My goodness, this is quite an honor!
Firstly, I'd like to personally thank General_BT for his consideration in bestowing this award upon me. He is both a highly skilled writer and a good friend, not to mention my AARland mentor, if you will.
Second, I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed to my AAR in one way or another: those who offer suggestions or comments, those who encourage me in my writing, and finally my readers. You have all helped keep my story going.
So for those of you who are unfamiliar with my AAR, I had better explain Chronicles of the Golden Cross just a little bit.
The story begins in 1186, at the commencement of King Guy's reign, in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. The first generation of characters, such as Queen Sibylla and Reynald de Chatillon, are based on real historical people. I have simply tried to interpret them in a new and interesting manner. The upcoming generation, however, is a mixture of new characters and widely reinterpreted ones.
For the sake of example, I'll use BT's favorite characters. Godfrey II is a brand new character, the youngest child and only son of King Guy and Queen Sibylla. Historically, Sibylla died of an illness before she could give birth to a son, but given the counter-factual nature of the AAR, in my timeline she survived to bear a son. Godfrey has developed and grown throughout the story from an easily manipulated young prince to an upstanding, stalwart young king. The future holds many twists and turns for him.
Frederica of Egypt, on the other hand, is based very loosely on the historical Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. However, in my timeline, this character was born a female, and is thus removed from the German succession. Through a complex series of events, she becomes the Queen of a new crusader Kingdom of Egypt. She is just as sensual and religiously ambivalent as the real Frederick, but her feminine wiles make her much more deadly.
In conclusion, I would like to once again thank everyone very much for your support, and in a week's time I shall announce the next recipient of the Character WritAAR of the Week awAARd!