Sir Ayden Valianthart

Through the bonds of marriage and love brought about the birth of twins, bothing taking much after each respective parent. Prince Ayden was born, and immediately his mother gasped while holding him. The babe, once his crying has ceased, gazed up at her with icey blue eyes, that of his fathers, and bore nearly platinum-blonde hair. The second was the Princess Alice Valianthart, whom obviously took after her mother with her dark green eyes.

And so the two were raised in their family's castle near the sea. Their father, the surf and Knight of the region, would teach them both swordplay, along with the way of their gods. The later was nearly forced upon them, which Ayden took up to immediately, wanting to be like his father, as many young boys do. He quickly accelled in melee through the years, bringing other boys his age many a bruise and scrape as they dueled with wooden blades, under the watchful eye of the weaponmaster of the castle, as well as his father.

Nearly ignored as she grew, Alice sat in silence. Watching, always watching the praise that her twin would receive, while she was always second, or ignored completely. Bitterness grew inside the little girl, though she hid it well, else her mother would scold her for not being 'as a lady should act.' And over time, the girl grew to hate all around her - mother, father, and even her twin brother.

And so, one night before a tourney outside the castle, the young princess snuck out of the castle, seeking to escape her family. Little did she know that night would change her life, and that of her family's forever more. As she wandered the darkness, she stumbled into a group of shady men known for worshipping dark gods of Tyranny, Torture, and Vengeance. She recoiled in fear as they spoke, but after a few moments, one of the men calmed her. Oh, his words were silk in this girl of fifteen's ears. How could her father ever have said they were bad men?! He was the only one who understood how she felt! He understood her, and she him.

And so, over time she was slowly perveted by the influentual men. Her thoughts now drifted to her family, and how wrong and vile their gods were! How they had ignored her for the last fifteen years?! She would have her vengeance, and soon.

On their name day, both Ayden and Alice's sixteen birthdays, Ayden was presented with a gleaming sword, a symbol that he had matured as a man, and would be a worthy heir to the throne. Never had he been so happy! With this blade, he would one day become a Knight, as his father is! And Alice the ignored, received not but a holy symbol to the god she hated more than anything else. She scowled through all the ceremony - she always seemed to hold that scowl now.

That night, screams echoed through the castle, and the sounds of metal clashing against metal rang through the stone. Ayden awoke with a start and quickly found his sword, which lay beside him at his bed. What could be attacking the castle?! He ran out of his bedroom in not but his pajamas and a small chain shirt he kept in his room.

Alice and her friends tore through the weak resistance that night. They all wearing the accustomed green and black of their god screamed for the blood of the few loyal guards that guarded the Knight and his wife. Alice herself led the men, her dark mace cracking skulls and breaking bones. Disturbing as this was, she left her helm off for the battles, so her enemies may see who fought them, and cower they did! Her laughter echoed through the night, and only increased as she reached her parents' room.
Ayden tore through the now silent castle to the front gates and gasped at the sight of fallen men, bleeding and crushed, nearly all mortally wounded. In rage he screamed and tore upstairs, heading straight for his parents' room, knowing that's where the invaders would be headed.

Alice easily kicked in the door, her strength emboldened by her dark god. And before her, her father stood with a dagger in hand, her mother in their bed, blankets covering half her eyes. Yet, as her father looked upon his daughter, all fierceness seemed to erase from his icey blue eyes. Instead the fire within ice was replaced with fear and sorrow. Alice reveled in the expression and laughed as he attempted to speak, yet words he could not find. She approached him slowly and merely placed a holy symbol in her father's hand - the same she had received ealier that day. Her father looked back to his daughter, just in time to see the dark mace crack into his skull.

Ayden stopped, his heart poiunding in his chest as he watched his father murdered by a blonde villian. All the others seemed to have left the castle at this time, for which Ayden was quite grateful. Yet now he seemed to have all will to go on as his father flew and smashed into a wall, hardly anything left of his skull. He merely stood, feeling a hallow shell of a man as he watched the blonde villian walk to the bed and give a high-pitched laugh as she beat the bed with her mace. The bed that he knew held his mother. He stood there for only a few moments, though for Ayden it felt an eternity. He thought of his father, and what the brave Knight would do in his place, and it gave him heart! Ayden slowly walked up the steps and stood in the doorway, golden blade gleaming in the faint stream of moonlight pouring through the window.

Alice snickered as she turned to walk away from the bed, then froze as she saw her brother in the doorway. The boy who had received all her glory, all of her affection, all of her praise! A smile then crept to her lips as she saw his hallow expression, his handsome face wipped of that perpetual grin that made so many a maiden melt. She stalked her way closer, black mace dripping the blood of her mother and father.

Ayden's heart skipped a beat as he looked upon his twin. Alice clad head to toe in dark plate and a mace as dark as onyx in her hand. He couldn't believe his sister would do such a thing, yet it could not be allowed. He would have vengeance for his family and bring his sister to Justice!

And so, the twins battled for many long minutes, Ayden suffering a few broken ribs due to his lack of armor, and his sister escaping the castle after receiving a deep cut to her neck, which was quickly healed after a swift prayer to her dark god.

To this day, Ayden searches the land, hunting his sister to bring her to Justice. Yet, striving to be the opposite of his foul sister, he does good wherever he can, attempting to bring honor back to the fallen name of house Valianthart.