Robert de Rune

*We all have obligations.*[src]
Robert

Lord **Robert de Rune** is the patriarch of the de Rune family, who spent most of his quality time with Amicia.

## History

### Background and Early Life

Robert was a knight in service to King Philip IV, and had a distinguished career during the war between the English and the French. He would eventually retire, assuming a lordship and later coming to court Béatrice in the forest near his home, having two children with her, Amicia and Hugo. When Hugo was born and was found to carry the Prima Macula, a blood curse running back more than 800 years, both he and Béatrice agreed to shelter and protect the boy from the outside world at all cost, keeping him from the prying eyes of the Inquisition while trying to cure or at least treat him. However, this distanced both of them from their Amicia, so Robert decided to try and be there more for her.

### Death

Nicholas: *I won't ask again... Where is your son?*
Robert: *In good hands.*[src]
Robert, moments before his death

One day, in September 1348, Amicia convinced Robert to take a ride with her into the forest to take "the knight's challenge" again, with Robert remarking she was no longer ten years old but humoring her. He attempted to connect with his daughter more, and they enjoyed their time together. Once she completed the challenge (being to shoot six rotten apples out of a tree with a sling he had gifted to her) their dog Lion caught the scent of a boar and chased it with Amicia close behind, with Robert following further back. When he finally caught up to them, he and Amicia were shocked to find Lion badly mutilated by rats (although neither knew it at the time) which proceeded to drag the dog into a hole in the ground. Unsure of the threat, Robert dragged Amicia back. Quickly returning home with her, seeing her distress, he remarked to her that Lion was a good dog.

Determined to form a hunt to get to the root of the problem, Robert sent Amicia to fetch Béatrice. While Amicia went to get her mother, the Inquisition began their raid on the de Rune estate. Robert fought back, killing two men, but was captured. Lord Nicholas demanded to know where Hugo was, but Robert defiantly told him the boy was in good hands. With little hesitation and in one fluid motion, the Inquisitor drew his sword and whipped it across Robert's throat, killing him where he kneeled.

### All That Remains

His body was found, left where it had fallen, when Amicia returns to the estate with Lucas months later in December. The body was then taken by the rats when they first used their whirlwind attack, using their strength in numbers to hurl the corpse against a lit brazier, knocking it down and extinguishing it, allowing them to pass. In doing so, they also picked the corpse down to the bone, devastating Amicia who wished she had gotten the chance to bury him properly.

## Physical Appearance

Robert was not an overly large man, but his face bore the scars of many battles, one crossing from the right side of his forehead, over his left eye, and down his left cheek. The hair on the sides of his head was buzzed short, and the hair atop is head was flecked with the grey of age. He was bearded, had a mustache, and brown eyes.

Robert's belt and elaborate clothing marked his status as a knight and nobleman, respectively. He wore dark clothing, with a fur shoulder cover, intricate gold embroidering the hem and collar of his shirt, leather braces, and boots. He wore a long sword at his side, putting it to good use defending his estate.

## Personality

Robert was a loyal man who loved his family and was well-respected by those who knew him. He gave everything to protect his son from the Inquisition but also wanted to maintain his relationship with his daughter. He bantered with her as they spent time together in the forest, encouraged her while they stalked the boar. Comforting her when Lion was killed, he too seemed fond of the dog.

He also displayed fearlessness, as even in the seconds before his death he never betrayed his family and held his chin up in defiance before being struck down.

## Abilities and Skills

*His fighting skills from the time of the war are legendary.*[src]
English soldier on Robert's combat skills

* **Knight**: Since knights often found themselves in the thick of battle, Robert's martial prowess is considerable. A seasoned veteran of the Hundred Years' War, Robert is a skilled swordsman and has earned his battle scars. While most of the other residents on his estate were being massacred or captured by the Inquisition, he was able to fight and kill two men on his own. His status and reputation also gained him a number of trusted and valuable allies such as Laurentius, as well as resources to aid his and Béatrice's search for a cure.

* **Hunter**: Like many of the nobility in the Medieval-era, Robert enjoyed hunting in the forests on his estate. He knew well how to track and follow prey such as wild boar, teaching Amicia these skills, as well as employing dogs such as Lion to aid him.

## Relationships

### Béatrice de Rune

As was customary at the time, Robert courted Béatrice sometime after they met. She reciprocated Robert's advances and accepted his hand in marriage. Together they had two children and worked to protect them as best as they could, trusting each other completely: Robert's task was to keep prying eyes away and Béatrice's was to work on curing Hugo. When the rats emerged in the forest, Béatrice was the first person Robert sought advise from. After Robert's death, she is embittered towards Nicholas and thus refuses to speak to him even under torture. She is now Robert's widow, but given her calm, stoic demeanor it is uncertain how deeply she mourns him.

### Amicia de Rune

*Does hunger always make you this accurate?*[src]
Robert remarks on Amicia's skill with a sling

Due to making Hugo's protection his priority, for a long time the two saw even less of each other than Amicia did of Béatrice. Robert sought to fix this by spending time with his daughter, playfully bantering with her, humoring her with the knight's challenge, and showing her how to hunt a boar. When the rats attack and take away Lion, his first reaction is to put himself between his daughter and the unknown threat, sword in hand.

### Hugo de Rune

Robert saw protecting his son as his top priority, and he willingly gave his life rather than even hint at betraying the boy, preferring to be killed instead.

### Lion

*He was a good dog.*[src]
Robert consoles his daughter, Amicia

When Lion was killed, Robert consoled his daughter, and he, too, seemed to be fond of the dog.