Asterope Valreaux

* Adult
* Young

> *"Knowledge is power, and power is everything. Once you lose power, you lose everything and are therefore nothing."* **- Asterope, Cursed by Blood**
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Asterope Valreaux is a main supporting character in both Cursed by Blood and The Forgotten Memoir. He is the First Duke of Xotia and has eleven children between five mistresses.

### Appearance

> The author describes him to be of Korean origin when compared to the real world.
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### Personality

Asterope is known to have an extremely cunning personality and will do anything in order to get what he wants, by any means necessary. He is depicted to be the embodiment of true evil, being able to raise a devilled family with corrupt ideologies that go against everything the Xotian Monarchy believe in. He is a very ambitious man and is viewed to be selfish - especially since he was known to have killed his father and siblings in order to become Duke.

However, it is revealed that Asterope is capable of love and being somewhat compassionate to his family. Asterope is actually somewhat caring towards his children and the mistresses, forging new legilsation just to protect them, allowing funerals and ensuring that each of his children are protected. He is also rather loyal and is a good ally, despite some being obligatory. He respects the law.

### Relationships

#### Mistresses

##### Delphini Pythia

Asterope and Delphini first met in the Eastern Kingdom, where Asterope was on a journery with Hestia de Casteret to secure her the throne. Delphini was visiting town with her brother, Gerdi, who accidentally bumped into Asterope. Asterope then proceeded to publicly humiliate Gerdi and then killed him, showing his absolute authority to the people of the East - he revealed to Hestia that he did this for two reasons, one being to fill his boredom and another so the people of the East knew to respect him and his family for when both realms would be affiliated with each other.

Delphini was in shock and proceed to challenge Asterope. She took out her sword in front of everyone and pointed it towards him. Asterope laughed at her cockiness and was able to dodge her attacks, until she scathed him on the cheek - that was the first time Asterope was scathed by someone who wasn't a Valreaux. He was astounded and bewildered, suddenly paying all his attention to her and remembering everything - espeically her name *Delphini Pythia*. Delphini and Asterope split ways and she vowed to take her revenge on him.

Around two years later, Asterope found her and The Iron Blades sleeping on a beach by the Western Kingdom's coastline. They had been sleeping there for about three days. He attacked and he and his men killed all of them except Olivia Stormblaze, who disappeared, and Delphini. He took Delphini with him back to Valreaux.

He offered everything to Delphini, countlessly confessing his utter love and infatuation towards her. He was willing to marry her and make her the Duchess and even knelt down to her, submitting all loyalty. But she did not want any of it and refused everything, until she slowly went mad.

She gave birth to Micarlo Valreaux and Lilith Valreaux and has never since been lucid. She spent her days crawling around, screaming, crying, yelling, recognising the heirs as the Blades and so on. However, Asterope's love for her still remained and he would drop anything just for her.

Following Asterope's death, Delphini was also mysteriously found dead.

##### Bethan Galelight

Asterope found Bethan at sea. He was sailing with some of his guards and men and some friends from the Underworld. They came across Bethan's Crew's ship, which was regal (the same ship she stole from The Iron Blades). Asterope and his men then raided the ship, injured many and killed most - stealing all the treasure and checking out the ship. However, Asterope was only interested in Bethan. Asterope knew that Bethan was the one who stole the ship from Delphini, which allowed him to finally capture her for himself.

He gave Bethan two options: death or life as a mistress under his command. Bethan chose the latter.

Bethan was extremely against Valreaux's ideology and hated it when her children killed. That was until she saw how well Lucia's children were doing and how they were superior to hers in every way. Bethan was not used to losing, especially to a woman like Lucia and so asked Asterope for another chance.

#### Hestia de Casteret

Asterope's relationship with Hestia was solely to fulfil his vocation to the Blood Eyed Curse. He helped her become the Empress and in return, Hestia felt indebted to him and was extremely lenient towards Valreaux throughout her reign.

##### Sadella Andillevé

Sadella and Asterope were good friends and were quite close. Asterope confided in her regularly, seeking comfort that Sadella would never be able to see his face or his shame.