By Their Stripes

The Beginning

During the reign of Magor the Cruel

"Run!" Caspian pushed the young prince and his sister forward as they ran from the palace they had been held captive in. He had made a pledge to King Aenys to protect his children and he would keep it.

For a time the two young royals had been safe at the palace that their uncle had been holding them prisoner in but now Magor was getting more and more paranoid.... It was only a matter of time before he killed all those who could claim his throne from him.

Personally if you asked Arathorn this madness was the result of inbreeding but he was too loyal to the Targyren line to say so. His house had been by their side when they first came here to Westeros and if he had any say his descendants would be by their side long after he was dead in his grave.

As soon as they were safely away Jaehaerys looked to his rescuer, his fathers best friend with tears in his eyes "Thank you Lord Caspian... My family is in your debt."

Arathorn reached out placing a hand on the boys shoulders "Never send me from your side when you are king, that will be all I need in payment."

Arathorn smiled when he saw his family waiting for them, his wife a warrior in her own right, his sons strong and powerful.... The Lancasters believed it was fear and power that made a house strong... He did not believe so, in his eyes it was loyalty, true loyalty to your faith, your family, and your king.

They lived on the run for months guarding the prince and princess, before hearing the news that Magor was dead. It was Arathorn who stood beside the king when he was crowned, and when asked what his house would accept as payment for their protection he asked one thing

"Let me and those who come after me protect your legacy my King, let us protect the children of the King who sits on the Iron Throne."

Jaehaerys nodded "So let it be written, so let it be done."

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Before Roberts revolt

Ellrias Lord of House Caspian was a man of power, any who looked at him could see it. Tall and handsome with a shaved head and eyes that pierced souls, he was a man sure of his house and his ability... Born the lesser son to a third wife, no one had ever thought he would amount to anything.

 But when his brother died in battle leaving no heirs it had been Ellrias who the House of Caspian and Lordship of Tygros had fell to... Ellrias who at the time had been by the side of King Aegon his close friend, Ellrias who was married to a Dothkari girl he had met long ago.

Ellrias who was born to do nothing but serve was now head of his House.... He had taken it in stride, in his eyes it was a way to give his wife and children a better life then the one they had led.. His wife Vera, who had born him two sons Ellrias II (nicknamed Ellry) and Lorn..  and was now pregnent with a third child (more then likely a boy since that was all his house ever had).

Ellrias was released from his Kings service and sent to his new home, it was there that his wife gave birth to their third child..... A daughter the first in their line in 300 years Ellrias was fastidiously proud of her, his little Tigress, his little Aella.

The House of Caspian had never held the thoughts about women that others did, in their eyes even if a woman died not live by the sword they could still die by one.

  The woman of house Caspian had only one rule, that from the time the had their first moonblood they wore a veil or helmet over their faces until the day they wed (if they so chose.

This was to respect the warrior women of the past, and let the men they would wed know they were marrying a warrior not a housewife

So from the day Aella could walk she began to be trained alongside her brothers, she too would one day be a member of the Tiger guard.