Preston Vance

Ser Preston Vance is the eldest child of Lord Perceon Vance, Lord of Harrenhal and Hand of the Queen, and his wife, Lady Shiera Velaryon. Born in 387 A.C., Preston had spent most of his life in and around King’s Landing, given his parents many connections with the royal court. Unlike his father Preston has taken more to the affairs of the blade, rather than those of the state. He squired for the late Prince of Dragonstone, Aemon Targaryen.

Appearance and Character
Tall, handsome, and proud, Ser Preston cuts a dashing figure that might have been plucked from any of the old tales. While inheriting much of his coloring from his father, the Lord of Harrenhal, his eyes are that of his mother, Lady Shiera of House Velaryon. Like her his irises are as windows to the tides that crash onto the shores of her girlhood home. Days filled with training have seen him gifted with an impressive physique, that is complemented by an austere, knightly style of dress.

Unlike his father, Preston has never cared for the intricacies of statecraft. Instead he has spent his days training for the lists. The proudest moment of his life was being anointed in the oils of the Seven and beginning his life as a knight in his own right. While he may not have his father’s talent for numbers, he makes up for it with his skill atop a horse or with a sword in hand. As a boy growing up to stories of his great-grandfather, the legendary Ser Peremore, the weight of his family’s legacy weighs upon him.

Though shy by nature, he revels in the adulation of a crowd. His reputation as a tourney knight is almost of as much importance as his skill at arms. While not ambitious in the political sense, the young knight is eager to prove himself on the field of battle. For all this glimmer and potential, however, Preston is not without some measure of subtlety. He holds his personal secrets close to his chest, and rankles at the slightest mark upon his name.

Early Childhood
Preston Vance was born in 388 A.C., the firstborn son of Ser Perceon Vance and his wife, Lady Shiera of House Velaryon. Preston was a hale babe and had the most exuberant cries. A sound that might have maddened his mother and wet-nurses, if not for the indication that he had a most healthy set of lungs. From the time he could walk he was quite taken with the men in the yard, and would often practice with tree limbs until he was of an age to be brought under the wing of the Master-at-Arms.

His grandfather, Lord Perwyn, was quite partial to the boy and invested a great deal of energy in his upbringing. A welcome addition, as his father, Ser Perceon, was endlessly taken with the affairs of House Targaryen, as intimately connected as he was to the Silver Hand and his son. All in all his was a relatively happy childhood, no matter how many times he had been forced to practice his letters at the behest of the maester and his lady mother.

As adolescence began to fade, Preston had shown more than his fair share of potential in the ways of the shield, and he was more than comfortable in the saddle of a horse. When the time came for him to be taken on as a page, there was a small bit of discourse between Lord Perwyn, and Preston’s father. Perceon felt confident he could arrange for Preston to serve, as he had done, with a member of the royal family. Perwyn, on the other hand, felt it essential that they not forget the importance of relations within the Riverlands, preferring to see him squired with his, Brandon Tully.

In the end, the head of the family had his way, and Preston was sent to page for the auspicious Lord of Riverrun.

The War of the Three Thieves
Life serving under Lord Brandon was not particularly hard, and Preston found himself taken well underwing during his time accompanying the man. The Lord of Riverrun was a magnetic, charismatic man who imparted much more onto the Preston than he had hoped for. He preferred to hone his skills with the blade, but with Lord Brandon as his tutor, he came to understand the real power behind words. After learning this less, Preston took some of his studies more seriously.

When the call to war came, Preston followed. He was young, but he insisted that it was his right to accompany the Lord of Riverrun so that he could fulfill his duties. He was a page no longer, after all, having been taken on as Lord Brandon’s squire in the previous year. He saw little actual battle, but it was in the Stepstones that he first bloodied his sword, standing just near his father and Lord Tully as Ormollen’s men took them by surprise.

He was spared the sight of Ormollen’s Pyre, but it was not a matter of chance. His father was privy to the machinations of Aemon’s wife, the fearsome woman, Visaera Targaryen. At the time he had been furious not to be sent along with the others, but how could a young boy understand the real horror that was dragon fire?

The war ended when Prince Maekar, atop Stormsong, slew Alequo and Arranax alike. A clash Preston witnessed, and would forever remember as one of the most exhilarating encounters he would ever observe in his life. Tragedy struck, however, shortly after winter fell in the Riverlands, and Lord Perwyn was taken from them. He had gone to war a squire and returned to become the heir of Harrrenhal.