Merrell Crane

## Early Years

Merrell’s story began as a sad one. He was born a very weak child and could hardly keep his milk, leading to loss of weight and health from the very beginning onwards. Lady Crane never recovered from the problems during the last weeks of her pregnancy and the troubles of giving birth. One and a half years later, after what was a dire time for the House, she finally gave in to her own weakness. Most people had expected the child to have died in the meanwhile already. But Merrell had recovered a little till then. But with the death of his mother, the sensitive baby started to be seized by fits of fever and paralysis over and over again. Yet he kept on surviving each of them.

With the passing of Lady Crane, darkness seemed to have spread its wings over the castle. And the gloomy mood did not leave that soon.

Meanwhile, Merrell grew older, and a little stronger. Wet nurses and maesters did what they could, for the boy’s father was very afraid to lose the son now as well. Reportedly, the baby received whatever love could be had by his surroundings. Even his brothers were there for him: With Lyman checking on him often, and Alyn carrying him around, talking to him and playing with the toddler.

Yet he was a sensitive child. And whenever anything happened – even if it was just a wet nurse who was facing problems at home and radiating stress and sorrow – Merrell was plagued by fits of fever again. When the weather turned colder or humid, flu and pneumonia regularly brought him on the threshold of death anew. When the weather was hot, his circulation system would give in or mosquito bites or other rashes would take their toll on him.

The boy’s development was retarded. But still, the innocent and curious shine of his big blue eyes, the gentle manner of his smile – often even on those days that were the hardest for him – there was something in it that touched the hearts of humans.

Becoming older, he proved to be of a healthy, even bright intelligence. Restricted to his bed on many days and the outside world in the proximity of the castle on the days when health and weather would allow for it, Merrell became an eager observer of the little world he was living in. He was given paints to draw and nice books to look at the pictures before he could read. People would come and play or chat with him, and he was an avid learner of anything that could enrich his world and lend some sensory stimulus.

He became especially fond of Lyman’s neglected volumes of “Economical Teachings for the Little Lord” because of the beautiful and colourful illustrations. When his strength allowed for it, Merrell would sneak into his brother’s room and get the books for himself. It is said he learned reading based on those books. At the age of six he had become very interested in all things economical and agricultural. And proved far more able to understand the contents than anybody would have expected him at his age.

His love for books continued. They made him a little expert on many a field, as much as they made him a dreamer.

Finding both zest for life and self-confidence in his studies, Merrell started to dare to go on little field trips more and more often. Screwing up his courage in those dark days when both his brothers had left to become squires someplace else. And start into a life that people knew, Merrell would never share. It was a sad story, people found, but also bitter sweet. For he was a child of a loveable temper, kind-hearted and gentle. Yet, “Winter come and he’ll be gone”, people kept whispering behind his back. Yet Merrell kept traversing the troubled waters of his life. So with his brothers gone, Merrell took up all his courage, and started going on little field trips. Enjoying it very much, a sedan was ordered, so he could enjoy the country side more often and go on further trips.

In a similar vein, Merrell started deriving changes for the administration of the keep, the collection of taxes and many other details of daily life. Most people, showing no talent for the sophisticated area of governing themselves paid not more attention to his ideas then to smile and joke about them. But there were a few who understood that the boy did indeed show great talent for the realm of statecraft.

Merrell grew stronger.

## Squire years

In 93 AC, House Crane had gone to war. 12 year old Merrell was very proud to be able to assist his martially-inclined family from the home front. Most of his family had left. Lord Crane and the heir Alliser Crane both held noticeable commands. And even Lyman was about to prove himself as a commander for House Tyrell. Just Alyn had left his family after fierce disputes and nobody knew where and how he was. At the end of the conflict, Merrell had been able to track him down. And started staying in contact with him. And sending him money.

Alliser Crane, alongside many others, however, never returned from war. And Merrell mourned for the his father who had always lifted up Merrell’s spirits by telling him how great a knight he would be one day. Telling him stories of knights and heroes whose life started out bad as could be. And who somehow made it then. From that day onwards, Merrell put every effort he could into training to become stronger and attain the physical and mental abilities needed to become a squire.

