Olyvar Vaith

## Personal Guard to Lady Gargalen

**Olyvar Vaith** is the nephew of the current Lord Vaith. He became the Personal Guard to Lady Gargalen after years of serving House Gargalen following wardship.

## History

Born to Trystane Vaith, brother of the Lord Vaith, and Ellana Dalt, Olyvar was not accustomed to any *royal* treatments his Lordly uncle received. Although a minor vassal, he was a Lord none-the-less. Thus, from a young age, Olyvar Vaith was taught the skills to survive in the harsh southern Dornish sands. From a young age, Oly took a liking to the spear. Though, he began with simple sticks, his training progressed eventually to actual spears as he grew in both age and maturity. He and his father would spar almost daily, eventually leading Olyvar to become a rather efficient duelist. Though, he would not become such until his wardship in Salt Shore.

When Olyvar was not busy in the sands, training with his father, he would spend his spare time amongst the trees that lined the river Vaith. Under the protection of the canopies above from the harsh Dornish sun, Olyvar fiddled with sticks and rocks, rubbing them to create *fire*. He was obsessed, setting anything alight that he could. There was a period of time where he would steal away with his fathers Myrish looking glasses and hold them at the right height, setting piles of brush afire. Olyvar would watch with glee as the flames flickered and danced about, almost with a mystical rhythm. Some say he is an Arsonist, but they simply do not understand that it is but a hobby of his.

When he was ten, his father convinced his uncle, the Lord Vaith, to send him to Salt Shore to be squired under the Lord Quint Gargalen. When he arrived he felt alienated. None in his company ever truly accepted him as their equals, as they were mostly all of a higher birth, and he received the treatment such a position ‘deserved’ or Lord Gargalen said. A Vaith was nothing compared to, say, a Yronwood or a Dayne. But he, despite having no say in the matter, chose to stick it out. One day, as he strode through the halls searching for the Maester, Olyvar bumped into Tyene Gargalen, the Lord’s daughter. It was an awkward encounter, and the fact that none had truly accepted him put him off from speaking with her. But, she was a new face, and he thought perhaps she was different. That moment would soon cement their long-lasting relationship that continues to this day.

During his tenure as squire for Lord Quint, he learned one of his most prized skills: Alchemy. Though, not from Quint, but from Maester Yoda. Olyvar learned of various medicines, remedies, and elixirs and how to make them. When the Maester Yoda was away, or asleep, Olyvar would sneak in his chambers and read of the poisons that accompanied the trade. Those interested him more than the medicines and remedies. The power to take a man’s life with a single drop of liquid simply amazed Olyvar. Though, as he proved himself to be a rather competent alchemist, Maester Yoda began teaching him how to concoct the remedies and elixirs Lady Tyene needed for her disposition. During times when the Maester was busy, he would create some of the more simpler poisons and *experiment* on the various animals that roamed Salt Shore. From rats to birds to even some gutter cats, Olyvar was blown away at how deadly some poisons could be and how a medicine, if given too much, could kill a man.

As the years passed, he and Tyene Gargalen grew closer. Often the two would steal away together, sometimes wandering the shores south of Salt Shore. In the dead of night, the two snuck out of the castle and ran to the shore to watch the stars above after the Maester told Tyene that it would rain stars that evening. After laying next to one another for what felt like centuries, Lord Gargalen’s men spotted and called out for them to identify themselves. The two ran and hid behind a boulder on the shore, unbeknownst of the rather large wave about to crash. The ensuing yelps from the two led to them being caught and dragged back to the castle, presented to Lord Quint soaked to the bone. Lord Quint was anything *but* amused. His disdain towards Olyvar had peaked, and demanded the two be separated. Though, he and Tyene found other ways to spend their moments together, usually through their alchemical interactions to treat the Lady’s ailment. These moments would be monitored closely by Tyene’s brother and heir to Salt Shore, Andros, after Tyene was forcibly betrothed to Prince Daeron Martell. Olyvar cared not for betrothals, however. Their sessions together contained a healthy amount of laughs, only feeding into Andros’ ire towards Oly. If anyone held more disdain towards Olyvar than Lord Quint, it was Andros.

