Strength In Virtue

Strength In Virtue is the autobiography of Lady Melysa Marwyn-Ashvale of Stromgarde. Written shortly after the death of her mentor, Sir Duncan Maclear, Melysa was encouraged by fellow paladins to share her experience as both an aristocrat and a servant of the Holy Light.

((This page is a work in progress and it may take several days to transfer the original document to the wiki.))

Chapter One - It Began With a Dream
My name is Melysa Lynn Marwyn-Ashvale and I was born at Stone Manor in the Arathi Highlands on the first of November in the year five eighty four of the King's Calendar. My father was Jarl Joren Marwyn and my mother was Lady Lizabet McGowen. Although I had been born into the old aristocracy of Stromgarde, mine was a dream much different from that of most young ladies and I have Sir Duncan Maclear to thank for that. Sir Duncan was precisely what one thought of when one imagined the ideal qualities of a Knight, but more than that, Sir Duncan was a man of faith in the Holy Light, whose personal motto, "Strength In Virtue" was evident in every aspect of his life.

When the Archbishop and Lord Uther formed the Order of the Silver Hand after the first Orcish war, Sir Duncan was among the first men selected to become a different sort of Knight--a paladin. Sir Duncan was the eldest son of the Earl of Whitecrown and when he renounced all claim to his father's land and title, dedicating himself entirely to the Order of the Silver Hand, it was something virtually unheard of. It speaks to the character of the man who is in many ways, my greatest inspiration. He came to dine with us at Stonegarde just before the second war and from that evening on, I was certain that I wanted to serve as a paladin.

My training began as it did for most in those days--hours of study, hours of practice in the training yard and countless hours of prayer. The Order of the Silver Hand has always been a Holy order and as such, its Knights were expected to learn the scripture so that they could carry the Light's message throughout the land. Sadly, my training came to an end when I was just fifteen years old. My father desired an alliance with Lordaeron's aristocracy and a marriage was often the only way to seal such pacts. I was not consulted with regard to who I would marry, but I was told in no uncertain terms that I must do my duty and that meant putting an end to my training.

It was just months before my sixteenth birthday that I learned I was to marry the new Lord Ashfort. At that time, I knew precious little about him--only that his father had been killed during the second war and he had been recently anointed paladin defender of Lordaeron. He was in his thirties and well-respected, but more than that, I told myself here is a man who will allow me to pursue my dream. Although the prospect of leaving my family and spending the rest of my life in Lordaeron was terrifying at first, I prayed until I was certain that this was the Light's will for me.

I received my first letter from Ethan less than a week before my birthday and his words were the reassurance I so desperately sought. He had arranged for me to visit Stratholme, where I would continue my paladin training if I so desired. His sweet words painted a marvelous picture of the life we might have together and if I'm to be honest, I must admit that I had fallen in love with the idea of being his wife.

My birthday arrived with more letters from Ethan and just two weeks later, I was getting into the carriage that would bring me to Lordaeron and my intended. In that carriage, I traveled through the Lordaeronian countryside, escorted by twenty of my father's men and twenty sent by my betrothed. I had never left the Arathi Highlands and Ethan's letters fell pitifully short of describing the beauty of Lordaeron in November. By the time I arrived in Capital City, I could not wait for my wedding to begin.

Our wedding took place in Capital City's great cathedral and when I saw my intended for the first time, I was rather pleased. He was tall, gallant and quite handsome for a man his age, but it was the ceremonial armor he wore that took my breath away. Silver, accented with blue and gold so bright it shone brilliantly. It was as if the Light itself shone through him as he entered the great Cathedral. The Archbishop performed the ceremony, we made our vows and he kissed me for the first time. It was like a fairy tale and I was certain we'd live happily ever after.

Chapter 2 - Motherhood and the Trials of a Paladin
Coming Soon!

Chapter 3 - A Dream Realized
Coming Soon!

Chapter 4 - The Power of Faith
Coming Soon!

Chapter 5 - A Nation In Peril
Coming Soon!

Chapter 6 - The End of an Era
Coming Soon!

Chapter 7 - The Fall of Lordaeron
Coming Soon!

Chapter 8 - The Fall of the Ashfort
Coming Soon!

Chapter 9 - The Light of Hope
Coming Soon!

Chapter 10 - A Reckoning
Coming Soon!

Chapter 11 - A Mother's Nightmare
Coming Soon!

Chapter 12 - Homecoming
Coming Soon!

Chapter 13 - The Dawn of a New Day
Coming Soon!

Chapter 14 - Pandaria
Coming Soon!

Chapter 15 - Hellscream
Coming Soon!

Chapter 16 - Purpose
Coming Soon!

Chapter 17 - Betrayal
Coming Soon!

Chapter 18 - The Long Road Ahead
Coming Soon!