As the Orcs overran the city it was the keep that begin to organize its defenses, and looking to Daniel, they discovered him inside his personal chambers surrounded by many of his nobles. Attempting to get Daniel to lead them it was Daniel that refused instead placing Lucas, and Nathan in command of the defences of the city slamming the door behind them. Lucas and Nathan would mobilize every male in the keep to find weapons and armor from the armory and bring themselves to the courtyard where Hochmeister Theoderic Madritch, and Ordenmarshal Odothus Schmild would move them to the different defensive positions. While this was happening, it was Lucas that went looking for Peyton, Haley, and Brooke who he knew were at the Gardens outside the keep. Going to the armory he put on his armor alongside his friends Visimar Heffelinger, and Cunimund Brodgert and begin leaving the keep heading towards the gardens. Speaking with Theoderic that he was going to the garden to find his sister and friends Theoderic lent him three men at arms to help bring back as many people as possible and then his group ran for the bridge of Saint Reginald which was clearest move to the Gardens. Reaching the bridge there were people streaming across and as he moved in the other direction, he saw Peyton screaming his name. Peyton had been able to return to the keep before the massacre and now she was crying so much that Lucas had to hold her up, and he would learn from Peyton that Haley, and Brooke had gone to the apartment of their friend Ottilia Goedde. Rushing to the apartment it was just outside the keep and they discovered the area was already the sight of some conflict as they saw there first Orcs. Brooke, Haley, and Ottilia led her younger siblings from the apartment and into the arms of Lucas and the others but this reunion was cut short by the arrival of the Orcs. These first Orcs were rampaging through the street and Lucas, Visimar, and Cunimund fought them without much thought killing the first two, but the third killed Cunimund before they were able to slay the Orc, and seeing more coming they were forced to leave his body on the street and lead the group back to the bridge of Saint Reginald.

Success at Schild Keep

Holding the Bridges

“We will hold open the bridge of Saint Reginald as long as we can. Once its going to be overrun I will shut the gate. The problem is Naelys bridge. Someone or something damaged the mechanism. The Kellermaster Devon is working to fix it. You have to buy him time.”
— Theoderic Madritch

Massacring the population of the city the Orcs swarmed towards the next and last point of resistance in the form of the three main defenses of the Keep of Tree Hill in the two bridges and the twin gates. As Lucas and Visimar reached the Bridge of Saint Reginald with there group there was little time to say goodbye as Brooke, Haley and the others were rushed deeper into the Keep while Lucas met with Theoderic to discuss the situation. By this point the defenses of the Keep had been stiffened by the hundreds of incoming survivors who were being quickly equipped and placed into defensive positions. Alongside this the successful defense of the Schild Keep the twin gates were now heavily fortified thus leaving the two bridges as the main point of weakness for the defenders. The defenders were weakened by the fact that the drawbridge for the Bridge of Saint Reginald remained in working order but the Bridge of Naelys Targaryan had been sabotaged leaving it unable to be closed. Lucas, Visimar, and two dozen men at arms would rush to the Bridge of Naelys finding the Kellermaster Devon Davion leading the defense there but was struggling to fix the bridge mechanism and needed more time. The arrival of Hank James II. telling them of his fathers retreat led to Lucas seeing the oppurtunity to both buy time for the defenders as well as help Hank James. Now looking to buy this time for the defenders it was Lucas that led the two dozen men alongside Vismar, and several knights including Perwyn Guntbold, and Kurt Isidor, and Isidor Elric, Deert Dravion, Hank James II., and Hansal Oakheart. This group would be joined at the last minute by Deert Davion the son of Devon, and another nine men at arms and traveled across the bridge where they planned to meet with Hank James and hold the entry to the bridge for enough time to have Devon and his men repair the gate mechanism.

“I was moving with such purpose. I knew in that moment that I had to be the courage for everyone around me. It didn't matter that I was in complete terror. I couldn't show that to anyone.”
— Lucas Scott

By this point the other houses of the southwest Keep were finding themselves becoming under attack as the Orcs were spreading throughout the city, and although the Orcs were finding increasing resistance as they moved closer towards the Keep of Tree Hill they were still moving in a near unstopped pace. At the Apartment of House James, it was Hank James that was with his sons Hanzal James, and Hank James II. when Mary James arrived in a panic telling them that Orcs had killed Gloria at the market and were not far behind her. Mary was taken away by Hank the younger to the Tree Hill keep escaping in safety, but Hanzal and Hank the elder gathered their men at arms from the area and organized several retreating men and fought a slow retreat to the Tree Hill Keep killing several charging Orcs as they pulled back. While doing this it was Hanzal that was struck down and killed fighting leaving a distraught Hank to continue retreating tears covering his face as he left his heir dead in the street. Hank James would be rejoined by Hank the younger who had returned after safely getting Mary inside the keep and standing at the side of the Chapel of Saint Markus the group decided this was the place to make their last stand. While Hank James was preparing this, they were joined by the force of Lucas Scott who was attempting to buy the bridge more time and the Chapel of Saint Markus enjoyed good vantage points for his archers and blocked the main roadway to the bridge making it a good spot to hold.

Last Stand at the Chapel of Saint Markus

“Was jumping onto that bridge a smart move? Hard to argue it was. What other choice did I have though? Did I hide on the wall and watch as thousands died? Did I try to swim across the lake into safety? None of that would have let me live with myself. I did what I had to. I would do it again if given the option.”
— Lucas Scott

The force now at the Chapel of Saint Markus consisted of the 27 men at arms of Lucas Scott as well as the knights Perwyn Guntbold, Kurt Isidor, Isidor Elric, Deert Dravion, and Hansal Oakheart who joined the force of nine men at arms of House James and the knight Hank James. Also included in this defense would be another five men at arms who joined them during the retreat from several different houses. Placing men in the chapel spires to fire arrows at the Orcs once they came it was the rest of them that formed a defensive line across the road allowing the streaming refugees past them. The group held for a time as Lucas shouted for people to hurry up and get inside, but after fifteen minutes they started to see the first trickle of Orcs moving forward and it was in this moment that he held the road for a time stopping Orcs with carefully aimed bow shots. Perwyn Guntbold, and Hansal Oakheart were also firing arrows near him, while Deert, and Hank were directing people towards the bridge and making them hurry. He and the rest of the party were slowly pushed back by their numbers as he did not want to be cornered in the street, so he pushed himself to the first tier of the chapel steps and thus allowed the people to continue getting inside the Keep. While they were fighting this initial attack, they had lost seven of the other men at arms to the Orcs, and Deert took a horrifying blow to his arm of which when Lucas moved to him, they were both very aware that the wound might be fatal, but he refused to retreat and they covered it as best they could. His desperate fight continued as the Orcs begin swarming at him in increasing numbers, and as things became more desperate it was the arrival of an Orc ten feet tall that finally broke the defenses of the chapel.

Defeating Lugdush

“His skin was bright red, and he was so large that he obscured everything around him. He pushed two of his own men off the bridge in his desperation to get at us, and I raised my shield knowing this was not going to be an easy fight.”
— Lucas Scott

As the defenders were slowly retreating the Orcs stopped their attacks and made several steps back smashing there axes together. As the defenders watched this it was Lucas’s group that reached the edge of the bridge having been pushed all the way back to the bridge. As the orcs continued there chanting it was a giant that knocked several away allowing him through. The giant orc was Lugdush Grimbones the clan leader of the Grimbones Clan. His skin was a dull orange, and his size was such that he obscured everything around him. In terms of the Orc hierarchy, he was one of the largest orcs in the Loudlon army and was a trusted Grand Chief of Jurden Hardaxe the overall High Chief. Without warning Lugdush raised his giant axe and with that a group of white painted Orcs charge forward at the defenders who were now supported by archers on the walls of the bridge. While many of the Orcs were felled by the arrow fire many got through and reached the line of defenders. Fighting against this group Lucas showed himself the exceptional swordsmen cutting down two of the three Orcs that reached him while the third was killed by Perwyn. Lugdush let out a giant laugh, and the other orcs (hundreds strong now) returned to smashing their axes against each other. Finishing laughing Lugdush begin walking towards the defenders and as he moved forward arrows struck him, but he continued walking forward ignoring them like they were nothing. Moving through the arrows Lugdush reached the defenders in front of the bridge and smashing his sword down he sent Lucas, and Perwyn flying to the ground and knocking Perwyn unconscious against the ground. Lucas called out for the other men to retreat, but they refused to leave him, and his party stood side by side with him as Lugdush attacked again. Deert would be the first to fall as Lugdush ignored a slash across his chest from Lucas and cleaved Deert Davion in two and followed by this Lucas ducked underneath another slash from Lugdush and slid over the side of the bridge and into the moat but just managed to grab ahold of the side. While Lucas fought to pull himself up Hansal was slashed across the face by Lugdush and killed, while Lugdush struck down the three remaining men at arms one after another leaving just Kurt Isidor, and Isidor Elric standing between Lugdush and the bridge as Lucas finally pulled himself up.

