Sir Gregory Ander is a knight in the Order of the Oak known for his ruthlessness and cunning.
Early Life[]
Sir Gregory Ander was born and bred in Queensland, within view of Hartleigh Castle. Born to middling nobles of Alderclass, Gregory was the last of six boys. His elder brothers followed in their father’s footsteps as advocates at Maelys I's Court, but Gregory always sought something a bit more exciting than pushing paper and defending the ruffians in the streets of Hartleigh City.
When he was sixteen, Gregory’s father arranged for him to be accepted into one of the knighting orders, the Order of the Oak, upon the death of Gregory’s closest brother, Bram Ander. The Order of the Oak was not the initial choice of the family, for the Order of the Rose–being the Queen’s personal guard–have a great deal more prestige. Regardless, once initiated, Gregory had little say unless the Queen changed her mind or promoted him elsewhere.
Role in the Order of the Oak[]
Gregory, being both crafty and handsome, quickly rose through the ranks, and was granted full knightship on the even of his twentieth birthday. He was conspicuously late to his knighting, however, having been spotted with a noblewoman some time before. What a messenger knight was doing in the company of such a woman was certainly up for speculation.
It was two weeks later that the very same noblewoman was discovered dead in her apartment. While Sir Ander was no where near the woman’s abode at the time, and therefore could not have been involved directly–so the advocates from his family argued at court–he was acquitted of all charges. The advocates on behalf of the woman’s family, Fortesque & Nob, filed an official complaint after the trial, but it was quickly thrown out by the High Counselor herself, having noted that a decision was made and the law would be upheld.
As a messenger knight, Sir Ander is frequently dispatched up and down the Continent, and sometimes across the sea and into the Isles, as well. While his fellow knights are extremely loyal to him, and have only the most glowing comments to make on his behalf, some will tell you different. If you visit some of the seedier establishments in the Territories, for instance, not a few Innkeepers will tell you about the fresh-faced Order of the Oak with a penchant for roughing up their girls.
Sir Ander is a man of contradictions. He is young, but jaded; clever, but arrogant; passionate, but cruel–he loves the attentions of women, but cannot stand their company.
Role in the Burning of Vell[]
When Sir Ander walked into the Territories towns to collect Alderclass girls on an errand from the Queen, he used her writ as absolute law, reportedly threatening violence should the towns not cooperate and hand over their young women. And it is rumored that what violence was seen was due to his command, though it has officially been blamed on an interruption by the Order of the Asp.
- He was perhaps twenty or so, and startlingly handsome--so much so that Cora wondered if her assumptions of the Oaksguard could have been mistaken. His round face was punctuated by a dimpled chin, and he had warm brown eyes that certainly weren’t as menacing as Cora had thought they would be. He smiled and held up his hands. Dressed in traditional knighting gear, he wore a long grey duster and a green vest beneath, with a black kerchief tied around his neck. He carried silvered guns at his hips and, Cora knew, a host of other weaponry at the ready should he need them. His hat was wide-brimmed and set back on his head, letting loose a couple of free brown curls. It seemed impossible that such a face could be capable of cruelty. - from Chapter Four: Blooming Day, The Aldersgate