A Royal History: Uhltric son of Yhldredd also known as Uhltric Wildfyre Uhltric was born on a warm spring morning to Yhldredd the Winter Prince, third son of King Yhltric. Though Yhldredd was not the oldest of King Yhltric’s children, he had in fact 2 older sisters and 2 older brothers, he was the first to produce a son. Yhldredds older brother Ulhum the Summer Prince, heir to King Yhltirc, was father to 3 daughters, but had no son who could claim the title of Winter Prince. Thus, upon entering this world, Uhltric found himself third in line for the throne behind his only uncle and father. Though Uhltric, as was tradition, held no princely title, many among the royal family and further abroad felt as though they had laid eyes upon the future king.  As the years passed this belief only strengthened. Each day Uhltric received training in combat and strategy as well as lessons in history and matters of court. In all aspects of appearance and nature the young boy seemed kingly and destined for greatness. Even King Yhltric and Ulhum the Summer Prince began to treat the young boy as they would a future king. But as his skills and knowledge grew, so too did Uhltrics flaws. Though kind and pleasant, Uhltric was quick to anger when he felt slighted. And though he was soft spoken and thoughtful with his words, he also possessed a stubbornness that could not be broken. But no man is perfect and, though we might here otherwise, even kings are no exception to that rule. All in all, Uhltric was growing into a fine man and his royal family viewed him with pride.  Though King Yhltric had seen more years come and go then most in the kingdom, the twilight of his life was not destined to be peaceful. In the 14th year of Uhltrics life a threat arose from the West. King Yhltric raised the banners of war and assembled a great army. As the King and his heir, the Summer Prince, rode out to face the coming threat, Yhldredd the Winter Prince stayed behind with his young son Yhlum to protect the line of succession. In his place, went Uhltric, barely old enough to wield an edged blade yet fierce and eager for battle.  King Yhltric’s host was outnumbered by half again as many men and those in the Kingdom held their breath, fearing what might be. But from the first moment they took the field, the King’s army fought with a fury against the Western invaders. Over the course of a fortnight an endless battle was waged. Ground was given here and taken there, for every victory an equal defeat. Though outnumbered, the King’s men matched their enemy’s strength day in and day out, not willing to yield their homeland. When it seemed things would not break for either side, Ulhum the Summer Prince and Uhtlric his young nephew led a mounted charge that broke through the enemy’s center, splitting their host and allowing the King’s army to surround the two halves and crush them from all sides. Defeated, what remained of the Western force left the Kingdom. A great victory had been won, with Ulhum the Summer Prince and Uhltric praised as heroes of the realm, but not all was joyous. Many lives had been lost, including King Yhltric. As King Yhltric was laid to rest a new King was crowned and welcomed by the Kingdom. Upon becoming King, Ulhum passed the Sword of the Sun to Yhldredd the Summer Prince, who in turn passed the Sword of the Moon to Uhltric the Winter Prince. At the age of 14, Uhltric the Winter Prince and hero of the realm stood tall, poised at the precipice of destiny and named himself the future king.  But fate has a way of twisting the plans of men. Not a year after his coronation, King Ulhum found himself rejoicing as the Queen bore him twin sons, Yhltric and Uhldron. Upon their births the Kings sons were given the titles of Yhltric the Summer Prince and Uhldron the Winter Prince. Uhltric relinquished the Sword of the Moon only a year after taking possession of it and without once wielding it in battle. He smiled at the joy his uncle showed, but inside he felt nothing but loss. Uhltric, son of Yhldredd, fifth in line for the throne, was prince no more.  Uhltric found himself pushed further from the throne he once thought himself destined to sit two years later upon the birth of King Ulhums third son, Uhldredd. As sixth in line for the throne it was unlikely that Uhltric would find himself king, but many paths to glory and fame could still be taken. Uhltric was much loved in the kingdom and it was thought far and wide that his skills in combat and the courage he showed in battle would lead King Ulhum to name him general of the King’s Army. And, if this path was not taken, Uhltric was sure to be named a member of the Council of the King, helping to shape the future of the kingdom. After all, the King too loved Uhltric deeply. Not only had they rode into battle side by side, protecting each other and the kingdom they both loved, but for 15 years King Ulhum, then the Summer Prince, treated Uhltric as his future heir and took great interest in the boys upbringing. It was said that Uhltric looked to King Ulhum more as a father than his own sire, Yhldredd.  