Second Son of the Crown, the Cold Edge
Prince Alary is the second son of King Derthert and Queen Philenora and a full member of House dey Meroc. Older than Prince Edurand by three years, Alary grew up expecting to be the steadier blade behind the heir rather than the face of the crown itself. Where Edurand draws attention through boldness, Alary draws it through severity. He is known across the Marches for his icy demeanor, narrow generosity, and calculating judgment. Those who serve him rarely mistake him for kind. Those who fight beside him rarely doubt his competence.
Alary’s loyalty to the crown is genuine and deeply rooted. He believes in the structure of Vlandia as his father has built it: law, charter, and layered obligation. He does not dream of personal conquest for glory’s sake. His ambition lies in enforcing order and securing the realm against both foreign threats and internal weakness. This makes him a natural ally to King Derthert’s doctrine of consolidation, even as his personal cruelty and lack of warmth complicate his usefulness in courtly politics.
As a commander, Alary is methodical and unforgiving. He plans campaigns carefully, favors secure supply lines, and treats failure as a flaw of discipline rather than fate. Soldiers under his command are drilled hard and punished swiftly for breaches of order. Desertion, cowardice, and theft are met with harsh correction. This has earned him a reputation for cruelty among the ranks, but also for reliability. When Alary holds a road or a fortress line, it holds. He does not gamble with men’s lives lightly, but when he commits them, he expects absolute obedience.
Alary holds no castle in his own name. Instead, he serves as a crown commander and troubleshooter, dispatched to reinforce vulnerable regions, break unrest, or oversee musters where loyalty is in question. This itinerant role keeps him away from the center of court intrigue and prevents him from building a personal power base comparable to Edurand’s force at Tallvel. Some at court suspect this is by design. Derthert values Alary’s competence, but does not trust him with a permanent territorial command that could evolve into an independent power center.
Among nobles, Alary is respected but seldom liked. He is closefisted with favor and coin, granting reward only when service meets his exacting standards. He keeps careful record of obligations owed and debts incurred, and he is slow to forgive failures. Petitions brought to him are judged strictly on merit and utility to the crown, not on personal relationships. This makes him unpopular among houses that rely on patronage and soft negotiation to advance their interests.
Alary’s relationship with Edurand is strained but restrained. He recognizes his brother’s charisma and battlefield courage, but views his impulsiveness as a liability to the realm. Edurand, in turn, views Alary as rigid and bloodless. Their disagreements rarely erupt into open conflict, but they simmer beneath the surface. Each believes the other would weaken Vlandia if given the crown: Edurand through reckless expansion, Alary through cold repression and the slow erosion of loyalty through fear.
With his younger siblings—Morcon, Amorcon, and Elys—Alary is distant but protective. He does not indulge them, but he does not seek to undermine them. He sees family as obligation rather than comfort. This attitude mirrors his view of the realm itself: duty before affection, structure before warmth.
In court, Alary is known for his austere bearing. He dresses plainly by noble standards, keeps his hair and arms immaculate, and rarely indulges in feasts or revelry. He speaks directly and without ornament, often delivering judgments that others would soften through diplomacy. This bluntness has made him a poor court favorite, but a useful instrument for unpleasant necessities. When the crown needs a garrison purged of corruption, a toll court disciplined, or a rebellious estate brought back into line, Alary is often the one sent.
To common folk, Alary is a distant and intimidating figure. His presence brings order, but also fear. Markets fall silent when his patrols arrive. Banditry vanishes from roads he oversees, replaced by strict toll enforcement and heavy watch. People do not cheer his arrival, but they sleep more securely once he has passed through.
Prince Alary stands as the cold edge of House dey Meroc: loyal to the crown, competent in war, and unyielding in discipline. He is not the prince songs will celebrate. He is the one who ensures the roads remain open after the songs have faded.