After Maester Yoda passed away in 388, Olyvar was the primary caretaker of Tyene. He was, afterall, the most knowledgeable in the remedies she required. Oly used this time to stay close with her, as their sessions were more and more closely monitored. He knew Tyene could brew her medicines on her own, but he allowed her ruse to pass. Otherwise, how would he spend time with his love? Once Olyvar turned sixteen, to further spite Lord Gargalen and Andros, he swore fealty to House Gargalen and named to the household guard. While it was a minor victory for the two, celebration would last mere months before Lord Quint passed away. Andros became Lord of Salt Shore, leading to drastic changes in their routine. Olyvar was worked like a dog by Andros, assigned tedious and often menial tasks, all meant to pry apart Oly and Tyene. Upon that, Tyene was sent away at random, tasked with maintaining relationships with bordering Houses.

A year later, the Prince was killed and strung about Sunspear by the hands of the Saan Pirate Lords, or so he overheard. Thus begun the Third Targaryen Rebellion. Andros used this as an excuse to rid the Gargalen lands of Olyvar. And that he did, as Olyvar was sent back to Vaith despite his and Tyene’s protest. Olyvar wrote her almost daily, though never received a reply. He was sure Andros was destroying the letters, but he could not give into his cruelty.

After the Third Targaryen Rebellion came to an end in 390, he learned that his bastard cousin, Vaeron Sand, had earned a rather wealthy amount of renown during the fighting. And that renown went straight to his head, leading him to head a rebellion against the newly seated Princess Obara. His father, wanting to ensure the safety and allegiance of Lord Vaith to the Princess Obara, sent Olyvar to guard the Lord Vaith from any attacks. Day and night, for nearly three years, Olyvar stayed by the Lord Vaiths side. He often found his thoughts drifting off to Tyene and their nights together, evading her father and brother.

A year after Vaeron rose up in 391, Lord Vaith, not wanting to come across as disloyal, headed the majority of his forces in an attempt to route Vaeron. However, this did not go as planned. Drinkwater men ambushed them, allowing Olyvar to get his first taste of *true* combat. The battle was swift and terrible, leading to a hasty defeat at the hands of Drinkwater forces. Lord Vaith called for a retreat, and only days before arriving at the castle, Princess Obara’s agents arrived and escorted Lord Vaith to Sunspear. Olyvar, being his personal guard, attended him. When they arrived at Sunspear, he was amazed. The beautiful water gardens, the breathtaking markets, and most of all, the castle itself. It was almost as if it was sculpted by Nymeria herself. Often he found himself thinking of Tyene and how she would have loved Sunspear and its water gardens.

Olyvar continued to write Tyene, though he could barely manage to send one letter a moon due to the protection around the ravenry. He, technically, was not allowed to send letters out as no one could know that Lord Vaith had taken residence in Sunspear. One night as he snuck up to the ravenry, Oly ran into a familiar face; Elia Gargalen. He had barely recognized her, as she barely recognized him. Six years was a long time when you are young. She looked like her sister; beautiful and almost flawless. He could not resist.

The two had an on and off fling for almost two years while Oly resided in Sunspear. Though nothing would ever come of it, as in 393 Tyene showed up out of the blue. Though, not the Tyene Olyvar knew. She was quiet, reserved, and far more paranoid than he remembered. Andros. Andros had done this to her and Olyvar’s disdain towards the Lord of Salt Shore grew exponentially overnight. Though she was resistant at first, Olyvar quietly broke off any relations with Elia. Tyene deserved his attention, no matter how changed she was. He needed to be there for her, to comfort her, and to show her there were still good people in the world.

Later that year, Olyvar was told of the best news he had ever received; Andros was dead. Andros had been killed, and now Tyene was the Lady of Salt Shore. Tyene and Olyvar would return to Salt Shore, but not before Oly spoke with Elia, the two agreeing it was best she stay at court in Sunspear to serve Princess Obara. Upon their return, Olyvar was named Tyene’s personal guard and would be by her side night and day. To this day he resides by her side, growing ever closer to the Lady of Salt Shore.