Post by Grand Duke Alexander Redwood on Feb 18, 2010 19:24:08 GMT -7
*The Basics
Full Name: Grand Duke Alexander Redwood
NickNames: Your Grace, Sasha (his mother’s name for him)
Age: 25
Alliance: Lamora
*How It Works
Personality: Alexander prides himself on an unwavering devotion to duty and has a tendency to clash with those he considers frivolous or shirking their responsibilities. Perhaps it is because he understands so deeply the desire to break the rules and abandon responsibility that he is so reactive against those qualities in others. He would consider himself easy-going, but others usually view him as a bit stiff and grim, particularly in the summertime when border patrol often calls him to battle. He takes each death on the battlefield to heart and prays often in private. In public he tries to play the grand duke in manner more acceptable to the court, who think a young, handsome royal should be more outgoing and take advantage of his position. In truth, he would love nothing more than to curl up with a book or go for a ride, but his duties leave him little time for either. Some have said the love of a good woman might be good for him, for now he veers wildly between one night stands and avoiding women altogether. He likes masques because he can pretend to be someone else for a night and leave behind his worries.
10 likes
1. Riding
2. Archery
3. Lamora
4. Skating
5. Springtime
6. Masques
7. Studying tactics
8. Singing
9. The mountains
10. First snowfall
10 dislikes
1. Irresponsibility
2. Vanity
3. War
4. His distinctive blond hair
5. Mar’vol
6. Spiders
7. Applying tactics
8. Court intrigue
9. Making decisions
10. The royal family
Appearance: Alexander’s blond hair marks him out as a member of the royal family and instantly recognizable in Lamora. He inherited his dark eyes from his father’s family, so dark a brown as to be nearly black. His skin is naturally pale, but typically tan from riding with his regiment. He keeps his hair short in the military fashion and shaves regularly, although the tenacity of his facial hair means he will often be sporting light stubble by noon. He is usually considered handsome, though personally he feels his features to be too feminine compared to his father’s craggy face. He takes after his mother in most things, being of a medium height and muscular build and particularly long eyelashes. His palms are scarred from years of martial training. He is usually seen in plain clothes in dark colors of hunter green and black, the colors of his regiment. He walks with what some might call an arrogant air, but this is usually a sign of distraction.
The Back Story
Parents: Her Majesty Lucenia Hartlyn-D'alvar and Grand Duke Reynauld Redwood (both deceased)
History The eldest daughter and heir to the throne, Tatiana preferred to spend time reading and writing poetry to partaking in court life, but knew it was her duty to rule the realm one day. She ascended the throne young, after the death of her mother, and by most accounts ruled wisely and well until the murder of her brother at the hands of Mar'vol. She slipped off the deep end and eventually offed herself by walking off a tall balcony. Alex, being only four at the time, has only heard this story from his aunt, as his father wished to preserve the memory of his wife as she was before her mental illness. This was the cause of much trouble between the grand duke and his former sister-in-law and Reynauld's bitterness kept Alex away from court (except for special occasions) until he reached the age of fourteen.
Alexander was young, leaving him to be raised mostly by staff and tutors. He looked forward to the summers when his father would take him away from the castle to ride the borders and learn the duties of his position firsthand. Alexander killed his first man in a skirmish when he was sixteen, before being sent back to the castle for his own safety, much to his chagrin.
Four years later his father died in battle on the border with Mar'vol and Alexander became Grand Duke. He soon learned the vast gulf that exists between the study of tactics and the havoc of their application on the battlefield. Despite this, he is generally considered a good commander by his regiment and a good liege lord by the people on his lands. Following his father’s example, he listened to the older and more experienced men below him, and formed his decisions from there. Responsibility has always played a large role in Alexander’s life and he has taken on his duties without complaint, although privately he envies the freedom his cousin the princess enjoys. His regiment has been involved in several of the border skirmishes and real experience of battle has destroyed most of the joy he once derived from practicing archery and other martial arts and made him resentful of the queen.
At one time Alexander would never have considered questioning the queen’s authority, but the latest battles have left him craving peace. He advocates the marriage of the princess to the king of Mar’vol, believing it will bring an end to the threat of war for his lifetime at least, although he also dislikes the idea of King Ciriano gaining any control in Lamora. Although he is currently second in line for the throne after Christabel (women being first in the line of succession), Alexander’s personality is such that he has never considered seizing the crown for himself. There have been whispers, however, from countries where male-primogeniture reigns that Alex (being the son of the last queen) ought to be the one on the throne of Lamora, not Tiana. He is far too loyal to consider such conspiracies... although with war on the horizon he can't help but wonder if perhaps his aunt is the best person for the job.
Alex has dodged marriage for quite some time, but recently at Princess Christabel's birthday celebration his betrothal to the lady Celvi Gray was announced. He isn't particularly happy about this development...
Pets: Zaycomb, a grey stallion
The Master Mind
ooc name: Carys
Anything We need To Know, Or You Would Like To Say: Nope!