Talen Artiglio
Description
Bronzed skin and dark brown hair are a standard of the Lyceum, so it's not with any degree of note here that Talen stands out, save for a few shining silver hairs nestled in the deep brown. But his eyes are arresting. Stormy in colour, made up of a dark grey-blue hue, this man appears to be a Lenosian thoroughbred. Thick, angled brows provide a darker counterpart to the shock of his harsh and intimidating gaze, softened only in part by lashes that make girls jealous. Smiles are harder to foster upon Talen's face, conjured as twisted tugs of his lips that favour one corner of his mouth, or a crooked half-smile that only rarely shows.
Personality
Talen is a product of a complex set of circumstances that surround his birth, upbringing and elevation. Where once Talen was the sullen servant, bound in loyalty and devotion as a Sword to an Archduchess, he has become the Consort of another. Perhaps that is why he seems more at ease in displaying his quick-witted, twisted and even sarcastic sense of humour than he was in the past. Talen's mercurial temperament makes him both dangerous and exciting; one is never quite sure what he might say or do in any situation. Tempestuous wrath may be a detriment to an Archduke, but the former knight uses his reputation as ruthlessly as he does his blade, and has learnt to temper it... at least until he embraces it. Talen is no stranger to power, having served in its shadow his entire life, yet now he stands next to it and even wields it for himself. What he plans to do with it now is not so easily predicted. It has a way of making people nervous.
Background
Born a commoner and the only child of Giovanni Artiglio, Talen's memories of that time and even that man are hazy at best. As he grew, Talen was told stories of the Captain of House Velenosa's guard, and the finest duelist in the Lycuem. The tales told of how Giovanni died saving his liege lord, the then Archduke Consort Niccolo Velenosa, after being poisoned with Kingsbane tasted in his cup. In his last moments it was his wish, spoken to the man he had saved, for Talen to be raised as a Ward of House Velenosa. Talen was never quite sure whether to feel grateful for his father for that, in truth. Being raised as a commoner child surrounded by princes and princesses was not the easiest of childhoods, and so he fell into a nebulous state of being part servant and part foster child. It tooks years of service before he was ennobled, a ward and then a Sword, a knight and then finally a prince, adopted by Niccolo himself. It wasn't long after that he married Eleyna Velenosa, whereupon a new chapter of his life began, as they ascended to the throne of the Great House and there he sat beside the Archduchess as her Consort to rule over the Hundred Cities with aims to unite Lyceum once and for all.