“The thing stood as high as a building it seemed. It was a monster of the demons themselves, and it made you understand clearly what was happening. Watching Deet, and Hansal, and James and then all those poor men I just hated the thing. I let that hate overcome me, and I'm glad it did.”
— Lucas Scott

Dodging blow after blow Kurt Isidor was joined by Oliver Slinde of whom ran across the bridge attempting to support the defense. The bridge mechanism was fixed at this point, and they were preparing to close it but were waiting for Lucas, and his men to get inside. Kurt, Oliver, and Lucas attacked Lugdush together, and Kurt was able to slash him across the leg dropping him to his knees. As Kirt went for a killing blow it was Lugdush that grabbed him by the beck as he had gotten too close and broke his neck before throwing him into the moat. As Lugdush got up he pushed Lucas to the ground and then as Oliver stabbed him through the back his sword became stuck inside the Orc. Lugdush now gravely wounded turned around and grabbed Oliver throwing him down the bridge. As Lugdush cornered Oliver against the side of the bridge and prepared to kill him Lucas jumped on his back and was able to stab him through the less armored back part of his neck killing the massive Orc. Now exhausted from that fight Lucas attempted to crawl across the bridge but was struck by an arrow from the Orcs that were now charging at him. Standing up with what little strength he had left he took another arrow and realizing that the time it would take him to cross the bridge would allow the Orcs to enter the keep, and thus decided to save his family and threw himself into the moat. Oliver was able to get inside the gate but those on the wall had watched Lucas plunge into the moat and as he had full plate armor on, he would have drowned, and thus they closed the bridge just as the Orcs reached it.

Morrigan Enters the City

Nathan would be the one that brought Lucas's survival to everyone's attention but Morrigan was the one that healed him of his fatal wounds and found him first.

“"The Orcs flooded the city, and I made my way into the tunnels where I used Magi to literately burrow a hole through the tunnels and into the inner sanctum of Tree Hill. Entering in such a way had its dangers but at that point no one feared other humans very much."”
— Morrigan

As the Orcish army swarmed into Tree Hill Morrigan would leave her Circle post at the Hill of Edestic and make her way to a local farm where she had ordered her men for months to burrow a tunnel beneath Tree Hill that would connect into the Keep of Tree Hill. Morrigan for her part had played the role of a loyal member of the Circle but her affection for Lucas Scott led her to turn against them and making the decision to save Lucas despite the personal cost to herself she would use the tunnel to enter the Keep of Tree Hill. Moving her way through the tunnels she would eventually arrive at the entrance which was inside her home in the keep where she was living under the guise of Lady Morrigan Sylne of House Slyne. Leaving her house she heard the screams and could smell all the death around her but she was looking for Lucas Scott and using her Magi she passed through the wall and into the Saint Markus Pond. Finding Lucas he had managed to take off his chest armor thus saving him from drowning, but the two arrows in him were going to be fatal injuries. Holding his head up she would use her Magi to heal him, and as he was healed and she removed the arrows leaving him unconscious but no longer fatally wounded.

“I woke up in a ditch on the outskirts of the wall. My survival rested upon the simple fact that the Orcs had killed everyone and thus they didn't believe it was possible for anyone to be alive outside of the wall. A more determined force might have checked my body, but I lay there awake in the water for nearly two hours before I finally was alone enough to make a dash for the keep.”
— Lucas Scott

Back in the City

Lucas's return was a great moment for Peyton.

“In truth I'm not the hero everyone makes me out as. I didn't think I'd ever make it back from that. I thought my body would lie broken on the bridge or in the moat. I thought that my death would somehow save the city, but when I survived I realized I had accomplished nothing. I was supposed to have saved their lives, but all I ended up doing was leaving them in a state of terror for eight years. And the entire time I returned I felt an overwhelming feeling of loss. Was this the life I wanted to be remembered for saving? Was this chaos and darkness worth living amongst? What was the point of being alive if your entire world was dead.”
— Lucas Scott

The moment Lucas was pulled back into the keep was the moment that most point to as the moment that the Battle ended for the city itself, and following this the situation was one of a siege except for the incoming relief force. Nathan called out for men to come help him carry Lucas inside, and they carried him into the locked tower overlooking the city, and then called for a doctor. Miraculously Lucas was unhurt, and only had cuts, and bruises to show for the act that saved the city from immediate death. It was in this moment that the first stems of jealously begin from Lucas's brother Nathan. While Nathan had led the defenders in their retreat back to the keep and had maintained order during the battle, all of this was forgotten as the people lot their minds over the return of a living god to them in Lucas Scott.

Nathan and Lucas were never close but that lack of relationship quickly spiraled into hatred.

“He wasn't supposed to survive out there. I heard him say it with my own ears. He was supposed to die and then I would be the heir of House Scott. His return brought back nothing but ruin.”
— Nathan Scott

Nathan Scott would storm out of the room as in his eyes everyone was ignoring him, and as he did he silently walked over to the wall and watched the people stem from the keep, and make their way to see Lucas Scott. As he watched this he saw for the first time that day Haley, and she was running around with a desperate look in her eyes. When he saw this he thought for a moment that she was coming for him and he felt hope, but as he walked towards her, she saw him and for the briefest moment she looked as if she would go to him, but instead she kept moving and pushed her way through the crowds and into the tower where Lucas was.

The Journey

Main Article : The Journey

Second Battle of Tree Hill
Today my brothers we right a terrible wrong in the history of this kingdom. We all know what happened here, and there isn't a thing that we could do to take it back. We may not be able to change what happened, but right here and right now united together we can make sure the people of Tree Hill are finally given the rescue they have long deserved. Today don't fight for vengeance. Don't fight for revenge. Fight to save the lives of the innocent. Fight so that a betrayed city may finally awaken.

Second Battle of Tree Hill

Main Article : Second Battle of Tree Hill

“For a warrior waiting years for something to happen, he didn't seem to care much that the army he was waiting to arrive got destroyed.”
— Saiden Scarlet

As the human/elven alliance destroyed the Orcs that had held the Gondor siege of Minus Ithil for many years, Jurden Hardaxe paid this little heed despite the fact that he was sent word of it from some of his scouts who had been watching that siege for any signs of Mordor weakness. Jurden over the decade of the siege had become obsessed with maintaining his own power, and had basically become uninterested in actually ending the siege through conventional means. Alongside this he also had a growing belief that the humans were completely useless and for all of these reasons Jurden Hardaxe made no effort to double his scouts or anything that might have assisted him in stopping the coming ambush. And if all of this added up wasn't enough he was also still being whispered to by Morrigan who was telling him that it was all a trick and Sauron was only days away. As the Sindar Elven/Human forces moved to the high ground of the area near the bridge of Weidenhouse and from this position they begin planning the method they would use to end the conflict. As the planning begin it became clear that the fight would be started during the night as town they were in described the fact that they noticed very little activity in the Orc camp during the night most likely due to the fact that they had become completely confident in their lack of any kind of threat.

Noble House	Leader of force	Size of Forces
House Lovie	William Lovie III. Marcel Lovie II. Christopher Bell	9,000 Men at arms 900 Knights
House Starke	Eddard Starke Robb Starke Brandon Starke	8,600 Men at arms 1200 Knights
House Lannister	Jamie Lannister Tyrek Lannister Hanzal Reyne	8,600 Men at arms 1200 Knights
House Greymane	Liam Greymane II. Andrew Garfield Dennis Ordos Franklin Brent IV.	11,600 Men at arms 3600 Knights
House Highport	Natalie Highport Robin Highport Atharid Grondahl	7,000 Men at arms 500 Knights

The army moved silently during the night towards the forest that lay just east of Tree Hill, and it was in this forest that the army stayed for the entire day preparing for their assault during that night. The Elves spent the day clearing out much of the scouts that were in place on the eastern side, and in this way when the assault came during the night there was going to be basically no warning whatsoever and it was hoped that most of the Orcs would still be in their tents. The forces arrayed against the Orcs were well above the Orcs numbers but the scouting made the attacking forces believe they were facing a much larger force of Orcs then what was actually present behind the walls of Tree Hill.

“Three kingdoms working together for the common good. It was inspiring to finally have a king I could believe in. For my entire life I have followed a king who while he may have been good once, I don't think I even remember that. From this moment forward son I will die to protect William Lovie III.”
— Eddard Starke

Eddard Starke, and Tywin Lannister would lead the forces in the east alongside a large contingent from Sayden Scarlet of whom had just arrived alongside many from House Scarlet of whom were now completely throwing their lot in with William Lovie III. The forces on the west would be led by House Greymane, and all of their vassals while being joined by House Ordos, and the remnents of the Tree Hill houses that had escaped the battle of which there was a large Tyrell force from Highgarden. In the north the forces of House Swan joined the forces of House Lovie and the army of Brill joined them as well as Hedrik Clegane III. who led a sizeable force of House Clegane. In the south the forces of Gondor, and the Sindar Elves of High Forest moved together and would sweep in first before the main attack in order to bring the Orcs to believe it was nothing more then attackers from within the keep. Alongside this a large force of House Ordos would move into the northern axle in a suprise move since House Ordos had been open in their belief they had been insulted by William, but he had sent a honest apology which had moved Dennis Ordos to assist the young prince.

