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Background
As the eldest child of his house, Declan Arboren never had much in the way of ambiguity or doubt in the role he was to play. From a young age, he was trained for those future duties. Most days, this meant his tutor would lecture him in the various meticulous details of running a paramount house, from keeping basic finances to managing men, supplies and armies. Although he was quite bright and took in the lessons easily, and of course dutifully, they were not what called to him - at least not in the abstract. Numbers on paper, phantom armies in scenarios? None of it was real. Rather, Declan yearned for the rarer 'hands on' instruction he would receive from the family's senior wardens, who would on occasion take him out to learn of their family's verdant lands close-up. No matter what work the tutors gave him, he was clever, and so Declan often hastened to finish his assignments as quickly as he could so he would have a chance to accompany whatever expedition might be underway. Later, when the tutors responded to him finishing quickly by assigning him even more work, Declan made something of a game of it, complaining of the tediousness of his assignments but then finishing them in secret and sneaking out to explore on his own, or to play games with his younger siblings, particularly the twins, and with his fostered betrothed Lady Lyrienne, who he treated much as a sister at the time. When he could, he would combine the two activities, taking his siblings out and showing them the secret paths and hidden places that the wardens had shown him. As children, these became grand courses for games of hide and seek. Later, when they were old enough, they were the family hunting ground, as he took them on their first hunts, taking pride in the sense of responsibility over his younger kin.
When his siblings inevitably went off to squire, Declan found himself somewhat lonely at their absence, but focused instead on the work that he had now come of age for - as well as proper courtship of his betrothed, although this fairly regularly came second to his work. As soon as his parents would allow it, he began accompanying them or their stewards and representatives on their duties throughout the forests, mountains and valleys of the Arboren lands. Although his first trips were merely as an observer, learning how the family's business was done in real practice and not just in lesson books, he was never contented to be a totally passive participant in such affairs. When they would visit a settlement he had not been to before, Declan would sneak off to discover what local secrets there were to find, or to question the citizens on his own, sometimes without giving any hint of his birth. He befriended people easily, although he was never trusting of them - they were not family, after all. Indeed, he quickly came to realize the value in developing trust for him in others, for putting people at ease before trying to get anything from them, but also the danger in returning that trust. After all, while most citizens were loyal enough and thankful for the egalitarian treatment his house offered, his secret outings quickly revealed the gap between how they dealt with the family's official representatives and how people spoke when alone among their own kind.
Returning from one of these trips, he was confronted, rather to his confusion, by Lyrienne about his own apparent infidelities during his many trips and absences. Her complaint had no merit - he did not realize at the time that the idea had been placed in her head by Princess Janelle Sauveur who wished to push her away from his house - but Lyrienne was rather the stereotypical young woman and little concerned with the calm, logical placation Declan had for her, and the amount he often overlooked her in favor of his work didn't help matters much. Officially, he forgave her for her broken vow, yet deep behind his stoic facade is a painful wound that has festered into a latent distrust for young woman. Though he did not know it at the time, he was in love with Lyrienne and only after years of turning multiple prospects away did he become betrothed to Lady Ariana Larent and finally begin to move past Lyrienne's broken vow.
Characteristics
Description
This man stands around six feet tall with a lean build, and appears to be toward his late twenties or early thirties in age. Although frequently shadowed by his hood, his face, when visible, is pleasant, framed by wavy, coppery-brown hair worn roughly to the shoulder and touched by a light growth of beard, more as if he had gone a few days without shaving than by intention. Against his mane, his leaf-green eyes are a vivid contrast.
The man's manner of dress is typical of an Arboren ranger or warden, and designed for practical function and to easily blend into the wooded surroundings of their hands: a green tunic worn over brown trousers and beneath a tough leather jerkin for protection, the latter etched with the great tree sigil of House Arboren. Sturdy leather boots extend almost to the knee, and he wears a hunter green cloak around his shoulders, frequently raising its attached hood to cover his head as well, casting his face in shadow. A pair of belts are worn at his hips, one merely fastening his trousers, while the second is a heavier weapon-belt, suspending an arming sword at his hip.
Quirks
Friendly Face
Old for his Age
Pack Mentality
People Watcher
Pragmatic Innovator
Wolf in Sheep's Clothing