The second daughter of Michael and Beatrice l'Valdan. A distant cousin of the king and the neice of Baron Artos t'Acuto.
Lillian was born late March of the year 1845, the middle child of Michael and Beatrice l'Valdan. She was close to her father for the short time she got to know him. When he unexpectedly fell to the Rivanians when she was just five, it left an irrefutable mark on the young girl and crystallized her perception of him being the perfect knight, the likes of which no other man could possibly hope to match, and in her adventurous youth she aspired to be just like him.
While her father remained her hero, she was close to her mother, albeit in a different way. Lillian was a was a precocious child and under Beatrice's watchful care she received an education befitting of a l'Valdan princess, even if Lillian herself rarely appeared to be so with the scrapped knees and mussed hair she acquired whilst rough-housing with her sister and cousins. By the age of nine, Lillian could read and write in the Imperial language, and showed quite a bit of creativity in her own writing. She wrote her first "novel", the Princess Knight, while she paged under the royal household - though she shared it with only her mother and sister.
Lillian maintained a friendly rivalry with her older sister Andrea which has persisted into adulthood, but it is rarely spiteful in nature. Both being knights and very close in age, at times she feels a pang of envy for the amount of discipline and poise her sibling exhibits (and she often lacks) - which eventually made her the First Falcon at the young age of 23 - but Lillian has her own set of unique talents she takes pride in. They have each other's backs, through thick and thin, and there is no one she is more protective of.
Eventually she became the squire of Sir Severus t'Juliano of the Blue Cavaliers. Under her knight's guidance she honed her talent in swordplay even further. In her scant free time she acquired a taste for alcohol and card games. She bonded closely with her d'Acuto cousin Luke and Byron Rochette, both cavaliers who were often in the company of her knight, and mingled with knightly commoners and nobles alike. She enjoyed socializing and playing as much as she liked fighting, and when she needed to recharge from all the training and joviality she penned her private thoughts and the fanciful tales spun in her head in her diary.
Lillian saw war personally for the first time during the first Siege of Valetta when she accompanied Prince Jean-Paul's forces by her own insistence. As a mere squire of 16, she was woefully unprepared and was severely injured, though she came out alive (if barely); due to this she did not acquire the amount of fame the other few survivors had, though her skill and tenacity was commendable all the same. Humbled and tormented by the carnage, she dived into her training with renewed purpose and appreciation for her calling. She earned her spurs halfway into her nineteenth year, in 1864.
The following year she participated in a few tournaments to test her mettle against the circuit regulars and found some success in the duel competitions, though she was seemingly always being bested by an l'Corren or Cassomir. Lillian helped defend Pacitta against the sudden attack by Brodlundian Raiders, having been a tournament attendee. She was also present in the tournament held by Prince Lucius Callidus, hoping to win the coveted sidhe-steel blade, though she left in a huff at being unhorsed before the mystery knight was unmasked and the assassination attempt was made.
She went to fight the Tirians in the North and performed admirably during patrols. While idle in Avondil she learned the basics of the Tirian language from her uncle Sir Artos and made a good friend in Sir Samuel l'Corren over their mutual fondness for chess, drink and sparring. She left Avondil with the forces sent to relieve Tirhold, under the command of Michael and Gabriel l'Corren, and after helping break the siege she returned to Rovilon to help her family against the Cardinal's Guard. Once Jean-Paul was appointed to Lord Marshal of Couviere she followed his lead back to Valetta in yet another attempt to break yet another siege. She was at the Prince's camp when Elsanna launched her last assault and fought until the Rivanians swooped in to aid them. When the epic battle was won and the dust finally settled, Lillian returned home emotionally and physically drained and grateful that the nightmare was finally over. After the coronation of her cousin, she opted to spend time with her friends and family over participating in the accompanying tournament.
But war never changes and she knows it will call upon her once more.
Sir Lillian is a tall, fair woman of affable bearing. Her tousled brown hair is cut short and her large green eyes are often alight with mirth. She possesses the shapely curves of a woman, with broad shoulders and a pair of long legs. She is also notably muscular, sporting well-defined biceps and abdomen, should such features ever be uncovered. Her prominent cheekbones are powdered with a hint of blush and taper gracefully into her small chin.
When not in armor, she is usually clad in a long-sleeved bolero jacket, a matching corset skirt, fitted black leggings and knee-high leather boots. In colder weather a short fur cloak may be draped over her shoulders. A simple leather swordbelt is looped around her slender waist, with her longsword resting within the sheathe attached to it. From her neck hangs a brass locket with a dragonfly etched into it's face.
Cavalier Connections: Lillian was previously a squire of Sir Severus t'Juliano, High Cavalier and the Dowager Queen's current bodyguard. She is also the younger sister of High Cavalier Andrea l'Valdan. Lillian has strangely shown no interest in becoming a Blue Cavalier herself and there has been little pressure on her to change that.
Duelist: Lillian thoroughly enjoys one-on-one combat and has enjoyed some success in duel competitions, though she has yet to win a tournament event. She enjoys brawling, too, but to a lesser extent.
Skilled Knight: She was present in the Great Raid of 1865 and the Battle of Three Crowns. Spent notable time stationed in Avondil, fighting in Tirhold, and fighting with the Prince's troops.
Wanderlust: Now that she is a knight and there is peace, Lillian likes to travel on a whim to sometimes obscure locations which pique her interest. Should there be a rumor of something exciting nearby, she is likely to investigate, regardless if she has any business doing so.
Warrior Author: Writing is her secret past time - sometimes evidenced by the variety of books she keeps with her. She rarely shares what she writes with others, but a few have caught onto her talent.
Sir Andrea l'Valdan : My beloved and dignified older sister. Sometimes I envy you, and sometimes I'm glad it's not me.
Sir Antonia l'Valdan : Princess Antonia married into the family awhile ago. We were never close, but I admit to being dreadfully curious when I heard she had finally been knighted, and I got to sate that curiosity when I faced off against her during the tournament duels. After seeing her fight like that I can confidently say the knighting was long overdue!
Sir Samuel l'Corren : We met in Avondil and became good friends over booze and games in the short idle time we had during the war. I wonder what he's up to now?
Sir Justin t'Acuto : Dearest uncle. I look out for him and he looks out for me. If he needs anything, he only needs to ask!
Mistress (Captain) Esyld Draven : Proof that it can be very painful to underestimate commoners. She deserves what she earns!