The Night Comes

Leven Martell arrived on the field only a day before the battle would happen with a large force of House Martell and her father's writing of support.

“The closer we got to night the more I came to understand that the world would be much different after I liberated Tree Hill. Without a single doubt in my mind I now understood that my father had done this. My father was responsible for all of the wrongs in Lucerne, and once this happened there would be no more quests to keep me from the simple fact that he had to die. My father had to die for what had happened here.”
— William Lovie III.

Waiting for the night to come William would be able to watch for the first and last time the Orcs setting off their massive drums and horns in order to force the defenders to be unable to sleep during the night and thus exhausted during the day. Hearing this many among the attacking army grew even more angry at the fact that the defenders had been forced to endure this for all this time without anyone helping them. William would spend the night with Leven, Jasper, Emmett, and Edward as the Shadow Council as they were not openly to each other calling themselves spent a few last hours with each other before they all knew everything was going to change. Finding themselves greeted throughout the night by every lord who not wanted to speak to William they couldn't help but see how different things had become for the naive group. During one of these meetings he would talk with Charles Swan who by this point he was beginning to view as a father of sorts, and discussing with him his relationship with Isabella he would bring up the idea of a betrothal. Charles was happy about this and agreed on the spot, and following this agreement it was Charles and William that would meet together with many of the remaining nobles and this betrothal was brought up during many of these meetings thus spreading word of its agreement. The Orcs by this point had no contact with their scouts, and yet they still remained completely unaware. Morrigan would at this point make her final step towards sealing the fate of Jurden Hardaxe when she would convince Jurden to host a large party for his Orcs which made them all drunk and even less prepared.

The Massacre

“I hope they felt in their final moments all the pain of those who they had so cowardly killed years before, and tormented for years since. I hope they face an eternity of pain an anguish for what they have done.”
— Charlie Swan

As the night neared the Orcs would begin their party and the loud noise would alert the alliance that this was underway, and also awake most of the defenders of Tree Hill of whom were prepared for what many believed was the final attack. The party continued, and the alliance moved itself completely into position against the now scout less Orcish force, and pushed in many places all the way against the wall with the entire Orcish force within the city itself or dead outside. The night came and the army would move on their predetermined signal of which moved everything forward. The infiltration of House Scarlet into the under tunnels of the city begin as Saiden Scarlet led a large force of hundreds into the tunnels in the goal of reaching the estate of House James and once the attack was underway they would spring upon the already ambushed Orcs. From the west the forces of House Greymane, and House Ordos would move themselves through the broken shattered western gate and encountered hundreds of Orcs in differing stages of drunkenness and the fighting wouldn't spark any concerns from the Orcs as it was all believed still to be a part of the party. Seeing the ambush was underway it was at this moment that Morrigan finally ended the charade and came upon Jurden while he was standing in his residence.

“Sometimes Brooke you play the long game. You see if you lie to someone for so long he eventually believes that it is truth. For how could anyone keep up a lie for as long as you do. Once they no longer believe you lie, they believe everything that you say. You can whisper the most dangerous of things to them, and they will drink everything you give. Then finally when the moment is complete you may spring. Spring the final trap on the fool who allowed himself to die.”
— Morrigan

Aftermath

“Its one thing Leven to win this battle. Once we win this battle, because I believe we will. Once that happens the time to return home is upon us. You know what we will find in Lucerne. You know what victory here means. It means the death of my father.”
— William Lovie III.

The battle would end with the complete destruction of the Orc army and the liberation of Tree Hill. When the armies of Lucerne and Gondor entered the remains of Tree Hill, they found the sad remnants of a once truly mighty city. Food, aid and supplies were rushed to the city, but before the true rebuild could begin Andrew Lovie would take the reigns of the King of Lucerne following a duel with his father.

The Rise of the Second Queen of Lucerne
Grief is like the ocean; it’s deep and dark and bigger than all of us. And pain is like a thief in the night. Quiet. Persistent. Unfair. Diminished by time and faith and love. I didn't know Lord Scott, but I’m jealous of him, because I see how his absence has affected the people who did know him. So I know he mattered to them. And I know he was loved. People say that Earl Scott was a great Lord: honorable, just, fair, kind. They say he made this city what it was. Today we celebrate his life. Today we celebrate a great man, I wish I knew.

Funeral of Earl Scott

“As the fires stopped burning my mind returned to the grand-father that I had loved so much back then and could't help but think how much he had been forgotten. He died so that all of us could live, and yet my father cared nothing about it. The funural was about remembering his life and the way he died. It was about showing him somehow how sorry I was.”
— Brooke Scott

When the fires had stopped burning and William had returned to Lucerne to deal with his father, Brooke was left with the fact that now she was safe but at the same time she had lost so much. Her friends were dead, her family was in tatters, and the one person other then Haley and Peyton that had loved in her in the form of her grand-father was dead. She asked her mother if they had found any sign of her grandfather but she said that by this time there was nothing to find. When she asked if there would be a funeral Karen said that Dan didn't think it was appropriate and was making efforts to make sure that Earl Scott's name was forgotten from the memory of Tree Hill so that he alone would be celebrated. At this news she left her mothers side near tears and made her way to her grandfather's room where she discovered servants tearing into the room. For a moment she just watched them as

they tore her grandfather's room to pieces, and she just really didn't understand the world in that moment. When she went to ask them what was going on, her father came up behind her and told her that Earl's room was being turned into a resting room for Karen. When Brooke told him that she didn't want him to get rid of her father's things, he looked at her for a moment before grabbing her roughly by the arm and pulling her into a side room nearby. Inside the room he proceeded to verbally attack her before pushing her roughly into the wall. At the sound of Brooke being pushed into the wall her brother Nathan and several servants approached the room and saw her on the floor with Dan clearly the reason for her being on the ground. Brooke at this point with tears in her face looked to her brother Nathan for some kind of help, but instead Nathan just turned around and walked back the way he came, and after this the servants quickly followed suit. At this point Dan would verbally assault the nearly broken Brooke and the two would finally have what was in a lot of ways a long awaited confrontation. Dan would reject anything that Brooke was requesting in regards to Earl as Dan was extremely hateful towards Earl Scott of whom despite being his father he had always believed had favored Kieth and for this reason had been complicit in the ambush that had killed his own father.

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

Brooke Scott: Please father I never ask you for a thing...why can't you just do this one thing for me...please father.

Dan Scott : Just sit on the ground and remember your place in all this little girl.

Brooke Scott : And what is my place father?

Dan Scott : The bottom of the food chain.

After saying that he would walk out of the room leaving a broken Brooke lying on the ground for sometime before her brother Nathan returned into the room looking severely disappointed in himself, and perhaps worried about Brooke more then she thought he ever would. Brooke didn't know what to say to her brother so she ran out of their and ran away past the cries of Haley who noticed her running away, and finally made her way to the glades west of Tree Hill where she and her grandfather had spent a lot of time. While she spent the time alone she knew that her grandfather needed to be remembered and if her father wouldn't help her then the only person left to go to was her mother.

“I had never been particularly close to my mother, and while that made me sad sometimes I understood her. I knew that she loved me in her way, but she had lost herself somewhere along the road. I can't blame her for loving someone, and then following that love even when it didn't make sence.”
— Brooke Scott

When Brooke left the glade she went to the home of Margeary Tonsvale of whome was the matriarch of House Tonsvale, and the women that her mother spent most of her days with filling out the boredom. She barged into the estate being allowed past the guards because they knew who she was, and when she reached her mother she grabbed her by the arm and pulled her outside. Outside she tried to make her mother help her, but she quickly discovered that her mother was exactly as far gone as she appeared when her mother not only refused to do this, but also moved to side with her husband against her daughter. This was too much for Brooke and knowing the debate between House Scott was over she knew the only person that could help her was William Lovie III. Returning home from this she begin her plotting about what she should do next, but a major event was going to happen that would both accelerate and change her planning. =====Pregnancy=====

“Riley was the most beautiful thing I`d ever seen in my entire life. He looked just like his father, and from the moment he was born till the dat I die I will never waver in my devotion for him.”
— Brooke Scott

It wasn't more then two months after William had left the city, and the beginning of their affair that Brooke begin having trouble keeping food down early in the day, and soon after she realized that she hadn't had her bleeding's during that time either. Thinking she knew what it was but wanting to be sure before she sprung this potentially horrible news on William she went to see Haley, and when the two met she created the first lie between the two when she told Haley she had become involved romantically with a Gondorian soldier. After going through the list of things that had happened to her and seeing that the situations were the same Haley indeed validated her pregnancy, and with the knowledge that William was coming to Tree Hill in less then a month she became increasingly worried about what his reaction would be. William and her were still writing each other nearly every other week and although these letters were heavily vague in their wording the two seemed to understand each other already and there growing love for each other only grew stronger through this communication. During this time waiting for Maergary Tyrell to return from Highgarden she spent her days and nights with Haley of whom by this point no longer had any real relationship with her brother Nathan and was increasingly obvious about her affections to Lucas Scott. With her best friend Margeary Tyrell the only person who truly knew about William she became hysterical when she saw Margeary a week later upon her return from Highgarden.

