Lauren Duval

•  Name   Lauren Duval 

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•  Age   29 

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•  Height   5'7" 

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•  Occupation   Knight 

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•  Sexuality   Bisexual 

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•  Affiliation House Duval, Orthean Army 

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• Lauren is the heiress of House Duval and a knight of Orthea. She leads her retinue of retainers into battle, and shares close ties with all of them. A silent critic of the current aristocracy.

From birth, Lauren was taught that she was destined to rule over Deauvin, and she was above others by her birthright alone. Young Lauren was proud, brash, and arrogant; Any perceived slight would set her off into a fit of anger. This changed after beginning her training; While at first Lauren and Edlyn butted heads over Edlyn being a "lowborn," Lauren has learned to see from others' points of view and humbled herself.

Lauren's worldview is that people should be defined by actions, not by birthright. Lauren treats her retainers with respect and as equals. Unlike many of her fellow nobles, she champions causes to uplift the poorer people of Orthea.

She has a special relationship with each of her retainers which to an outsider could be perceived as an open relationship, but she considers herself romantically faithful to Edlyn.

Lauren has been devoted to her family all her life, but the war in Montelon is challenging her views. Some nights she lies awake in her tent wondering if she is on the right side. She is slowly becoming more convinced that the current governing system, including her father, is corrupt and needs to be wiped away. Edlyn is the only person Lauren has trusted with her traitorous thoughts.

Even though she did not purposely contribute to her sister's neglect, Lauren feels immense guilt over Elodie's treatment and wishes she could see her again, if only to apologize.

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•  Backstory 

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• The first child of Marquess Fernand Duval, Lauren was set to become the next head of her House. When Lauren was eight, Elodie Duval was born. Lauren was the only person who would spend time with Elodie, and the older sister took on a protective role over her half-sister.
  
  A year later, Lauren began knight training and met Edlyn Talae, whose mother would be teaching them. The two initially disliked each other, but became fast friends and friendly rivals. Together they were taught horseback riding, combat tactics, politics, and training in various small arms. But as Lauren and Edlyn grew closer, Lauren and Elodie grew further apart.
  
  Lauren and Edlyn were admitted into the Officer's Academy in Astril, two hundred miles away from Cienne, leaving Elodie all alone. The duo graduated with high honors, and were invited to join the elite Knights of Orthea. After Lauren and Edlyn were knighted, Lauren appointed Edlyn as her first retainer. Eventually, the two became lovers.

Lauren was put in command of a small cavalry unit. During this time, Lauren received word that Elodie had vanished from the family castle. She frantically searched the province with her unit, desperate to find her missing sister.

When Ophira Anthor and the people of Montelon instigated a rebellion, Lauren and her unit were called into service to help put it down. She was forced to reluctantly call off the search for her sister and focus her attention on the war. At this point in time, she and her unit are trying to find ways to break the current stalemate.