Edward Whitemount
High Earl Edward Whitemount
Edward Whitemount is the head of House Whitemount and the high earl of Dregonvell. He is the son of Richard 'the Formidable' Whitemount and Maria Whitemount, née Tarnell. His younger sister Amelie is the queen of Eremere. He is the first P.O.V character we meet in the first book and a major character. You can read the first draft of his first chapter here.
Appearance
He was a tall man, about six and a half feet, and he dominated any room he stood in. His shoulders were broad and he was of a moderately muscular build. A strong and hard nose lay between two dark green eyes, one tainted by a fading scar that stretched to his nose. His dirty blond hair was matted and went down to his just above his shoulders. He had a splendid beard which was beginning to grey either side of his lips; it was his only feature which could age him past forty, and as he was approaching forty-eight he was glad of it. Around the top of his head rested his Band of Control – a golden ring that recognised him as a high earl – which was engraved with the motto of his house. He wore a grey shirt which was tight under his chainmail, and over that a white jacket. Black boots covered half of his brown hunting leggings, which Edward always saw as impractical.Mental characteristics
Personal history
Edward was born to High Earl Richard 'the Formiddable' Whitemount and his wife Maria Tarnell, the sister of High Earl Clifford of Lylelor. With both of his grandfathers serving as High Earls, the highest-ranking nobles in Eremere bar the king himself, Edward faced a lot of pressure growing up and thankfully lived up to a lot of it. Fortunately, most of it fell upon his older brother Cassian. However, one day that changed. When exploring the Forest of Cleve, Edward and his brother, 8 and 14 respectively, happened upon a small waterfall. Just the smallest slip saw Cassian plummet to his death, leaving young Edward alone and riddled with guilt for the decades to come.
At age 12 Edward was sent to his uncle's seat in Beaucroft to act as Lord Clifford's squire. The two became very close and Clifford felt more like a father to Edward than his true father. In 966, he learnt of his mother's suicide, but his father had informed him too late for him to attend the funeral. A year later, in 967, he met Lady Charlotte Wreath, daughter of a minor lord from Springmore and handmaiden to High Countess Clarissa, Clifford's wife. The pair fell in love quickly, but Richard refused Edward's request to marry her.
Following the conclusion of his tenure as Lord Tarnell's squire in 969, Edward was obligated to return to Dregonvell but chose not to, remaining in Lylelor and serving on the council. It was during this time that he fathered his bastard, Simon.
In 973, Edward heard of his father's death. Richard had perished of stiff fever while attempting to sieze areas of the Rush from Springmore. He rushed back to Dregonvell to take control of his father's army. With no military ambition like his father and no desire for war in the first years of his reign, Edward withdrew from the Rush. In the peace talks, he met with Ivan Wreath, earl of the Rush. During these talks, he once again met Charlotte Wreath, Ivan's daughter. His proposal to Charlotte was both an act of love and an act of peace and apology, and Ivan and Charlotte both graciously accepted. They married in 974.
In 981, his first legitimate child Arther Whitemount was born, giving him an heir. A daughter, Eleyna, would be born in 988.
Education
Trained in combat from an early age, he was always meant to lead troops in battle while his older brother was trained to rule. Upon Cassian's death, Edward had to catch up with matters of state and diplomacy. In 963 he was sent to Lylelor to become the squire to his uncle High Earl Clifford, an apt location to learn of all that was important in a good ruler. However, battle, combat, and hunting was always his favourite and certainly his talent.
Mental Trauma
He carries the guilt of his brother's death with him constantly, as well as minor PTSD from the incident. Additionally, he has internalised pressure on himself to be his father.
Relationships
History
When they met, Edward was a 16-year-old heir to a high earldom, Charlotte a handmaiden to a high countess but the daughter of a simple earl. Edward's father, Richard, forbade marriage between the pair, and they parted ways. In a bizarre twist of fate, Richard died fighting a war against Charlotte's father, giving Edward the perfect opportunity to take her hand as part of a "peace deal." In 981 the couple had a son, William, and in 990 a daughter called Eleyna.
Relationship Reasoning
They married for love, but as in all marriages amongst the nobility, an alliance was formed. It was very beneficial to Charlotte's family, as they were only the rulers of an earldom. It is arguably Charlotte's marriage to the powerful Edward that enabled her sister Kristine's marriage to the High Earl of Springmore John Read.
Legal Status
Married
House
House Whitemount
Father
Richard 'the Formidable' Whitemount
Mother
Maria Tarnell
Spouse
Charlotte Wreath
Issue
Simon Whitemount (Bastard)
Arther Whitemount
Eleyna Whitemount
House Whitemount
Father
Richard 'the Formidable' Whitemount
Mother
Maria Tarnell
Spouse
Charlotte Wreath
Issue
Simon Whitemount (Bastard)
Arther Whitemount
Eleyna Whitemount
Species
Ethnicity
Year of Birth
951 ATD
47 Years old
Circumstances of Birth
Born to the High Earl and High Countess of Dregonvell, a second son
Spouses
Charlotte Whitemount
(Wife)
Siblings
Queen Amelie Syrincore
(Sister)
Gender
Male
Eyes
Dark green
Hair
Dirty blond, short and slightly messy
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Slightly tanned
Height
6'6"
Weight
230 lbs
Ruled Locations
Comments