“You keep a secret for long enough and the only thing that keeps you from madness is the knowledge that eventually you'll be able to tell someone. You tell more lies except this time you tell them to yourself. You tell yourself that all these secrets, and all these lies are only temporary. I knew they weren't but I did it anyway. Don't you see what I do for you my Dragon. Your everything for me, and I would lie to Glaurung himself if it would protect you.”
— Brooke Scott to William Lovie III.

Brooke told Margeary of her pregnancy, and her friend attempted to talk her down as in her heart she knew that William could very likely simply end the relationship and turn Brooke into a single mother with very little prospects for the rest of her life. Despite these constant and powerful pleading by Margeary it was Brooke that was completely unwilling to accept a world where she didn't have his baby and thus she begged Margeary to assist her in finding a proper excuse as to how she could be pregnant. Despite the extreme misgivings that Margeary had about the decision she was still her best friend so together they came up with reinforcing the earlier lie about a Gondorian soldier and her had become romantically involved following the liberation and she had become pregnant during these intimate moments. She and Margaery decided she needed to tell her family and she did this a few days later when she asked them all to meet for a dinner. When she told her family she was accompanied by Maergary Tyrell of whom held her hand the entire time and while Dan Scott was furious and Nathan disgusted they all appeared to believe her except for Lucas who had come to understand what had happened between Brooke and William, and in that moment when he figured it out he went to his sister.

“He walked into the room after I told everyone and had planned to hide out in my room for the duration of the pregnancy. He didn`t say a word just walked up to my bed and sat down on the side and rested his hand on my back. As he looked at me in the eyes I knew he knew and I nearly immediately begin crying. To his credit he sat there with me and rubbed my back while I cried.”
— Brooke Scott

As Brooke finished telling her parents she retreated to her room as she was basically pulled along by Margeary. When they arrived back in her room she was shocked when no one followed her, but she could hear yelling from the living room so she knew that they were still arguing over what was happening. It would be hours before the yelling finally stopped and she heard the shouts of her father before watching Dan, and Nathan storm out of the Keep and into the city proper. When after everything had seemingly calmed down Margeary left and when she did she was followed behind by her brother Lucas who had known about the tryst that she had with William Lovie after he had admitted it to him because of their bond. He did not say anything but she had always suspected that he knew, and the look he gave her just made it all the more real for her. After she cried for what felt like hours she and Lucas discussed what she was going to do, and she made it very clear that she was not going to give up the baby under any circumstances. Neither of them knew but there entire conversation would be overheard by Dan Scott of whom had come back inside the Keep after getting into a fight with Nathan and planned on getting his anger out by coming in and making sure that Brooke knew how much of a disappointment she was. This all changed when he heard her whispering to Lucas in the room about the true father of the child growing inside her. Knowing the importance of this later on, and realizing neither of his two children would ever tell him the truth or help him willingly he hid himself in an adjacent room and listened to everything they said about the situation. As Dan realized that Brooke was involved with not just a secret man but actually the King of Lucerne he became unstoppable in his desire to make this union the most important moment in House Scott since the fall of House Targaryan.

“When I realized that most forgotten child was secretly carrying around such a secret I was beyond shocked. She had always been the runt of the family but I guess this would be her shot at proving herself.”
— Dan Scott

The moment that Dan heard that Brooke and William Lovie were together he had finally come to terms with her usefulness. In Dan's mind he would be able to use Brooke to gain the power base that he required. He stayed silent with his knowledge for a time as he continued to built up the plans he knew he would need in order to blackmail the king of Lucerne. When finally he had gained the foothold into the whole thing he came to believe that he could force Brooke into making William leave Bella Swan and thus make Brooke the new Queen of Lucerne. If this failed then Dan would unleash the fact that Riley Scott was actually the first born son of William Lovie thus creating a serious competitor to the throne of House Lovie. All of Dan's plans would come to a head when William arrived in Tree Hill for what was described as a mission to oversee the reconstruction that was underway in Tree Hill, but was actually William just needing to see Brooke. As William arrived in the city he was silently watched by Dan Scott's men who Dan wanted to find proof that William and Brooke were actually together. As William entered the city he found himself unable to even contemplate being official and instead of first visiting Dan Scott he made his way to the carefully prepared Order of the Red Dragon compound run by Marcel Lovie within the ruins of Typhon Castle where Brooke was awaiting him. The two would basically lock themselves in the compound for many hours as he could barley imagine his life without her in that moment.

“For a time despite the fact that I knew my place was tenious I felt fine. I was okay because I had him to myself in my heart. I didn't matter to me that she got to be the one who claimed him in the eyes of the people, because I knew in my heart that she could never have him the way that I did. He loved me in a way that she just couldn't compete with.”
— Brooke Scott

As William hid himself within the Order of the Red Dragon members of Dan Scott's forces attempted to infiltrate the compound but were captured by Ezio Ederiz of whom had traveled alongside his king. With the men captured Dan realized that he might be found out before he had even had a chance to tell Brooke about what he was doing, and thus he moved to assassinate the men he had sent to the compound. As the prisoners were taken north their convoy was ambushed by forces of House Scott of whom targeted the prisoners and then fled the scene. Back at Tree Hill it was William that finally moved on from Brooke for a moment and went to visit with the Order of the Grey Dragon that were constructing the cities most important elements, and while he did this Brooke returned to the House Scott estate as her father had summoned her and with William away she could not exactly refuse the command of her father. Her father having seen the protection around William and Brooke took this as the proof of the reality of the situation and thus would create a plan where he would lead Brooke to go to William for help with both the pregnancy but also the funeral of Earl Scott which he would continue to resist in order to get Brooke to go to William. When Brooke arrived her days of happiness were taken away almost immediately when her father berated her with insults and when the conversation got the funeral of Earl Scott it was Dan that once again pushed back resisting any attempt, and then also confined Brooke to her room as he wanted separation between William and Brooke so that when Brooke went to William next she would be visibly pregnant.

Begging a King

“The city was massive. Gleaming white as you entered its walls but when I did get past the walls the whole city was alive with the sounds of cheering, and laughter. After living so many years just begging to live this was a new thing for me, and knowing that he was responsible for all this happiness didn't surprise me one bit.”
— gd

With her attempts to escape her confinement meeting with failure Brooke watched from the castle walls of Scott Keep as William attempted several times to come to the keep and see Brooke but each time he left, and watching this broke Brooke's heart but also increasingly motivated her to rise above being controlled by her father. When finally William left Tree Hill to return to Lucerne it was Brooke that begin plotting her next move to get herself into a position where she was no ones servant. Unable to get her family to do what she wanted she risked a lot by deciding that she needed to see William. Following his departure from Tree Hill it was William Lovie III. that had left his cousin in command of the city and as William had nearly publicly embarrassed Dan Scott it was little question that Marcel was not someone who would work with Dan Scott and Dan had been making it clear that anyone who turned on him would be greatly punished once he had regained power. Making her choice that she would turn on her father completely she made her way to Castle Typhon where Marcel Lovie II. has made his garrison centered out of and asking to speak with Marcel she reveals her pregnancy to Marcel and trusting in the words of William that Marcel is a trustworthy man she tells him that William is the father. The two would discuss things and Marcel Marcel would be the man that William had said he was and assigned a troop of soldiers to her protection and then sent her north in a carriage to Lucerne to see William. Arriving at Lucerne the carriage driver explained that William Lovie had taken control of the Kingdom and was now the King after he had thrown Bill, and Sean Lovie out of Lucerne. Accompanied by the guards she made her way to the Keep where she hoped to find Jasper, Edward or Emmett because William had told her that of anyone alive those were the people he trusted next to his sister. She would have gone to Alice but she worried that Alice would be on Bella's side and wouldn't help her. If she had thought that she was given ample proof of that when she arrived at the Keep and wasn't greeted by one of his best friends but instead by Alice Lovie of whom stood in the Gateway staring at her through the garb as if she had somehow known all along that she was coming.

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

I could hear her voice from within the tent. I had spent only a few days with Brooke and her voice was like a siren to me and with the siren now within range I left my conversation with Alice without a word and left the tent going towards her. I saw her immeidatly as I left the tent, and she looked to be in an argument with Leven, and Jasper of which Jasper was holding her by the arm in what looked to me as an attempt to stop her from falling over.

"Lady Scott." I had reached her and she saw me letting out a smile when our eyes met. She curtsied and I took her by the hand.

"My King if it is possible I need a word." There was a desperation in her voice and despite the looks from everyone around me I ignored them.

"Of course milady." I turned towards the tent to see an enraged Alice who was glaring at me. "Sister we shall finish our conversation later."

"As you say." Alice walked right by me hitting me in the shoulder as she left, and while usually Emmett would have laughed at such a childish display there was no laughter to be found. Without another thought of the stupidity of being so brazen in my behavior I led Brooke into the tent closing the flap behind us.

"You couldn't stay away." Turning around from closing the tent I regretted the words as Brooke had tears flowing down her face and rushed into my arms. "Tell me whats happened?"

"What is it Will?"

"I was talking with Hanna Arryn."

"I fear I have been out of the loop for too long. I don't know the name."

"She was a friend of mine during school. She came here as a sort of measure of what I would lose if I don't stop moving against Berne. She was a threat of sorts."

