HOUSE HEDEON

A Brief History by Lord Valkrin

			House Hedeon pays homage to Lord Baron's house and Therengia. Basically House Hedeon is a lower house in service to Lord Baron. The role they play in society originally was the House of finance. Lord Torsten was the ruler as far back as Valkrin actually recalls but it did come to belief that Lady Galya's father was actually the rightful inheritor. Galya's father was tricked into giving up the lands and the title of the House to his younger brother Torsten, Valkrin's father. Torsten assured his brother that he would take care of his offspring (Galya) and the House in his stead while Galya's father, Marlin, ran away to the Islands and into the arms of another woman. So the house passed on to the hands of Torsten.
	As Valkrin grew up and started coming into his own his father pushed the young Lord into his way; ruling with an iron fist and always remembering the commoners were below them and only there to serve. Valkrin grew with those ideals. Torsten was a ruthless leader within his house. Lady Galya was typically punished for things far beyond her control and Valkrin usually tried to step in and often attempted to take blame but even things that were genuinely his fault were placed on Lady Galya. It was apparent to those even outside of the house that Galya was nothing more than a whipping dog. Eventually Galya was sent away to a convent to learn how a 'proper' lady of the House should act. In that time Valkrin became more molded into the son Torsten wanted. Hateful, cold, close minded.
	Years later Galya was returned to the House, as it was time for her to take on her duties as lady of the house due to events that were beginning to take form. Lord Baron had offered the use of his feasting hall for a grand ball to take place. A ball that was posed by two competing houses, House Hedeon and House Thistlebriar.
	Valkrin was sent out about town to make sure things were in order and to get to know Therenborough a little better. He took his cousin, the Lady Galya, with him so she also may see some of the town and it's people. Valkrin was confused by the way she treated the commoner. She spoke directly to them, just talked to them like they were anyone. Lady Galya had not learned what Torsten had wished her to learn in the little convent. Galya had become a peaceful creature and one that loved and respected all people. On this journey Valkrin met Lady Salamae and Lady Lilea and a few others.
	At that moment Torsten entered with an aire that would shake a building. There was trouble with the servants and Galya was blamed. Valkrin was ordered, by his father, to take Galya back to the home for "punishment". Valkrin tried to comfort his cousin as best he could and openly obeyed the command and took Galya from the Keep. His intent however was not to take Galya to the Home but to run away with her to where he could keep her from his father's anger. They had decided to run away to the Islands. But before they could reach the city gate, Valkrin was attacked by the commoners of the city of Therenborough who believed him going to punish the Lady Galya in some harsh fashion. A cleric cast spirit drain on him and yet he refused to flee. Lady Galya was terrified and she pleded with the people of the city to stop. She tried to convince them that he was a good man and they were attacking the wrong person. Finally someone in the crowd snapped and drug the cleric away to break the spell, and spirit heal and courage were cast for the young Lord. By this time Torsten had heard what had occurred and sent his House Guards to retrieve his son and Galya and return them to the House.
	The next day Valkrin was allowed to go back out within the city with escort of the House Guard. Lady Galya was confined to her quarters. Lilea met up with Valkrin saying that she wanted nothing to do with him or his father. Valkrin was taken aback and confused. It seemed Lilea had thought Valkrin willingly took Galya back to the House to beat her. Valkrin was appalled that anyone would think such a terrible thing. He pleaded that he loved his cousin and would never raise a hand to her and that it was safer for her to go with him back to the house than be drug there by his father or the guards.
	A ball was to be held the next evening and it was an absolute fiasco. I'm sure that much you've heard of. ::chuckle:: The servants all got together and requested help of the commoners to set up the peacocks of the two houses and dumped food and drink all over the Lord's and Lady's and made quite a showing. Valkrin found it all a little amusing at first and was quite fond of the company he was in to be angry over a little spillage. But the laughter was quickly ended when Thorsten blamed Galya and accused her of making the servants act in such a manner to spite him. He dragged her off to be punished. Valkrin panicked, he was afraid his father would go too far this time and gave chase. He pleaded with his father that he had set it up as a jest, that Galya had no idea of any of it, but his father would not be convinced. Valkrin did however manage to talk Torsten into letting his personal guard take Galya back to the house and arrange her punishment himself as was what his father wanted... for him to start taking control of situations and becoming ruthless. Torsten grudgingly agreed and told Valkrin that afterwards he would see to the clean up of the Baron's mess hall which by now was quiet the mess indeed.
	Days passed and eventually Galya again was allowed out of the House. Valkrin has pained himself into making friends around the town with the commoners so he could eventually enlist their aide in getting Galya from Therenborough. At first he did it only for selfish reasons but eventually he bagan to understand things that Galya kept telling him of the commons and how no one is truly "common". None of that really began to click with him before, but everything was different to him now. He was learning things about how other people live. How their views were, how blood lines make someone common or not, but inside we're all the same.
	Valkrin went to his father and asked to choose his own bride. His father laughed at first, then told him that his bride was already chosen and that he was just waiting for some final words from her house to begin the arrangements for the wedding. Valkrin angrily refused to marry someone he didn't know and demanded his right to marry whom he wished. Torsten became enraged and ask what common female had bewitched his only son and heir. Valkrin, in a fit of rage, demanded the right to choose his own bride and was told he would marry as was his birthright to who was chosen for him.
	Valkrin stormed from the room and went to find Salamae, who by this time had become his personal advisor ::chuckle:: And secretly to him... his mother. He told her of what had happened, begged her to take Galya and go far away before it was too late. She agreed she would take Galya and go to the islands for now. As nightfall came, and it was time for them to leave, Valkrin decided he would go also... so he wrote a letter to his father... renouncing his title and claim to his father's House.
	Surprisingly on the islands they were to discover that Lady Galya's father was actually living there. They had both been told that he was dead. As it turned out he was very much alive and had a wonderful wife but that he had lost a great deal of his mind. Valkrin knew if Marlin was alive that meant he was actually the rightful ruler of the House and that Marlin could offer Valkrin to choose his own bride by over ruling Torsten's wishes. Marlin agreed to do this and they returned to Therengia. Valkrin knew that he was no longer heir but he would remain a Lord of the House and could remain in Therenborough legally.
	When they arived back in Therenborough it was to find that Torsten had sacked the treasury and stolen of the Baron's own and taken those guards loyal to him and fled. Guards were sent to find and return him to pay for the crime but no trace was ever found of Torsten. It was feared that Valkrin would be made to suffer for his father's crimes or believed to be accomplice as his father was supposed to be teaching him the "ways of the house". But that was not to be. Marlin offered that he knew that his mind was going and Galya had no desire or know-how of ruling the house on her own as she had never been taught or had any reason to believe it would ever fall to her, nor did she want it. Marlin renounced his claim to his nephew, Valkrin. And so, Valkrin became ruler of the House.
	The first thing Valkrin chose to do was to create a Guard for the House. But not one that chose it's members by their strength of arms, but their strength of will, character, and determination. A guard loyal first to the Barony and second to the House. A guard that would serve without being what Valkrin considered servants. His guard would be those that chose to serve for no other reason than the wish to do so, not out of fear of their lord starving the families if they did not. Thus, The Theren Guard was formed. To protect Therengia and it's citizens, to help protect the Baron and Barony, to serve the people of Therengia and the best interest of the people. To be a guiding light to others.