Your Name ∙ Kim
Contact Information ∙ idleclockwork, or PM me for MSN.
Time Zone ∙ +8 GMT


Character’s Name ∙ Alexander of Naxen
Age ∙ 12
Gender ∙ Male
Residing ∙ During the training year he resides in the page's wing at the Palace, however his home feif is Naxen.
Character Class ∙ Nobility
Occupation ∙ Page (second year)


Sexual Orientation ∙ Heterosexual
Gift ∙ Alexander has a small and limited gift that has never needed training. Although he tried to find someone who could train him to use his gift for defences and protections, it will only lend itself to making fire and producing light. Alexander's gift is a pale blue in colour.
Overall Personality ∙ Alexander was once an excitable and exuberant child who was always too much underfoot, but the surprise and rush of events that happened when he was five made him reluctant to speak and Alexander has been quiet ever since, however he will willingly answer direct questions with a smile. As a relatively clever kid, Alexander was able to work out that staying quiet meant having his words and diction corrected less, but he also felt more comfortable in the household when he wasn't asserting himself. His feelings of inferiority are still there, and he is still reluctant to assert himself in situations, but will gladly exchange words with people if he is approached first.

At twelve he is a gentle and shy person, who is always mindful of the fact that all but the most reclusive nobles know of his heritage. Fortunately, the training he was subject to at Naxen transformed him from a simple commoner to the son of a Lord, and he can fit in with other pages for the most part, although each of his peers originally took it as an offence against them that he was determined to train as a page. He doesn't take to heart that some other pages still believe that he shouldn't be a page, he can even understand why they feel that way, but Alexander is determined to become a knight and an asset to the kingdom, like many Naxens before him.

It seems as though Alexander's quiet nature and lack of friends make him an easy target for others to pick on but in truth he doesn't much care what others say of him, excepting his family. His hard work and obedience is a way to show his father and Lady Evette that he appreciates them and their efforts towards him. To truly pay tribute to their actions, Alexander has vast expectations of himself and is willing to work towards those ambitions so that he can prove that his worth. Athough he is proud of his progress he still feels as though he isn't really a Naxen. He willingly follows instruction and listens to even the harshest critics in the hopes that he will eventually prove to everyone that the feif of Naxen is every bit as glorious as it ever was, and when he does that he's sure he won't feel guilty anymore. After all, there are probably hundreds of bastard noble-get running about, but none of them have a righteous father like Alexander does.


Height ∙ 5'4"
Weight ∙ 42kg (lanky build)
Overall Appearance ∙ Alexander's hair is a mid-brown and is styled so that it is tidy and short enough to not get in the way. He supposes that his hair is a compromise between his Mama's almost black curls and his father's light brown, but even with the slightly darker hair and the differently coloured eyes (brown instead of hazel), Alexander still looks like his father's son. Of course, it originally took a drastic haircut for anyone to even pretend that Alexander looked like a Naxen, but since being taken in by Lord Roald, Alexander hasn't once tried to grow his hair long. That had been more for his mama's sake than his own- she had loved brushing his hair when her hands still worked properly. The haircut was not the only difference that Alexander's father and step-mother encouraged; they gave him new and clothes that were made just for him, they prompted him to walk properly with his back straight and head held high, they even reminded him how to speak properly and how to use his manners. After the coaching he recieved from not only the lord and lady, but all of Naxen's populous, Alexander's presentation had changed completely.

At twelve years of age Alexander still dreams of Aude poking him in between his shoulder blades to get him to set his shoulders just so, but he hardly needs the reminder anymore. He walks, talks, acts, and even appears to think like a noble born lad. In two years of page training he has gained enough muscle to help him in physical training, but not enough that he looks bulky. His features are still boyish and somewhat fine, however Alexander doesn't lament over that, he figures that things will change over time and maybe he'll look as valiant as his father someday. Already Alexander's voice has started to vary in pitch and his body is sprouting upwards faster than the palace servants can let his seams down, but his limbs and body have the stretched look of someone who is doing a lot of growing in a relatively short amount of time.

Alexander has no interest in fashion and it shows in his attire which, when he isn't wearing his page uniform, usually consists of a shirt, a tunic, and hose, all without embellishments but made by expert fingers from quality fabric. Unlike many other boys, Alexander grows out of his clothes faster than he can wear them out, as he takes great care of them and makes every effort to stay tidy and clean. As much as he knows that the Naxen coffers could pay for a new shirt every day without problem from the rest of Alexander's life, one of his top priorities is to look after his posessions and that extends to his clothing.