"Your brother has not realized the end is at hand?"

"He still clings to the idea that he can somehow win this."

"This threat doesn't change what you have to do."

"Its more then just Hanna. She came and told me of Amber Heard." I didn't wait for any recognition from Brooke as how could she possibly know of Amber.

"Your former betrothed?"

"How did you?"

"I've been doing my research on you my king."

"She is in Berne too."

"Do you still care for her."

"We were children when we were betrothed. We played the married couple, but we were children."

"You fear for her?"

"Hanna told me that our childish playing has resulted in a child. Amber Heard is locked within the walls of Berne with my firstborn."

"She had your child?"

"Apparently. And now this poor child lives under constant threat of being discovered. It is not enough that my childish behavior with his mother has led to him now living a life as a base born child. No now I have put his life in danger by not stopping my brother a long time ago."

The Funeral

“Grief is like the ocean; it’s deep and dark and bigger than all of us. And pain is like a thief in the night. Quiet. Persistent. Unfair. Diminished by time and faith and love. I didn't know Lord Scott, but I’m jealous of him, because I see how his absence has affected the people who did know him. So I know he mattered to them. And I know he was loved. People say that Earl Scott was a great Lord: honorable, just, fair, kind. They say he made this city what it was. Today we celebrate his life. Today we celebrate a great man, I wish I knew.”
— Brooke Scott

Lucernian Civil War

Main Article : Lucerne Civil War

House Nighting Rebellion
Did you think you could change the world and there would be no push back?

House Nighting Rebellion

“This was a world they had lived in for generations. Everyone knew. Everyone took a share. You destroyed it in an instant without a thought for the consequences.”
— Rachel Nighting

With William Lovie III. now the king of Lucerne the leadership of House Nighting begin to fear for the fate of their businesses which relied heavily on the use of workers in near slave like conditions, but even more dangerous for them was the fact that they sold Lucernians at the slave markets of Paris. House Nighting watched as the regime took control of businesses all around Lucerne and turned them into Kingdom businesses, and when William came to Tree Hill no one in House Nighting had any doubts what was going to happen, and they were not proven wrong. When William arrived one of the first businesses that was told to him was the racket that was run by House Nighting, and thus he met with the leaders of House Nighting and asked them to explain themselves, but House Nighting didn't believe they did anything wrong and as such William became very aggravated with them, and was harsher on their business then most he had dealt with. The members of House Nighting were beyond shocked at what had happened to them, and in this moment they attempted to meet with all the members of their customer base, but they discovered that House Scott had been working behind the scenes and had infiltrated this network, and was now dismantling the criminal enterprise from within. House Nighting would offer William Lovie III. huge segments of their profit base, and they hoped this would assuage him, but instead he sent in the Order of the Red Dragon led by Sawyer Shephard, of whom started a large investigation that finished basically the entire criminal organization.

“He didn't understand that what we did was a necessary part of a Kingdom. He didn't understand that without us someone else would simply just rise up to do the exact same thing that we were doing. I see us as a necessary part of the Kingdom of Lucerne, not the monsters he portrayed us as.”
— James Nighting

With their businesses in shambles and the slave trade over, House Nighting became poor very quickly, and all the friends that they once had disappeared overnight it seemed. This caused a lot of resentment and as such there resentment became public knowledge and as such they were met by members of House Jestife who were members of the True Sons of Lucerne. After this communication House Nighting turned to service in the True Sons in order to hopefully regain their authority over the slave trade. During this time of shifting alliegences it would be Rachel Nighting that begin to stray from her family somewhat as she begin to have an emotional affair with Raginald Frightling of whom was the young heir to House Frightling and while married he showed her something that she had never found with Cooper. At first they were silent in their support of the True Sons of Lucerne, as they didn't want further attention, but it would be a single piece of mail sent by a raven that would send the members of House Nighting into a fierce debate of which would decide the future of House NIghting.

Discovery of Betrayal

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

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

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

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

The Battle

Executions

Invasion of Westbridge

Main Article : Invasion of Westbridge

Fall of Braedin
Braedin stands in our way. Lucas I need you to take it for me while I travel north. Do not let reveal our movements.

“Lucas I have great need of you. Your father would turn us against each other, but you must understand that everything me to me and your sister is just what it is. I love her. I will not stop loving her, but I can also not stop loving my wife. I need you to move past all this, and do this for me. We are friends, whether or not you still believe that.”
— William Lovie III.

When it came to dividing up the responsibilities of the attack on the lands of the Malfoy's it was House Scott that was obviously a part of the planning of the Invasion of Westbridge as they were a Lord House and Lucas Scott was very popular with the young King of Lucerne in William, despite the fact the two were estranged due to an argument between them when Lucas finally learned of Brooke Scott, and the King. While this planning hinged on several different sections the overall plan back in Lucerne was one that needed to all work together in connection in order to leave the path open for the main army of the King to engage Westbridge itself. Several houses would move against the outskirt castles, and towns south of Westbridge, while House Lovie and its vassals alongside others moved against the southern half of the Westbridge entrance. This meant that House Scott was required to take control over the invasion of the town of Breadin to the south east of Westbridge. The town of Braedin was the ancestral home of the large House Curtley, and as such it was heavily defended by the forces of House Curtley who despite their disloyalty to House Malfoy they were not willing to simply give in to outside pressure. This meant that House Scott when they left for the long trek north they prepared to siege the town, and its keep that the Order of the Green Dragon said was so heavily defended. House Scott left Tree Hill alongside their vassal houses and the sworn houses and made the long trek northward towards the village of Pomer. House Oakheart would send large forces under the command of Anakin Oakheart of whom was joined by his son Lucas Oakheart of whom was increasingly hateful towards his father for continuing to not get revenge for the death of Thomas Oakheart by Dan Scott, and Lucas was using this as a chance to build fame outside of his father in order to start his own cadet branch of the family with his sister Leah Oakheart, but was playing his father into believing he was trying to rebuild their relationship. During the times they were riding Lucas rode his horse beside Marvin Scott a man who despite being his cousin he barely had known and he came to find that the two had a lot in common, and they begin to build a true relationship.

“Loras. Dylan. You two are my cousins, and that means there is a trust between us that there just simply cannot be between those who are not blood. I need you to watch the Scotts. Especially Dan Scott. He is a twisted man, and he is not someone with whom I hold any level of trust. Given the chance I don't know what he's truly capable of.”
— William Lovie III.

When the Scott's were given command of the taking of Braedin William knew that with all the conflict between himself and the Scott's due to his affair with Brooke he would need someone to watch them, and thus he would recall his cousins from House Tyrell to Lucerne. It was decided that the majority of the forces of House Tyrell would follow the Scotts in the taking of the heavily populated and defended town of Braedin. Alongside assisting in the siege they would be placed in a position of watching Dan Scott in secret and seeing what manner of loyalty he showed during the campaign. Nearly four days into the trek he was greeted by the horse of Loras Tyrell riding up beside him, and the two of them came to ride together the rest of the way talking about random things. When they arrived they didn't join the main camp and instead passed west where they took control over the small village of Pomer where they left portions of House Faust to maintain its control and to make sure no one left the town and warned everyone else.

Scouting the Keep

“We had been given some small amounts of information about the town due to turncoats that had fled the forces of House Curtley but basically we were walking in blind before we scouted the city. It was all a part of the danger, but I knew I had to succeed or else everything north of us would fall apart.”
— Lucas Scott

Lucas Scott, and his cousin Marvin Scott were placed in a leadership role by William Lovie III. for the purposes of this siege and as such they took a small elite group of troops and during the middle of the night they went and surveyed the defenses of Breadin. When they reached the outskirts they were clearly able to see the true extent of the defenses, and realized quite quickly that the town was defended by what appeared to be a large keep that while it didn't surround the entire town it defended what must have been the House Curtley Estate alongside the center of the town. As they returned to camp and all the scouts begin to flood back they attempted to find the most simple way of taking the keep without taking horrendous casualties. Loras Tyrell advised that his scouts reported to him that the northern part of the town appeared to be undergoing some sort of construction and that he believed he could use this too his advantage and attack that section with House Tyrell and his sworn houses. While this was happening the entire castle had been surrounded, and thus Dan Scott would arrange for a parley with the members of House Curtley. Joining Dan in the meeting were the Patriarch's of the other vassals present and many of their heirs, while House Curtley sent their prince in the form of Barister Curtley II. and a few of the defense commanders to meet with them.

“I knew that they would want us to join with their kingdom. It was there way. They took Fairmarket. They took the Riverlands. We were next, and I knew that if I wanted my people to live then I would be forced to do what they wanted. No help was coming from the Malfoy's. Perhaps it was time to accept a new leader.”
— Barister Curtley II.