But alas none of these was meant to be. Uhltric, so noble in so many ways, could not let go of the desire in his heart. We learned later from his brother Yhlum, his constant companion during these years, that Uhltric yearned to be King, not general to his army or a member of his council. He convinced himself that the crown was his by right and that he should be named Summer Prince. After all, he reasoned to his brother, the people of the kingdom loved him and would be much inclined to follow him. Yhlum tells us that Uhltric truly believed that under his rule and protection the kingdom would prosper and know peace. While this, if it is true, is a noble belief, it does not act as protection from what soon followed.  We know not the truth of what happened the day of the twin’s fifth birthday, as the celebration was only attended by the royal family and none of them, not even Yhlum, who tried so admirably to protect his brother’s name, has ever broken their silence. What we do know is that at some point Uhltrics raised voice could be heard from outside the closed doors of the great hall. The shouting reached a peak and continued for some time when suddenly there was a wordless yell and then silence. Then the screaming started.  The guards, when finally let into the great hall by Yhlum, found Uhlric seated upon the steps of the throne, head in hands, as King Uhlum stood over the body of his brother Yhldredd. The twins Yhltric and Uhldron, as well as their younger brother Uhldredd, had been removed from the hall by the Queen and her daughters. A few other royal Aunts and cousins were present, but hung about the edges of the hall, as if trying to distance themselves from the events at hand. King Uhlum ordered Uhltric taken to his room with a guard posted outside his door and for the hall to be cleared, leaving only the King and his nephew Yhlum to preside over the corpse of Yhldredd.  A funeral was quickly prepared and, though it gave great honor to the deceased Yhldredd, it lacked the great pomp of most royal events. Few were in attendance aside from the King and the immediate royal family and the body was not made available for viewing as is most often the tradition following the death of a royal. The cause of Yhldredd’s death remains unclear, but the guards who entered the great hall that day say he appeared to have been struck by a sword. As is the custom for any royal celebration, the only three swords present were the King’s sword, and the swords of the Sun and Moon, though the guards say that all three were sheathed when they entered the hall. The King’s sword was fastened tightly to the King’s waist, as it almost always was, while the swords of the Sun and Moon were lashed to the backs of the chairs upon which the young heirs, the Summer Prince and Winter Prince, had been sitting. We do not know the truth of that day and to speculate would only bring further attention to one of the darkest days in the history of the kingdom.  Soon after the funeral of Yhldredd, Uhltric quietly left the realm. No royal announcement was made and no reason was given. It is said that the King sent him away, but it should be noted that Uhltric left on his own and without incident, wearing dark clothes and a simple steel dagger on his belt. Left behind in a high tower room was the battered and dented armor worn proudly by the hero of the realm in defense of his people. This, along with the long sword he carried to battle and to court, was left to his brother. While unnamed and lacking any pedigree, the blade was sharp and well cared for and would hardly leave Yhlum’s side during the many long years he spent as general of the King’s Army.  Little is known about Uhltric after he left the kingdom, though over the years tales have reached the court of a ranger known as Wildfyre whose appearance and skills in battle reminded many of the young man beloved amongst his people. Soon these tales and rumors reached us less and less until eventually all mention of the wild ranger ceased. Those who thought of Uhltric these past 15 years often wondered what had happened to the hero of the realm, but those who thought of Uhltric grew fewer every day.  But alas this past year brought the name Uhltric to many whispered conversations in court. The king's third son, Uhldredd, died at the age of 18 when his party was ambushed while surveying the construction of a defensive wall along the Western border. It was said Uhldredd fought valiantly but was eventually overwhelmed. Tragically, the kings second son, Uhldron the Winter Prince, died of a fever not long after the passing of his younger brother. This series of unfortunate events brought the line of succession into question. Many believed that Uhltric should be passed over and that his brother Yhlum should be named Winter Prince in his stead, but this notion was quickly dispatched by King Uhlum himself. With quiet determination the King named Uhltric the Winter Prince and sent messengers far and wide to find what news they can. If the hero of the realm is dead or has renounced his royalty, then Yhlum may yet be named Winter Prince, but until we hear otherwise it seems that the tale of Uhltric remains unfinished. Family Tree: https://www.familyecho.com/?p=START&c=lv7tsvjcyo&f=846112087450333732