Alysa Derthion

Alysa of House Derthion (b. 8th High Spring, 1830 AS), Princess of Elbana, Marquess of the Hollows, Earl of Maplerun and Vicountess of Yews Grove, is the 
head of the Keledoni Great House Derthion, and Lady and ruler of the Reach of Elbana, in the name of the Queen. As ruler of her House, Alysa has proven to be an extremely capable, insightful, decisive leader. She is, however, notoriously hot-headed and, while not an active vengeance seeker, never forgets a slight.
As one of the few women leading a House in Keledon, Alysa has earned a reputation as a woman not to be fooled with among the other nobles.
==Biography==
===Early Life===
Alysa was born in the month of High Spring, 1830 AS, to Ander Derthion, Prince of Elbana, and his wife, Lady Areth of House Caerwyn. As the eldest child of her parents, it was decided that she would be groomed for leadership of the House; younger sisters she has, but no brothers. As a young girl she was curious, and eager, and took to her initial schooling in reading, needlepoint, embroidery and other pursuits of noble women. But, as heir to the House, she also studied history, heraldry, agriculture and other subjects.
For a period in her early teens she traveled with her father to Hawkshome while he served as High Chancellor to King Gendar V, in what would prove to be the final year of his life. For three years following, Ander Derthion served the new king, Halar III, as Lord Steward of the Realm before falling ill suddenly, and passing away of a terrible fever.
Alysa returned home, mourning her father, and began to put her experience in the capital to good use. Suddenly finding herself Lady of her House much earlier than expected, she relied heavily on her father's close friend and bannerman, Mael kesUlar, for advice. Her mother, Areth Caerwyn, was also a source of needed counsel and direction.
By her early adulthood Alysa had grown well into her role, and began to cement the powerbase of her family.
===Princess of Elbana===
As head of House Derthion Alysa proved to be a tour-de-force. Within a few years of her coming-of-age she had strengthened the ties between her House and her bannermen through the marriages of her sisters; attracted the services of a Druidess of the Draoi; and found herself a husband in Rob of House Morym, second son and brother to Arthim Morym, the heir. The aligning of the two Great Houses was seen by the common folk as portentious--a marriage between two of the most ancient Houses with dominion over the spiritual heartland of the kingdom was always viewed so.
The ties between House Derthion and House Morym strengthened and matured over the subsequent years, and the marriage produced three children--Rob and Arthan of House Morym, and Brandyr of House Derthion.
In 1860 AS, when she was thirty years old, war erupted in the kingdom as Balar of House Halad challenged the right of his niece, Seldhe, to sit the Falcon Throne of Keledon. Alysa's loyalties were firmly with Seldhe, the declared heir of Halar III, despite her uncle's interpreations of law. During the course of the rebellion she proved to be an intractable ally to the future queen. When the Lowborn Militia arose under the leadership of four young men, Alysa immediately set about lending them as much material support as possible. She grew increasingly fond of the young Wil Haleson, a local boy, from the regions controlled by her bannermen, House Lanthar.
However, during the course of the rebellion, and largely due to the work of Wil and his companions, House Lanthar was exposed as traitors, secretly aiding Balar Halad and his forces. By the end of the war, House Lanthar was no more--not only were they put largely to the sword or imprisoned, they were also stripped of land, title and position. While these measures were Alysa's, they were immediately supported by the new young queen. Wil, a local boy now doe well, was created the first Baron of Fellcrow, being granted lands within Elbana previously belonging to the Lanthars.
Alysa's relationship with Wil deepened, taking on a maternal and pedagogic tone. She has proven to be a wise mentor to the young man.
===Recently===
Two years after the rebellion concluded, at the beginning of 1868 AS, her husband Rob fell from his horse during a hunt and broke his leg. While initally not too serious, the wound festered and defied treatment. He soon died. Widowed at 37, she refused an appointment to the Queen's Council and focused her attentions on her Reach. She continued thus, in a far more insular mode, until 1873 AS, when she made a return to court, her fire, vigor and will somehow replensihed.
Recently she has traveled through the Haft as a guest of her brother-in-law, as well as to Abred as a guest of House Ebethar. Before returning home, her train made cammp near the Whitestag, remaining beyond its borders, where she met quietly with a representative of the Druidic Council there.
Category:Dramatis Personae
Category:House Derthion
Category:Keledoni People