the great war

alec

The salt air filled his lungs, burning them like fire. Alec, his body bruised and battered, struggled to his feet, his head swimming with dizziness. He looked around, the setting sun casting a bloody hue over the sandy beach and the tall, unfamiliar buildings that towered behind it.

He was alive, but he didn't know where he was. All he knew was that the Lannisters believed him dead, and perhaps that was for the best.

North Carolina. He was in North Carolina.
How had he gotten here? The last thing he remembered was the cold embrace of the sea as the waves had taken him under."
Alec knew he had to keep moving, but he was still disoriented, unsure of his next step.

Alec, his mind racing, scanned the beach for any sign of the shipwreck. But all he saw was sand, and water, and the remnants of broken wood scattered along the shore.
He called out, his voice echoing against the waves, "Shadow! Shadow, boy!"
The wind answered with silence, the only sound the crash of the waves. Alec, his throat tight with grief, sank to his knees. His direwolf, his faithful companion, was lost, just like his family.

Alec was alone in this strange country, where he had been sent to school so long ago. He needed help and support, but his family was far away in Moresnet, and he had no one else to turn to. So he decided to head to Mystic Falls, where he knew he could find a safe haven and perhaps a way to return home.

With the few coins and crumpled bills he had, Alec made his way to the bus station and purchased a ticket to Mystic Falls, the name of the small town like a lifeline in the darkness.
He took a seat on the bus, his body sagging with exhaustion as the vehicle lurched forward, carrying him further away from the sea.

As Alec made his way to Mystic Falls, his sister, Hope Mikaelson, was a hostage of the Lannisters, her fate unknown. And his grandfather, the noble Ned Stark, was being executed for treason, a false charge concocted by those who sought to tear his family apart.
And all the while, the Seven Kingdoms thought Alec dead, lost at sea in the conflict that had claimed so many lives

After a long journey, Alec finally arrived in Mystic Falls. He made his way to the Salvatore School, knowing that he needed a place to stay and plan his next move to rescue his sister.

Alec walked through the school's corridors, his heart heavy with a weight he had never felt before. He needed a place to stay, and a plan.

Dr. Alaric Saltzman saw Alec and approached him, his face a mask of confusion and concern.
Alec? Is it really you?
It's me. He said, his voice low and hoarse.

Dr. Saltzman led Alec to his office and closed the door behind them. The two men sat, facing each other, the silence heavy with tension and unasked questions.
Alec. What's going on?
They tried to kill me.
They who? Dr. Saltzman asked.
The Lannisters. They're the royal family of Westeros, the kingdom next-door to Moresnet. My grandmother, Catelyn Stark, convinced my grandfather, Viserys, to arrange a marriage between my sister, Hope, and the king's son. Now that he's king, he's trying to kill us all.
And you said he tried to kill you?
Yes. He imprisoned our grandfather, Ned Stark, on false charges of treason. They kidnapped me and put me on a ship, trying to kill me. I need help. I have to go rescue my sister and bring her home to our grandfather, Viserys. They think I'm dead. That was the plan, I suppose. Drown me and be done with it.
Alec, listen to me. We can't help you with an army. We're not equipped for that kind of thing here. But what we can offer you is safety. Here, in Mystic Falls, you can stay hidden. As far as anyone knows, you're dead. That gives you an advantage.
I'm not asking you to go to war. I just... I just thought you cared about Hope, about my family.
I do care, Alec. I care about your family, about Hope. And because I care, I'm telling you that the best thing you can do for her is stay alive. All I can offer you is your room back you will be safe here and for you to grow safe until you can go after Hope if she survives. Alec, you don't have men you don't have sources. You don't have the means and you are a kid.