Alnam Devlon is the thirty-second Lord of Devlonmere, an estate in the Shadowlands. As a child he was dutiful and almost invisible, but as he grew up his personality began to take shape – still bound by the rules and laws that governed the Autumn Court, but also efficient and effective, something King Marnsul valued most. The two became good friends – the youthful strength of Alnam combined with the strict but jovial attitude of the ruler. Contradictions – but soul mates.
When Marnsul died – and Lorian ascended to the throne – Alnam mourned his friend, but had high hopes for the new king. Lorian was intelligent and powerful, something the Fae needed. But the Winter Court was nothing like the Autumn Court. The Fae slowly began to change, touched by the power of the new season. The woods craved blood, and Lorian was the one to provide it.
Alnam didn’t like the change, Ain’asel grew darker and darker. Autumn Court was not innocent or pure, nor was Alnam. But Lorian’s reign was shadowed, something Alnam would never accept.
The two began a little game. Of words, only. They knew that they represented different times, and they liked to stick needles into each other’s skin.
But this was invisible to others, and one day Alnam’s son, Corvel, came to Dal’coler with his father…
Which ended in his death.
The mutilated body of his son was brought to Alnam’s quarters one night. He recognised the shadow power, and though the official version differed from what he suspected, he also recognised Lorian’s kind of shadow, irremovable, stronger than any other.
He was very attached to Corvel, loved him truly, and real hatred blossomed in his heart.
Hatred and despair.
His wife, Narlia, blamed him for taking their son to Dal’coler. They stopped talking, and later Narlia fell ill, which eventually killed her. Devlonmere became empty.
Alnam lost everything, all because of the cruel Winter King.
The old Autumn Court had long since crumbled, replaced by Winter. Lorian decided to conquer the surrounding lands, with the willing enthusiasm of his courtiers. Alnam was a general of Marnsul and Lorian and went to war to silence his guilt and hatred. He trained warriors and invaded with them, always knowing that he would have to return to Dal’coler and look at Lorian.
He was a monster to him, a fey who loved torture, dangerous and bloodthirsty. The gradual change of the fey nature he attributed to him, a change into a cruel winter.
One lunar new year, he decided to take one of Lorian’s human slaves, apparently the king’s favourite. Harm her and make her fear Lorian even more – as a shapeshifter, he took Lorian’s form. But he saw something familiar in her, a hatred for her owner, and he ended up deeply fascinated – by her strength and will to fight.
It was Leira.
But Leira knew well that running after Alnam was not an option, and that she would have to stay with the most powerful Fae to stay alive in the Winter Palace. She realised that she had not slept with Lorian and denounced Alnam. Alnam was punished accordingly – his vocal chords were damaged and he can now only whisper with great pain.
Alnam became a lost, bitter man with no will to live. Everyone he loved was taken from him. Even the human he respected has betrayed him.
And he was kept alive only by the promise of revenge, and Lorian became his goal and the only thing that allowed him to exist.
But he didn’t know many things… like he didn’t know Lorian’s secrets and what exactly happened that night when Alnam lost everything…
The two feed off each other. Lorian loves to play games with Alnam, finds them seductive – Alnam has no choice and plays them, feeding his desire for vengeance.
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Thanks to all brainstorm on him, Darkenaz! It was so much fun (and not only ^^).