As they were leaving for the meeting it was the Tyrell's that revealed to several others the true directive of William Lovie III. through his own writing, but they worked hard to keep that they had revealed this truth so that they could do as William wanted and see if Dan would be loyal. Dan Scott would outline the terms of surrender, and made sure to note that William Lovie had said that they would retain control of Braedin but they would need to swear oaths of loyalty to the Kingdom of Lucerne. Dan Scott though would deviate heavily from the offer made by the King when he lied and said that a demand had also been made to allow a garrison of their castle until the conflict was over, and he did this directly in front of Dylan Tyrell of whom knew the true orders from William but remained silent. The last terms were obviously not acceptable to the prince, and so he regrettably rejected the surrender and prepared to return to the castle. As he was leaving he was told by Loras Tyrell that the Scotts had planned to have him captured and all his men killed. Hearing this just as he was leaving Barrister would return to Braedin with the belief that House Tyrell was on their side more then House Scott, and because of this it would affect the situation with Braedin. When Barrister Curtley II. returned to Braedin he met with the commanders and discussed how House Tyrell had told him that he was in danger and that only they had kept him from being killed.

“My news caused a split between the parts of the leadership that wanted to fight to the death, and the parts of the leadership that wanted to surrender without bloodshed. Seeing the size of the enemy I knew we couldn't win, and thus for our survival I made the decision to allow House Tyrell to save us.”
— Barrister Curtley II.

The leadership of Braedin led by House Curtley became divided under the opinions of though's that wanted to speak to this House Tyrell and get them to accept the surrender of the city, while the other side wanted to basically fight to the death under the leadership of Varin Curtley. Barrister the heir of House Curtley said that he had talked openly with the prince of House Tyrell and that this young man appeared very much to want them to survive. Others would argue that Barrister was being used, and just didn't know that. The argument raged throughout the night, and Barister Curtley the Lord of the city remained passive until finally siding against his heir and deciding to fight hoping relief would come from Westbridge. His son was utterly shocked that his father had turned against him, and fled the room with several of his loyalists for the northern gate. Barrister when he arrived

The Siege

“An attack from all sides of the castle was exactly the only manner in which the siege was going to be succesful. My son Lucas advised me that we shouldn't leave the Tyrell's with so much time and space in the north but what could they do to stop my victory.”
— Dan Scott

With knowledge of how truly defended the town was they prepared for the siege the next day as they knew that was their time frame that they had to complete the siege and take control of the town. Lucas planned to have House Scott, and its Vassals move against the town from the south, while House Tyrell and its sworn houses moved against the northern side of the town. This plan was coupled with the silent constructions of his cousin Marin Scott who had constructed several secretive devices which he believed would allow the troops to enter the fortress unhindered from any fire that might come their way. These moveable siege towers were something he had devised while drawing and this would be the first time he had a chance to use them. As this was going on House Tyrell was already in position in the north, and thus was sitting waiting for what Mace hoped would be a message from House Curtley. While the north was peaceful the southern side which was defended by Varin Curtley was provoking the actions of House Scott. Varin had his men fire shots into the field in front of where the House Scott men were mobilizing, and blew his horns all night long to try and keep the preperations from being made.

The Tyrells Move

“Marin was dithering about with his fantasy siege machines, and I was going to take the castle before any of them knew what was happening. I sent a single scout to the northern gate with a letter. A letter which would mean victory for me, and another slap in the face of the Scotts.”
— Mace Tyrell II.

As the forces of House Scott moved their forces into position for an attack the following day, the forces of House Tyrell would move another plan into action. Mace Tyrell devised a plan where he would take control of the town through the relationship that he had built with the leadership of House Curtley, and his son Loras had played the game perfectly to the point that during the morning Barrister Curtley II. would sneak out of the northern gate and meet with the leadership of House Tyrell. The plan was for House Tyrell to enter the northern gate peacefully, and do this before House Scott sacked the city Barrister would lead the front echolons of House Tyrell into the gate, and they would move into the cities northern side at nearly the same time that House Scott made their attack on the southern gate.

The Fall of Braedin

“I alongside my men pushed the machines to the walls, and the gate in the belief that there was a battle to be fought, but in fact the battle was over.”
— Lucas Scott

As the forces of House Tyrell moved into Braedin the forces of House Scott moved against the southern gate completely unaware that fighting was happening on the southern wall. The forces of House Scott moved slowly across the field using their siege machines that blocked fire, and thought this was the reason for the lack of firepower against them, but instead it was because the southern gate was falling to House Tyrell. As they reached the gatehouse the gate door opened, and Mace Tyrell II. walked towards the machines letting them know that the battle was over. Dan Scott, and Mace Tyrell II. would nearly come to a duel, but Loras, and Lucas were able to calm the situation down, and losses were minimal outside of the defenders who lost significant numbers in the suprise attack by House Tyrell.

Staying and Leaving

End of Brooke Scott

Final Moments with Brooke
If I had known the end was at hand, I would have done so much differently...

Alice Lovie was both jealous of the affection this Scott women had for her brother and for her friend Bella's pain. In this she had been spending considerable amounts of time attempting to turn William against her, but it was only recently that he listened.

“If I had known those were the last moments that I would have ever seen my beloved...I would have done things differently. Looking back now I can't help but hate Bella for being the reason it came to it at all. I know thats wrong, and I know what that means, but its how I feel.”
— William Lovie III.

William's return from Westbridge had led him from happiness in the victory over the Malfoys, and the time he spent with his friends, and Brooke into a return to the capital where his sister awaited him. William's time with Brooke had shown him without a doubt that while he loved Bella it just wasn't the same as his love for Brooke, and he didn't know where to place that knowledge as of yet. Entering through the gates his sister sprinted towards him and jumped into his arms holding him tight as his commanders looked on, and not even Jasper her near husband was willing to try and get between her and William. Alice would finally give way to the queen in Bella Swan who hugged him with tears flowing down her cheek, and William hugged the women back that he loved deeply, but he now knew he didn't love enough.

Following hugging his children deeply and his family that had come to greet him they walked through the second gate where the crowds of Lucerne awaited in massive throngs for their victorious king. William was obligated to go to a dinner hosted by many of the nobles of the city, and he held Bella and his children close as he remembered what it was like to be home again. Alice and Bella were able to get him away as quickly as possible and William would kiss his children goodnight before retiring to his room with Bella where the two would make love for the first time in months. As Bella fell asleep William coudn't sleep and left his room to find Alice waiting outside the door clearing close enough that she would have heard what had happened, but she doesn't seem to be bothered. Alice takes him into the library where William knows he is about to get in trouble from Alice.

“It is far past the time of continueing this affair. I gave you time sweet brother, but it must end. The people scream of your greatness, but soon the whispers of your affair will become louder, until the day comes that all the victories in the world wont shelter us from the noise.”
— Alice Lovie

Alice's agents had discovered increasing talk about William's affair with Brooke Scott, and this had her greatly worried as she had held onto the belief that it was nothing more then a fling, but having invited her to Westbridge she knew this was something beyond a fling. Alice told him that she had evidence that Brooke was once again contacting people looking for poison and although she had been unsuccesful so far it was just a matter of time until she found the supplies she was looking for. Hearing all this he promiced his sister who was crying and beggining him to do this for her, he promiced her that he would end things with Brooke, and told her he would leave within a few weeks to Tree Hill with Leven.

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.

"What do you want from me Alice?"

"I want you to finally tell me if your going to do what is right."

"If you mean stop seeing Brooke I'm sorry sister but I cannot do that. She has ahold of something within me, and no matter how hard I try I cannot accept my life without her in it."

"It is far past the time of continueing this affair. I gave you time sweet brother, but it must end. The people scream of your greatness, but soon the whispers of your affair will become louder, until the day comes that all the victories in the world wont shelter us from the noise."

"How could people know about my relationship with Brooke."

"They know the same way that we know. You don't hide well. You called her to come to Westbridge? Did you honestly thing noone would notice the noble lady of House Scott coming to Westbridge and spending all of her time with the King."

"Maybe what people think isn't the end all for me Alice."

"It should be Will, but if your saying you need more I have more."

"What more could you have?"

"Morrigan reported to an agent of ours in the Green Dragon's that Brooke has entered into a number of poison shops. I can show you the letters, but the action speaks for itself."

"God Dammit!"

"William I'm sorry."

"Your not sorry. Don't you see that this breaks me? Dont you understand that without her I feel hollow."

"Think about Bella."

"If I didn't love Bella I would have divorsed her years ago and been with Brooke. Thats the problem. I do love Bella. I love her for everything she is, and I couldn't think of a more perfect wife."

"Then you need to forget about seeing Brooke."

William following this confrontation with Alice would go to the only person who he believed he could tell in the form of Leven Martell of whom would tell him how she sorry was about things, but as the conversation continued the weakness of William's emotional state came forward and he almost kissed Leven causing him to flee her room into the streets of the House Lovie estate. Finding himself out front of the home of Morrigan of whom he continued to have staying on the grounds he would knock on her door looking for her advise on things as for some reason he was drawn to her door (the reason being the Magi she was using on him driving him to seek her out.

