The Warcrest name carried weight in Valeidio, a weight born from generations of warriors who had defended the kingdom with honor and ferocity.
The Warcrest family was synonymous with loyalty, strength, and an unyielding sense of duty. At the head of this storied lineage stood Cedric Warcrest, the last male heir, a man forged in the fires of countless battles, whose very presence commanded respect.
Cedric was the only son of the late Lord Athelstan Warcrest, a formidable warrior who had carved his name into the annals of history during the Great Noblehearts Wars.
From a young age, Cedric had been molded to carry on his father's legacy. His early years were spent under the guardianship of the kingdom's finest soldiers, learning the art of combat, strategy, and leadership.
By the time he was fifteen, Cedric had already earned his place in the ranks of Valeidio's military, displaying a prowess and tactical mind far beyond his years.
Yet, despite the rigid discipline of his upbringing, Cedric's heart was not made of stone. His love for his family ran deep, particularly for his younger sister, Morgana.
With their mother having died in childbirth, Cedric had taken it upon himself to protect and care for Morgana, a bond that only strengthened as they grew older. He had always been more than a brother to her, he was her guardian, her confidant, and her fiercest protector.
Morgana, in turn, adored her brother. She was the light to his shadow, the calm to his storm. Where Cedric was fierce and intense, Morgana was gentle and nurturing. But beneath her soft exterior lay a core of steel, a strength inherited from the Warcrest line. Cedric often marveled at how she could command respect and obedience without ever raising her voice, a skill he knew he could never master.
As they grew older, their paths diverged. Cedric rose quickly through the ranks of the military, his reputation as a commander growing with each victory. Morgana, blessed with both beauty and intelligence, caught the eye of King Xavian, then still the crown prince of Valeidio.
Their marriage was a union of love rather than politics, a rare thing in royal circles, and Cedric had supported the match wholeheartedly. He had seen the way Xavian looked at Morgana, with a reverence and affection that could not be feigned.
Cedric and Xavian were friends even before Xavian married his sister - Morgana.
They had met years earlier, when Xavian was still learning the ways of governance and Cedric was a rising star in the military.
Despite their different stations, they had bonded over a shared sense of duty to the kingdom and a mutual respect for each other's abilities.
Xavian had often sought Cedric's counsel, valuing his blunt honesty and strategic mind. In return, Cedric had found in Xavian a leader he could believe in, a man who genuinely cared for his people and who had the vision to lead Valeidio into a prosperous future.
Their friendship was tested in the crucible of war. When Zephyros, a neighboring kingdom known for its martial prowess, threatened Valeidio's borders, it was Cedric who led the kingdom's forces into battle.
Xavian, still crown prince at the time, rode alongside him, determined to prove himself as more than just a royal figurehead.
The battles were brutal, the losses heavy, but under Cedric's command and Xavian's leadership, Valeidio barely emerged victorious.it was in those blood-soaked fields that their bond was truly forged, a bond of brotherhood that would endure for decades.
When Xavian ascended the throne, Cedric stood by his side, not just as a military commander but as a trusted advisor and friend.
The two men shared a vision for Valeidio, one of strength, stability, and peace. Cedric continued to serve in the military, but his role expanded to include advising the king on matters of strategy and defense. His influence was felt in every corner of the kingdom, from the training of soldiers to the fortifications of cities.
But for all his accomplishments, Cedric's greatest pride was his family. He had married late in life, choosing a woman of quiet strength and dignity who understood the demands of his position.
Together, they had a son, Theo, and a daughter, Ella, both of whom inherited the Warcrest legacy of strength and honor, but none have the Warcrest signature white hair.
Cedric was a stern father, demanding excellence from his children as his own father had from him, but his love for them was unmistakable.
He trained Theo and Eirik himself, molding them into warriors worthy of the Warcrest name, while Elara, though less interested in combat, possessed a sharp mind that rivaled her father's.
For Morgana, Cedric remained the ever-watchful brother, always ready to shield her from the harsh realities of court life. Even as queen, Morgana often sought her brother's counsel, knowing that he would always tell her the truth, no matter how unpleasant. Cedric's respect for his sister only grew with time, especially as he watched her navigate the treacherous waters of the royal court with grace and wisdom.
Yet, despite the peace that had settled over Valeidio in recent years, Cedric could not shake the feeling that danger still lurked on the horizon. He had fought too many battles, seen too many betrayals, to ever fully trust in the stability of the world. It was this unease that had driven him to take on one last mission, a journey to the eastern lands where rumors of unrest had begun to surface. It was supposed to be a brief expedition, a chance to gather intelligence and assess the threat, but it had taken longer than expected.
When Cedric finally returned to Valeidio, weary from his travels but satisfied that the eastern threat was manageable, he was greeted not by the peaceful kingdom he had left behind, but by news that shook him to his core. His beloved nephew, Eirik, was to be married to the prince of Zephyros, a union arranged in his absence, without his knowledge or consent.
The very thought of it ignited a fury within Cedric that he had not felt in years. Zephyros, the kingdom they had fought so hard to keep at bay, now poised to take one of Valeidio's own as their own.
It was an affront to everything he had fought for, a betrayal of the bond he shared with Xavian. How could the king, his friend, send Eirik, his precious nephew, into the lion's den? The memories of war, of bloodshed, of the fierce warriors of Zephyros, flooded Cedric's mind. He could not allow this to happen. He would not stand by and watch as his family was torn apart by politics and alliances.
His anger was compounded by the fact that no one had consulted him, the very man who had fought to keep Zephyros at bay. His absence had been taken as a sign that his opinion no longer mattered, that his role in the kingdom had been reduced to that of a mere military advisor, and not the protector of his family that he had always been.
So when Cedric stormed into the throne room, his mind was racing with thoughts of what he would say to Xavian, how he would demand an explanation, how he would insist that this marriage be called off.
But beneath his anger lay a deeper emotion, one that he rarely allowed himself to feel, fear. Fear for Eirik, a boy who had always been more of a son to him than a nephew. Fear for Morgana, who would be devastated if anything happened to her child. And fear for the future of Valeidio, a future that seemed more uncertain with each passing day.
As Cedric was preparing himself, to confront the king, his heart was heavy with the weight of his family's legacy, the burdens of the past, and the uncertainties of the ffuture. The Warcrest name had always been a symbol of strength and protection, and he would do whatever it took to ensure that it remained so, even if it meant standing against the man he had once called a brother.
But he hadn't expected to face his sister's anguish. The sight of her tears, so raw and unguarded, struck him with a deep, unsettling guilt that shattered his heart.
Cedric's anger, which had been blazing like wildfire, suddenly dimmed in the face of her pain. He felt helpless, as if the very ground beneath him had given way.
The fierce general who had commanded armies and faced countless enemies now felt powerless against his sister's sorrow. His mind raced, torn between his fierce protectiveness of Eirik and the heartache he saw in Morgana's eyes.
He hadn't bargained for this confrontation with her grief, and it left him feeling conflicted and emotionally drained. He longed to make things right but knew that his actions had only added to her burden.
Cedric's tough exterior softened, and he found himself struggling with a profound sadness, his earlier anger giving way to a desperate need to comfort his sister.