In his fourteenth year, he was excited as could be for he was going to be squire to Ser Raymun Caswell. Alongside Dorian Tyrell, heir to the Reach. Merrell was still of a gaunt build, and expected to stay rather small, but at least he now possessed the strength and vitality of a ten year old. And House Caswell had agreed on providing suitable conditions for him.

Five month later, Merrell was forced to return to his home, Red Lake. His health had collapsed and all his self-confidence was gone. He had fallen prey to harsh and constant bullying from the other local squires. And not even the best help and efforts of Ser Raymun or his fellow squire Dorian Tyrell could make up for it.

Desperate and broken, but not wanting to give up on his dream of becoming a knight, the boy was assigned as a squire to his brother, Lyman.

It took a while, but then Merrell’s ambition was rekindled, and some said he tried even harder than before. Eager to go through as much weaponry training, riding and mental preparation as possible. While, truth be told, showing little talent. A natural interest and love for martial pursuits had become replaced by a nervous obsession of proving himself. And the fear of failing again and not knowing what else to do with his life. Red Lake’s septon has ever since been trying to bring the boy to his senses. In a gentle way. But Merrell, to the recent day, proves too obsessed with becoming the knight his deceased father had wanted him to become.

Meanwhile, he has never taken up his studies since then. Devoting himself exclusively to martial pursuits and a life of the sword.

## Recent Events

After Lyman had become Lord of Red Lake, Merrell’s life started changing at a sheer insane rate. The shy boy accompanied his knight, lord and brother to King’s Landing. There, he became more acquainted (and willing) to delve into financial and economic topics in order to raise money for his indebted brother Alyn. Witnessing the ongoing disputes between his older, now reunited brothers, Merrell tried to conciliate them, but it proved a difficult task. While his skills kept growing, Merrell was able to spend a lot of time with Lord Rickard Rowan and to learn a lot from the savvy statesman. More than that, the boy kept spending time with Dorian Tyrell.

After a few weeks, Merrell was able to lay the cornerstone for Red Lake’s new flax industry. Despite of the magnificent growth of his abilities and knowledge, settling in smoothly in the social environment of the metropolis, as well as growing happier and more light hearted, the insecure boy got more and more the impression that Lyman was not satisfied with him anymore. In Merrell’s eyes, his brother kept on criticising him for his emotionality and sensitivity. He sought the help of Alyn and succeeded in acquiring a more adult, professional overall demeanour. His outfits changed, his choice of expressing himself, and Merrell started to think more before speaking – or suffering from emotional outbursts.

The strategy worked out until Merrell learned that Lyman intended to marry Princess Helaena Targaryen. And no matter how long he thought about it, tried to deal with it, a point had been reached at which Merrell found himself overwhelmed by all the drastic changes in his life. He felt completely swamped and unable to deal with them any longer. All the more as he viewed that his relationship to Lyman had deteriorated to a degree that he had started feeling that his brother had changed so much he appeared nearly to be a different person.

Finally, Merrell saw himself forced to leave. Though preparing for this for several days, it was the most difficult step in his life. And so he left his House and brothers, just as Alyn once had done.

It was just a few days later, accompanied by a hedge squire and savvily managing his finances for the road, that Merrell found employment with a Crownlord along the way. Merrell’s initial plan had been to go and see the Mountains of the Moon. For no other reason than that he had always dreamed of seeing them – and that it did not really matter where exactly he turned now. The Crownlord turned out to be so glad about Merrell’s economic advice in the fields of archiving and investment that he wrote a recommendation letter to the Eyrie.

Taking yet another brave step, Merrell then applied to Lord Arryn himself. And got the position as assistant of the Vale’s treasurer.

Nowadays, Merrell spends his time happily working with the Vale’s finances and is taught all the tasks relevant for it. The initial suspicion Valemen had against him in the beginning for hailing from the Reach against which they were leading a war, cleared quickly. Merrell was able to get acquainted to several of the young noble ladies around Zhoe Arryn, dared to approach the squires and keeps making new friends and acquaintances high above, surrounded by the Mountains of the Moon that the young man has come to love so much.