Sir Charles of Millesh

The major outcome of the Palissanic Civil War was the abolition of the monarchy, which meant that the family of King Timothy IV mostly fled to Dorland. But I've talked about them before. Today, I'm going to introduce the king's second son, Sir Charles of Millesh.

Sir Charles was in his mid-20s when the war began. He had extensive military training, since he wasn't expected to become king and thus need to know how to rule. So he was named general of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, which would end up being the last Royalist regiment to surrender to republican forces. He performed well as a leader - more as a logistician and motivator than as a strategist - but of course in the end his side lost.

He was captured and imprisoned when his regiment lost their last battle. The republican forces held on to him in the hopes of using him as some sort of bargaining chip, but when the king, most of his family, and many of his advisers skipped the country, Charles was suddenly worthless.

There was talk of executing him (as a proxy for his father) but in the end cooler heads prevailed. He could not reasonably be accused of treason, after all, and he wasn't personally responsible for the atrocities and oppressions that had inspired the war. He was left to languish in relative comfort until he did something surprising.

Deciding to accept the inevitable and act for the good of the country, Charles willingly bowed to the new government. He was officially named Charles Millesh, and became a commoner with no special status. Until, that is, he was appointed to reorganize the army, turning the victorious but disparate and unorganized former rebels into a true professional army.

His name was held in disdain by the Royalist holdouts, and frankly a lot of people in the new government didn't trust him. His family officially disowned him and he never had any contact with them again. Nonetheless, his talents were apparent, and he delivered a Palissanic Army as promised.

Eventually he retired to a little estate given to him by the government (on the opposite side of the country from his former royal holdings,) married, and had a few children, the descendant of whom still proudly bear the Millesh name.