“It was the last breathe of my life and I didn't even realize. I thought I had more time. I thought the glow of his love with keep me warm from that day forward, but I came to realize it was like the last glow of warm summer air on your skin. A cruel reminder of what you were soon to lose.”
— Brooke Scott

Brooke had departed from the main army alongside her brother Lucas at Stormwind, and travelled back to Tree Hill where she was rejuvinated. Her time over the past weeks with William were the best she had in years, and she finally remembered happiness. Lucas was happy for her despite knowing the consequences of what she was continuesly moving farther and farther into, but she wouldn't hear it and just couldn't stop smiling. When Brooke arrived back in Tree Hill she was barely able to stop herself from paying the driver more coin to get to see her children quicker, but when she did arrive she and her brother were met in the keep by the other members of their family, but most importantly to Brooke was the moment Riley ran to her, and Peyton carried Sigmund to her side. Settling back into life in Tree Hill she would meet with Morrigan of whom had become once again very close to her, and despite seeing a change in Morrigan she brushed it aside, and got closer to Morrigan. She would be tricked by Morrigan into visiting a shop that she didn't know what was, but it was done so that agents of the Order of the Green Dragon would see her enter, and thus report back to William that she was in fact entering a shop that specialized in poisons. Having framed Brooke of the attempted murder of Bella Swan Morrigan disapeared for a time, where in she was visited by Flemeth of whom gave her a new task which was to manipulate the situation that was coming from the arrival of the Man of Fear.

Conversation Incoming
Good is a lie. Nobility is a shield. Honor is a weakenss. Death is the only escape..

I went to open the door when I felt a pain so deep and so entirely in my body that I wondered whether I was dying. Was this how it would end? Would my life truly end walking to meet Lucas for a walk in the gardens? The pain became unbearable and I fell forward through the door onto the ground, which felt like water as I seemingly fell through it.

I don't know how long I was asleep but when I woke my face was in the dirt, and I coughed to remove it from my mouth. "Dear daughter you have truly made quite the mess of your dress." The horrible sound of her voice was enough to spring me from my coughing fit and bow beneath her as I had always been trained to do.

"Mother it is wonderful to see you. Where are we meeting?"

"I have pulled you into the fade sweet daughter. I'm sorry that you feel like death, but you must remember that you are dead."

"Yes of course mother. I am sorry for my failure in coming through." Her reminder of my death brought me back hundreds of years to the first time I had known what true life was like. Walking through the lush fields of northern Lucerne with my brothers I had known pure happiness then, and it was an insult to my brother's memory that I was this person now.

"Mention nothing of it Andrea, the time for apologies is over. I have a task for you." Sayin that sent chills down my spine. I wondered what it was like for a monster to do the bidding of a monster, because surely it would have been easier for her to convinse them. Then of course I remembered she didn't have to convinse me of anything. If she asked me to I would be helpless to do whatever she wanted, such was her control over me and my supposed sisters.

"What may I do for you mother?" I hated her. I wanted her to die, but what was I to do. Like a perfect soldier I couln't speak the words in anger towards her. It was simply not possible, the words just wouldn't come.

"You have become quite close to the Scott daughter I see."

"She is a friend yes. I have been ruining her reputation as you said to do, and it has led to many believing she is trying to kill Bella Swan. The King my great grand nephew visited just recently and told her he would never see her again." I wondered whether my beloved brother would even recegnize me when I went to heaven. Would he be waiting for me for the final fight against Aerene only to find me a ghost of myself.

"Thats very good work Ashley." She moved closer to me and pulled me up finally allowing me to stand in front of her, but I knew it was expected that I remained half bowed in her presence. Standing up though I was able to see that the Dark Man was in the corner, and seeing him this close frightened me. A man of nothing but pure evil, it was like an aura being sent around being this close to him, and I wished to remove myself from his proximity. "My daughter I need you to give Brooke these vials." She pulled vials from her cloak and handed them to me. "They will allow Mann von dunkler to see her perfectly in the Fade and quicken what might take longer then we have time for."

I had done this twice before and thus I was confused why we needed the vials. "Mother why do we need to quicken the pace. Surely the Man of Dark is capable of doing his job is he not." Despite insulting him he stood motionless and if he was insulted or could even feel that he made no motion to show it.

"No need to be rude to your brother Andrea." He was no brother to me. I had three brothers and none of them were this failure of a person. What ever he was once was gone, and now this Dark Man was nothing more then a shadow eating away at the light trying to taste whatever he once was. "The Lucernians are constructing a shield around the capital, and once that is done they plan to expand it out to other major cities of which one will surely be Tree Hill. If this should happen I don't have to tell you what would happen to your brother."

"They would surely kill him."

"They would murder your brother without a second thought." I smirked at him thinking on his death, but still he didn't say or do a thing that would indicate he was even awake. "So take these vials and do what you must do to make her drink them. Your brother will arrive within the days after this happens."

I wanted to kill her. I wanted with everything inside myself to step forward and plunge the dagger I held with a death grib into her heart. I could feel my arm shaking and thought to myself that perhaps one day I might be able too. This was the first time in my life that I felt an actual physical capability of stabbing her but I also knew that now was not the time she died. Now she got what she wanted. "Yes, Mother."

"Excellent." She stepped towards me kissing me on the forehead and then without another word she was gone, and I felt myself moving back over the veil back to the real world.

During this conversation between Morrigan and Flemeth some things changed that Flemeth in her arrogance did not see in that as Odin was continuing to release Morrigan from her corruption she nearly had gained the ability to stab Flemeth during the rage she had felt towards her "Mother". The second major change was the fact that she had in her own mind gained the ability to alter the commands of Flemeth which was something completely unimaginable before, and while she didn't fully realize it at the time it would be a dramatic change also. The final thing that changed was that Morrigan silently wanted to help her daughter Morrigan of whom she was coming to believe was her favorite behind only Halenia and in this regard she would return to the Korcani Wilds and have her devoted daughter Morhlese go back to Lucerne to watch Morrigan without saying anything and just help her where she could. Realizing that if Morhlese returned and secretly watched Morrigan she would discover that Morrigan was betraying the Korcani Wilds it would be Katarina that would request to go with Morhlese and wanting to send as much help for Morrigan as possible she would allow Katarina to go as well.

Saying Goodbye

“The ride to Tree Hill was the most painful trip of my life. I had stood on the ramparts of Berne and known I was but minutes from possibly killing my only brother, and I didn't feel a quarter of the pain I felt travelling to say goodbye to the lvoe of my life.”
— William Lovie III.

William left nearly two months later from Lucerne in order to say goodbye to Brooke, and in the days preceding this it was clear to everyone that he was emotionally damaged by what he had to do. Jasper, Edward and Emmett had all nearly demanded to be there for their friend, but Edward was needed elsewhere, Emmett was dealing with problems in the west, and Jasper was needed to protect the household while he was gone so he refused them and took only Leven, alongside the hundreds of troops that would. Leven and William travelled by horseback with a troop of nearly two hundred House Lovie troops, and nearly the same number of Martell and Golden Dragon men. Travelling the road he would further confide in Leven of whom by this point was basically the only person who knew everything he had ever done, and was the only person he had never lied to about his actions. As they reached Tree Hill the two would tell eachother that they loved the other, and for Leven this caused her to cry and William held her to him. Leven at this point couldn't escape the constant ache in her heart over William, and begin in that moment to resist her earlier promice to herself that she would stop wanting to be with William. Following this Leven and William would compose themselves, and then she held his hand briefly as they entered the city that would always be a reminder of his greatest love, and greatest mistake.

Entering Scott estate he knew Dan wasn't there as he had commanded him to travel eastward to host a small squire tournmant in order to remove him from the city when he arrived, but waiting for him was Lucas and his beloved Brooke. Saying hellos to Lucas and the other assembled nobles he left Leven and walked with Brooke into the palace where they would hold hands once they were out of sight. Realizing there wasn't going to be anyway to soften the blow he got right into it not realizing that Leven had snuck into the palace grounds and was listening into their conversation while she had commanded a massive gaurd of the palace grounds to keep out anyone else from hearing. William would begin to cry as he spoke the words, and Brooke upon this enveloped him into a hug as well crying as she knew what he was here for the moment he had started crying. As William explained everything to her she broke down into tears even further and begged him not to leave her and promised him that she wasn't trying to kill Bella, but it was too late and she knew it. Brooke would tell him that she was pregnant once again with his child, and for a brief moment he thought about resisting what he knew he had to do, but as she kissed him he remembered the consequences of all of these things, and pulled away from the kiss and pulled her into a hug. Eventually pulling away from her he left the palace grounds and left behind him a broken Brooke Scott of whom lay unable to move against the side of the wall.

Goodbye Son

Sigmund Scott was too young to understand, but Riley was the oldest of his children behind Thomas and was very well aware of what his father was telling him.

“I think when they grow up they will believe that I didn't love them as I loved my children with Bella, but they would be wrong. i never loved or cared for any of my children anymore then another, and the distance between myself and my two boys in Tree Hill tore me apart.”
— William Lovie III.

Leaving behind a broken Brooke Scott William used all his remaining strength to enter the inner palace and find his two sons. Followed closely by Leven she stopped him in a hallway and as he tried to get away she just hugged him, and he broke for a moment hugging into her and not wanting to move. He didn't move it was Leven that released him and smiled kissing him on the lips before pulling him down the hallway towards the sounds of laughter. Finding Sigmund playing with Lucas and Haley Leven left to get Sigmund, and William bid all the servents leave. Haley, and Lucas left leaving father and son alone together one last time. Riley wanted to know what they would be doing together while he was in Tree Hill as whenever he visited he would spend time with Riley, but William was forced to tell him that this time he wasn't going to be able to, and really had just wanted to say goodbye to his son. Riley begin to cry realizing that this goodbye was more permenet as he saw Leven bring Sigmund into the room and William cradle Sigmund while staring into his eyes.