Family History ∙ I'm reluctant to put any extended family history down without consulting Tristran's player first, but there is a some family history integrated into the 'Background' section below. However, this doesn't go back any further than the present Naxen generation.
Family ∙

• Aisa Thatcher, Mother (deceased aged 23): Aisa would be thirty now if it weren't for her death, which the healers explained was due to a rotting of muscles and mind. While alive she was a lovely mother to Alexander, and a faithful kitchen maid who got her work done. It wasn't her fault that she fell for Lord Roald, and she would have kept herself and Alexander out of his way if it hadn't been for her sickness.
• Roald of Naxen, Father (aged __): Although Roald was not there for the beginning years of Alexander's life, he has been there for the majority of Alexander's twelve years, in the capacity of a father. Alexander doesn't begrudge Roald for not having been there, and does in fact respect him for the risk that he made in adopting Alexander into his household. Alexander loves and admires his father because Roald is honourable, and aspires to satisfy his father and be the perfect noble's son.
• Evette of Naxen, Step-Mother (aged __): Alexander has always been confused over his relationship with Evette, but he has come to the decision that though she isn't his real mother she is the closest thing that he will get. He called her Lady Evette upon their first meeting, despite being instructed to call her Mother, and though he continued to do so for months he got into the habit of calling her Mother when he turned seven. Although he isn't Evette's real child, Alexander is still treated with kindness by her, and for that he is grateful.
• Ilaine of Naxen, Half-Sister (aged 21): Fourteen year old Ilaine was already at the convent when Alexander was made a Naxen, and as such she isn't all that well-known to Alexander. The boy thinks that Ilaine is probably glad that she doesn't know much of him either. People say that Ilaine is the perfect lady, so she probably doesn't approve of her father having begot a son by a kitchen maid.
• Denise of Naxen, Half-Sister (aged 18): Denise is the only one of Alexander's half-siblings that he felt comfortable with. While the girl didn't treat him particularly like a younger brother, Alexander was thankful that she was friendly with him. At eight, Alexander didn't completely understand how Denise came to be disowned but he knew that he disliked it as she had made him feel accepted. Even being away from his step-mother and father, he hasn't yet had the courage to seek her out as he doesn't want to upset them.
• Tristran of Naxen, Half-Brother (aged 14): Alexander wouldn't mind having a good relationship with Tristran, but after seven years of being targeted or ignored, Alexander is quite certain that it won't ever happen. He tries to stay out of Tristran's way (and everyone else's for that matter), and to not stir things up. Tristran made things even more unpleasant for Alexander when he first became a page, and though most of the bullying has stopped, Alexander is still wary.

Birthplace ∙ Corus
Background ∙ Aisa was a pretty thing when she was young, with a soft demeanor and and gentle voice. Back in 187 H.E. when she charmed and was charmed by a lord, none of the mind and body rot had started. In fact, it was only after the result of the union between the kitchen maid and Lord Roald (aka Alexander) was a full year old that Aisa started noticing little changes, that some things weren't so easy anymore and other things she couldn't do at all. When her Alie turned four Aisa realised that the sickness wasn't going to go away, that she was going to continue losing control of her own body, and made the decision to approach Lord Roald the next time he was in Corus.

They had agreed when Aisa informed Lord Roald of the pregnancy that he needn't be involved- she had a good job, serving under an understanding Cook. Whatever the baby turned out to be, Aisa could handle him or her. If Lord Roald did get involved his lady could get suspicious and Aisa might likely never find a job again, she knew that some ladies were downright vicious. Aisa's sickness changed all of that because she wouldn't be around for her son, and there was noone else to help him. Her request at the meeting was simple; give him a job in your stables, he was a right hand with all manner of beastly things, none would be the wiser about the whole situation, and Alexander would be safe. When Lord Roald said 'no', Aisa howled so much that she hardly heard what the man had to say. 'No, he's my son and he'll be accepted as such.' Three days later Aisa was dead and Alexander Thatcher became Alexander of Naxen, the recognised youngest son of Lord Roald.

Lady Evette had been considerably upset and in anger hardly spoke a word the entire way back to Naxen. The shock at losing his mother and making a first venture away from Corus to meet an entirely new family was almost too much for the newly five year old Alexander, and he became withdrawn so that he could deal with it. The quiet and obedient Alexander seemed to please Lady Evette and his father more than the rowdy Alie did, so he kept it up the entire way to his new home, and even afterwards. His new half-siblings didn't seem to care one bit about him. Ilaine was at some far-off place and Alexander only knew what she looked like because of a portrait in the family chambers, while Denise was too old to want to play the same games, and certainly too old to automatically accept this new edition as a brother, but she was still kind. Lord Roald's only other son was a different story entirely and didn't seem to have an ounce of tolerance for Alexander (who questions whether Tristran has worked out that Alexander is here to stay, even after seven years of aggressive treatment).

