Helix Messer

**Helix Messer**, official title being **Lord of the Kingdom of Byde** and **Chief of The Farmlands**, serves as a primary protagonist in the novella, *Kings and Queens*. He is the first husband to Lady Delena, of the Laurel Clan, the father to Charon, Esmeralda, Sirius and Anabel Messer, and also serves as the patriarch of the Great House Messer. In *Kings and Queens*, he and Delena's eldest daughter, Esmeralda, is married to Wilbert Cunningham, a member of the Cunningham Clan. During their visit to Woesien, Helix learns that King Maurice wants him to replace Lord Atticus Cunningham, as the advisory of the King, believing that a conspiracy is at hand, involving the Cunningham's. Maurice forces Helix into convincing Delena and Charon to travel to Nandi, the town which houses House Knox, wanting Charon to marry Mallory Knox, so that he can have House Knoxes support, in the case of the Cunningham's striking.

Throughout the novella, both Helix and King Maurice unwind a full conspiracy, involving the Cunningham's, leading back to the Siegel Stronghold.

## Background

Helix was born into the House of Messer, the firstborn son to Lord Fyr I and Lady Arabella Messer, and is the older brother to Sirius and Fyr Messer. Being the firstborn son, Helix was expected to takeover the ruling of the Kingdom of Byde, a kingdom that his family has ruled over for the past 600 years. During his childhood, Helix showed a great interest in battles and sword-play, but didn't obtain his own sword until his six and tenth nameday, as was accustomed to any House of Messer relatives.

His late teen years was filled with ambition as his father passed away on his nine and tenth day, therefore leaving Helix to look after his brothers, mother and home. Not longer after his father's death, King Mondrew summoned him to Woesien, offering Princess Mena, his step-daughter, to him. Helix refused due to wanting to marry for love. He eventually decided to marry Delena Laurel, of the Laurel Clan, who was more than honoured to accept his hand in marriage.

During their third year of marriage, they eventually had a son, naming him Charon, for the Horse Lord. By this time, Maurice Winchester showed an interest in usurping the Old King Mondrew, believing him to be unfit of being a ruler. House of Messer joined together with some of the greatest families; the Winchester's, the Cunningham's, the Knoxes, the Birmingham's, the Laurel's, the Mantooth's and many more to mention, all banded together for the battle which is called and remembered as "Old Mondrew's Descent to Low Hell". Helix took many solider's lives on those days and nights that took place. After Maurice crowned himself the new King of Fantasica, Helix returned to Byde and had three more children with Delena.

## Royalty and Jewels

### *Kings and Queens*

At the start of Kings and Queens, Helix is in Byde with his wife and four children. He then travels to Woesien with his wife, two daughters and his eldest son, as Esme, his firstborn daughter, is marrying into the Cunningham Clan. The morning of the wedding, Helix is informed by Maurice Winchester, the King of Woesien, that he believes the Cunningham Clan are planning to betray and kill him, thus taking the throne from him. Therefore, he orders Helix to become his new Advisory.

During their first King's Meeting, Ser Dean Cunningham, the Queen's brother, barges into the meeting and threatens to murder Helix for taking over his father's position. King Maurice orders his men to escort Dean to the dungeons, but Ser Dean evades and escape to Clanton Gardens to meet with his younger brother and sister-by-law. Because of Ser Dean's attempted murder on Helix, King Maurice becomes more paranoid and commands Helix to send his wife and eldest son, Charon, to meet with the Knox family and pledge a marriage between Charon and Mallory Knox.

Lord Eion Turnell, the Secret Keeper, regularly visits Lord Helix, hinting of a conspiracy. He then gives Helix a book on the Doncaster family, and becomes confused by the updated names in the book. Helix becomes angered and depressed when his youngest daughter, Anabel, falls from a tower in Jewel Keep, and becomes horrified when he learns from Lord Eion that Esmeralda and the Queen conspired together to kill Anabel.

Helix was then forced to inform Maurice on this matter, therefore Queen Isolde murdered her own husband, with the help from Magister Castor Fox. As a series of murders, commanded by Queen Isolde, takes place against House of Messer guards and other Knights who were against the Cunningham Clan, Lord Eion reveals to Helix that Isolde wishes for his head to be taken of, but Lord Eion believes that Helix should go and serve the real King and Queen of Fantasica, therefore arranging him to go to the lands beyond the Brotherhood, to meet with the long-lost first Royal family of Fantasica.