Legends of Belariath
Andrys
Andrys was born the first son of the Fallhaven family, Lord knights to the great Elven Empire legendary for their cavalry and stables. Nearly every great house proudly claiming at least one mount from their well known lineage, legends speaking of the old days when they rode not horses but dragons through the skies. Groomed from the time he was able to walk as was fitting the eldest son he was elevated above his siblings, to lead, to rule and command respect of your lessers were his first lessons, ones his siblings did not take kindly to. Particularily his younger brothers often found themselves on the recieving end of the cruelties of their elder, where children normally would squabble over such things as toys and treats, the machinations of the Lord Fallhaven saw Andrys dominating his lessers, imposing will over physical superiority..the latter oft rewarded him with a sound thrashing himself. The ways of a brute were not nobility and though they were trained in the martial ways they were taught restraint and the appropriate use of force. Such was the way of things in the family since the days of old, crafting the strongest most able rulers for the famliy that would be able to survive in the courts where they would need every ounce of cunning to keep the family strong.
His two younger brothers in particular grew to despise their elder, forced every day to admit their station as lesser beings to Andyrs, resentment grew, blossomed and turned to full blown hate. Soon the two came to a plan, one that would not only stop the constant humiliation but also propose something until now they had not considered, promotion..with Andrys gone surely one of them would be next in line and when they proved themselves to their father would take his place as heir and eventually ruler of the family. Such a prize combined with that seething hatred led them to concoct a most devious plan..one that would remove their elder brother from the picture and perhaps even see one of them as the new head of the famliy.
Andrys was well aware of his brothers despisal for him, afterall he had taken great pride in reminding them every day of his superiority to them on all fronts..on the field, in the house and even in matters of the heart. Seducing those who caught their eyes, using them then leaving them..yes he knew well he earned their hate, but that was just the way of things. He never however saw their duplicity coming, to think of one of them procurring a vile poison at great cost and care for secrecy and in perfect timing for his coming of age ceremony.
The entire household was filled with activity, preparing for the ceremony..many prominent members of the other ruling families would be attending as well, particularily those wishing to establish a good repore with the soon to be ruler of the Fallhavens, so no expense was spared..there was talk that even the lord of the Drake house would attend and possibly entertain all with a song prepared for the event. Andrys spent much of the early day preparing, servants seeing to his appearance, though one seemed oddly quiet in the corner, brooding..though the haughty high elf was far too preoccupied with what was to be one of the greatest days of his life, when all the hard work, training and study would come to pay off for him and all would see him as he was destined to be. As the servants left and he recalled the odd behavior of one he looks back to find the man gone, only a folded bit of parchment in his wake. He moves to pick up the paper, unfolding and reading the words. 'Beware' was all that was scrawled hastily on it and he bahs, crumpling and tossing the warning aside with the typical aloofness of his kind. Nothing would spoil his day, what would he have to beware of anyhow?
Day passed into night and the guests began to arrive, Andrys holding a possition of respect beside his father greeting them as they came to their dining hall, his spirits rising when the rumors proved true and the Patriarch of the Drake family did indeed show, a fine mithril harp the size of two men brought up by slaves. But first came dinner, as the guests all sat the head of the huge table sat his father of course and at his right Andrys sitting across from his mother. Though the beginning of the celebration is where his brothers decided to strike, after their father welcomed his guests and all lifted their glasses in toast to Andrys and all drank..and thats when the shit hit the fan, the great patriarch of the Fallhavens had barely touched wine to lips when he gagged, coughing and falling back in his chair, obviously his cup was poisoned. The guards rushed into the room, seperating the family from the guests..Andrys was shown to his room despite his wishing to remain with his Father and their man at arms to find the culprit.
He sat in his room, pacing, angry, confused..then the door opened and he blinks as one of his family's guards who had been something of a friend growing up together and sparing slips into the room alone and looking upset. He questioned the man who responded shortly. "Quiet my Lord, if you want to live we must act quickly..." he goes back to the door and peeks out before continuing. "Conspiracy would see you set as your father's murderer, even now your brothers plans are working and soon they will be coming for you with the head of the guard." He waves off further questions from Andrys. "My Lord, there is no time for questions, know you always have my loyalty. My wife learned of their scheming this morn, that is why the warning was given though we did not know exactly when or how they would strike. I have secured some gold, your favorite horse, a shield and sword in the forest outside the city but we must go now if we can escape."
Leaving his room in a rush with his childhood friend, they made their way through the servant's quarters and finally out into the city. Already alarm was going through the city at the attempted assassination of the patriarch of house Fallhaven and they could not afford to delay. Donning a heavy cloak to avoid being recognized as all in the city knew his face, he found himself lead through back streets and alleyshe had never seen before..quickly becoming lost and disoriented..the events of the day a blur as they rushed along. Eventually they exited the gates, slipping off into the woods just in time to hear the shouts of guards to close off the gates and seal the city.
His friend Parnilian had given up his life in the city as well..he couldn't go back now, there would be so many questions and they would know he assisted Andrys. The man had never considered this level of loyalty before though was grateful for it. They made haste to leave the elven lands completely, knowing he would be hunted forever here it was on to the lands of man and the other races they had only heard glimpses of..Belariath. They took up work with a group of mercenaries they met on the outskirts of the elven lands..it was not the sort of work either felt comfortable with but it was a start and a way to get further into Belariath without bringing up further questions.
It was on their third battle with these mercenaries that Parnilian was wounded in battle, an arrow found it's mark in his chest, piercing a lung..Andrys tended to his friend as best he could when he found him after the battle but there was nothing that could be done. They had no healers and not the gold to pay for the potions that could possibly have saved him. Watching his best and only friend die on the road only aided the darkness within the high elf. He would see this land repaying this slight against him..he would become what he'd lost in the elven lands again and make things right in some way.