After being subjected to history lessons from Aude, the Tyran governess, and hearing the respectful tidbits of information that the Naxen guards and servants let slip, Alexander grew to be quite aware of Naxen's outstanding history. Naxen nobles contributed to the crown! Naxen nobles were fair! Naxen nobles were well-regarded in the realm, and nothing ought to change that. Unfortunately the half-glances and hushed comments that followed such respectful words seemed to imply something- that Alexander's mere conception had tainted all of those things. Because of that Alexander kept all of his lessons in mind, he began to walk, talk, act, and speak like a well-behaved noble because that is what others required him to do. His absolute obedience gained him the approval of most of the people in Naxen who had tutted at his arrival, including Lady Evette (whom Alexander began to call 'Mother', as Roald instructed him to do). By behaving, Alexander even discovered that not only did people like you more, but they also gave you rewards. Behaving still seems like a logical win for all parties, in that others get what they want from Alexander and Alexander gets something that he likes in return.

Although people thought that the Naxen house was settled, Denise was disowned when Alexander was eight, and though it wasn't a situation that Alexander entirely understood, he realised that the reputation of Naxen was everything to his father. Roald had risked his standing in the realm to acknowledge an illegitimate child that he felt entitled to help, and that was important. Roald's own honour and the honour of his feif meant so much to him and from the moment of that realisation, Alexander knew that it was his duty to help everyone forget about his mama. If Alexander was so fantastic that all people could do was speak good about him, they wouldn't think about his heritage anymore As such, he made it his mission to excell at being a noble. His dream was that he'd be one of those brilliant pages that people sing about, but unfortunately his thoughts that anyone outside of the page wing actually cared about the progress of the pages was a misunderstanding. It's only when you get to be a squire that people care about you, so he'll be the squire that every knight wants as his own. If Alexander works hard enough to become an asset to the crown he thinks that he might be able to make up for his father's indisgression and prove that he wasn't really a mistake.

Unfortunately, it's hard to be a perfect page when you have no friends to help you, and Alexander doesn't have the same natural ability with the sword that Tristran has. Alexander is so far a great hand at the lance, and he practices with staffs, pole-arms, and the longbow so much that he's good at those too, but he's average with the rest of his weapons and even wrestling (though he puts that down to the other boys having indulged in playfights with other boys before, while all Alexander had to tackle was the odd haysack or pile of leaves). Every spare moment of his time is filled with weapons practice, while his minute gift helps him to study and finish work after lights out. He thinks that his teachers and trainers are all satisfied with his performance, and they do offer him praise. After the first year his fellow pages stopped being obstacles to his training and seem to be happy to let Alexander be, but he hasn't developed any friendships. Friendly acquainances are better than absolute enemies though, so Alexander isn't too put-out.


It was late afternoon and Alexander had been let out of class early for turning in a perfect report, leaving him some time before dinner to do something of his choosing. There were a variety of things that a page could do in a busy palace, but only some of those things could fit into the amount of time that Alexander had to work with. Fishing, while fun, didn't seem a fitting activity to do in a time that Alexander was officially meant to be in class. After a few moments of deliberation, Alexander made his way to the stables. He didn't know exactly how much time he had before the fifth bell, but perhaps it would be enough time to give him some meaningful jousting practice.

Alexander whistled a quick hello to whoever was likely to be in the hayloft (it was both a greeting and a warning that he had determined necessary after surprising a stablehand and his companion last month), before expertly and efficiently outfitting his dappled mare, Puss. While he prepared her for the coming task he liked to speak to her, in fact he had spent much of his time last year in her stall having one-sided discussions with the horse while undertaking a variety of activities. She didn't seem to mind sharing her stall with him as he did homework, or wrote letters to home, and Alexander was glad to have her company.

"Come on girl, let's go," Alexander said to her. With his lance in hand it was much too difficult to open and close gates while seated on her, so instead he lead her out on foot. "Do you think we can break my record today?" the page referred to the amount of times he could hit the very centre of the quintain's sheild in one hour. At that point Alexander's record was ten in one hour, but if he could make less errors and reset the dummy quicker he was certain that he could make it to fifteen. "You ready?" he asked Puss quietly, before tapping her flanks then squeezing his legs tight against her body.

In the seconds that it took horse and rider to reach the dummy Alexander levelled his lance and adjusted the angle, determined to hit the sheild's dead centre. Soon he was rewarded with the satisfaction that being exactly on target gave, and with his heart thumping delightfully in his hest he rushed to reset the quintain. I can do it today, I know I can, he thought to himself. He might have shared his ambition with Puss, but he didn't want to jinx things. "Let's go again," he said aloud.


By submitting this application, I am also stating that I have read, and understood, the forum rules, and that I agree to follow them.

--Kim

P.S. I don't trust internet spell-checks but I have run this through several. MS Word currently causes my computer to blow up into a gigantic ball of fire, so unfortunately I can't run it through that, but I will be stabbing Vista in the back and going back to XP within a few days, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel. If there are mistakes just point them out to me and I'll change them, I promise. It just wasn't worth using MS Word to ensure that it was perfect- this is the third time I've written this application out! The combination of WordPad and a heavily infected computer is painful.