“Life is a cruel thing. You get up every single day of your life believing that you are doing something valable and that you are a good person. But what proof do we have of this other then the thoughts we tell ourselves, and the words said to us by those who want us to believe them. We are all monsters, and I became a monster when I walked out on my sons.”
— William Lovie III.

Riley and William would hug for many minutes, but finally he pulled himself away from another person he loved dearly kissing his two sons on the forehead before leaving the room, and Tree Hill for the last time. Riley would get his brother and find his mother of whom he knew would be in the garden as that was where she always went when she was broken by things like this. Finding her still crying in the garden he felt anger towards his father for not being stronger, but at the same time he blamed Bella Swan of whom by this point Dan Scott had been whispering about for many months. Anger towards Bella and Alice for forcing his father to do this, and for the first time he openly stated his desire to see Bella dead. And in the end anger towards everyone for not loving him as much as others who were no more deserving then he was of love.

Death of Brooke

“It was like looking at the most horrifying creature imagineable in your mind. It had no face that I could understand other then the hate filled eyes that just stared back at me. He whispered to me in my mind telling me darker and darker things. I begged him to leave. I pleaded for him to just tell me what he wanted, and when he told me I wished I had never asked. He told me I had to die, and that he wouldn't ever leave until I was dead. Needless to say I knew I had to see William. He would save me.”
— Brooke Scott

When Brooke returned to the alchemist three days later she found the potion ready for her, but as she walked out of the house she ran into a man clothed completely in black robes, and wearing a mask that showed nothing but the outline of his pure red eyes. This scared her, and she screamed to the crowd for them stop the man, and the crowd couldn't see him so they attacked a man that was just standing by her, and nearly killed him to protect Brooke. As she watched the Dark Man just stood there and watched. He followed her home, and she attempted to get him away but as she did this she realized that she was the only that could see him. She knew that if this was Magi related the only person who might be able to help her was Morrigan so she ran to find her all the while being followed by the Dark Man. When she arrived at the home of Morrigan she could clearly see him, but Morrigan played it off as if she couldn't and this sealed the fate of Brooke's sanity. Staying with Morrigan for a time she was held close by Morrigan of whom was trying to tell her it was just stress and not to worry about it, but on the inside she was dying as she knew the fate of Brooke was all but sealed with the arrival of the Dark Man, and noone capable of seeing him.

“When Morrigan couldn't see him, it was like an alarm went off in my mind that told me what I had feared all along. I was insane. Somewhere along the line I had lost my mind trying to kill Bella. I knew in that moment that this was once again something I could overcome. I could ignore him. I could accept that he wasn't actually there, and I could move past this.”
— Brooke Scott

She from that point on refused to accept he was there and went about her next days attempting to ignore him, but he begin to threaten those close to her, and she became scared once again to the point that she fled from him as fast as she could before she would take a carriage northward. She at first thought she had gotten away from him, but when she arrived in Lucerne she saw him waiting in the center of the gate, and knew that her time was almost gone. She entered Lucerne and when she reached the Cloud Tower she was met at the entrance by Alice Lovie of whom had had heard of her arrival in the town, and had moved to keep it a secret. Alice would take Brooke into the Sky Towers, and the two would finally get another chance at attacking eachother. The two would at first trade jabs at eachother verbally but as the fight continued and Bella arrived the fight became physical as Brooke physically attacked Brook of whom was the point of all of her rage, and the main reason that she was in the position that she was in. As this happened Emmett McCarty barged in and was able to get Brooke under control, and got her out of the Skytowers, and towards the Kings Keep where William was. Emmett knew how much Brooke meant to William and he did his best to keep her under control and safe as they moved towards the Kings Keep, and along the way he attempted to send for Leven but she wasn't in the city as she had travelled home briefly to Sunspear Hold.

“I thought that when I found him he would take out his sword and kill the Dark Man. I believed that the Dark Man would be gone once I found him, but when I opened my eyes and saw him I realized how wrong I was.”
— Brooke Scott

As she arrived at the Kings Keep she found William standing at a table surrounded by both Jasper Hale, and Robb Starke. As she approached completely in tears he took her into his arms and took her into a side room. In the room she continued to cry, and he couldn't get her to explain what was wrong, and it was as this was happening that she opened her eyes and saw that the Dark Man was in the room with them. This time when she saw him she didn't cry out or try and get away from him, she just accepted that she was gone. In that moment she looked away from the Dark Man and back to the William, and she would smile at him before kissing him on the lips. The two would be intimate one more time, before she said her goodbyes to him, and when he tried to follow her, he was stopped by Alice Lovie of whom didn't want him to get in trouble with the people if they saw what was happening. Watching her walk away was one of the toughest things he had ever done, but what happened next would be far more painful to not just William but to many people throughout the valley.

Brooke's death would send ripples throughout the entire Kingdom of Lucerne.

“I left the Kings Keep and just walked. I walked through the gates of Lucerne, and into the fields beyond. I don't know how long I walked before I finally saw him again. When I did he made a movement that told me to follow him. When I did follow him he took me to a waterfall I had heard William tell me about once before. He didn't have to tell me what to do I knew already. I don't remember quite what I said in my final goodbye to William but as I punged over the side of the waterfall I felt free of the Dark Man for the first time in a long time.”
— Brooke Scott

Brooke would leave the Kings Keep and walk for nearly an entire day before finally the Dark Man brought her towards a waterfall where he waited beside her for her to kill herself. Brooke in that moment took off the necklase that William had given her all those years before, and held it close to herself for a time before she finally set it down on the ground beside what she assumed would be the site that they would believe she jumped from. When she finally did jump off the side she carried with her the curse he had done to her, and in this moment she became a "Daughter of Flemeth".

Noteable Members

† Bravin Scott. Father of Earl Scott.
- † Peter Scott. Died during First Battle of Tree Hill
  - † Margerie Scott. Died during First Battle of Tree Hill
    - † Quentin Scott. Killed during Battle of Lyons
      - † Lena Scott. Died of sickness
        † Astrid Scott. Died of sickness
    - † Edric Scott. Killed during Battle of Lyons
      - † Liarra Scott. Died during childbirth
        † Marius Scott. Executed at Trial of Marius Scott
        † Matilda Scott (Matilda Lovie). Killed during the Massacre at Castle Hackenholt
        Elena Scott
        
        † Sunilda Scott. Murdered by Dan Scott
        
        † Edric Scott II. Died of sickness
    - Dan Scott
      - Karen Scott
        Nathan Scott
        Taylor James
        Nathaniel Scott II.
        
        Haley Scott
        Jamie Scott
        
        Lucas Scott
        Peyton Sawyer
        Earl Scott III.
        
        † Brooke Scott. Died to Flemeth
        William Lovie III.
        Riley Scott
        
        Sigmund Scott
    - Kieth Scott
      - Jules Scott
        Lilly Scott
        
        † Earl Scott II. Died during the First Battle of Tree Hill
        † Mary Scott. Died during the First Battle of Tree Hill
        † Kieth Scott II. Died during the First Battle of Tree Hill
        
        † Hunter Scott. Died during the siege of Tree Hill, only a year before its liberation.
    - Debora Scott (Debora Lee)
      - † Franzal Lee. Died during the First Battle of Tree Hill
        † Franzal Lee II. Died during the First Battle of Tree Hill
        † Obella Lonmouth. Died during the Siege of Tree Hill
        Deborah Lee II.
        
        Domeric Lee
        Rachel Lee
        Deb Lee II.
        
        Ophellia Lee
    - † James Scott. Died during Battle of Lyons
      - Lydia Scott
        Clayton Scott
        † Lanna Guntbold. Murdered by Daniel Scott
        
        Marvin Scott
        Milisent Scott
        Lydia Scott II.

Vassal Houses

Name	Title	Seat
House Crooler
House Toldor	Grand Lord	Treevale
House Oakheart	Grand Lord	Oakheart Den
House Lonmouth		Evenfall Hall
House James		Tree Hill
House Guntbold		Guntbold Hold
House Crane		Crane Castle
House Elric		Castle Elric
House Varryn		Frosthelm

Former Vassal Houses

Name	Reason for Departure	Result of Departure
House Nighting		Vassal of House Scarlet
House Targaryan		Exiled from Lucerne

House Scott


Power Level	Arch Duke of the Stormlands
Kingdom of Loyalty	Kingdom Of Lucerne
House Banner
Coat of Arms	Four Crosses
Words	None
Vital statistics
Founder	Unknown
Current Leader	Dan Scott
Current Heir	Lucas Scott
Date of Founding	Unknown
Headquarters	Tree Hill
Level of Control
Level of Control	Controls the Grand State of the Stormlands.
Loyal Houses	Vassal Houses House Toldor House Oakheart House Lonmouth
Demographics
Race	Human
Ethnicity	Gothic