Chapter 8: The Family Creed
Before the sundering of the world, a mighty empire ruled in Europe. Not Roman, but those who claimed to be their descendants. And with the wisdom and foresight of Old Chester, we married into them in a very particular way beneficial to us. A scion of their family, Pepin, would take our bride and our name as his and his children’s, when the time came for them to wed. And when he, unexpectedly, became the new king in Francia, he affirmed to that promise. Perhaps he viewed Karling blood as a spent force, or sensed the vitality of our own. Whatever his reason, our House now ruled all of Europe.
Not wishing to rest idly, Derby took it upon himself to match his father’s intake. He promised his own son to the Princess of the Romans, whom lived and still stand strong in the East. This was before the days of their Great Seal with Lombardy, making our relation with them even older. I believe this binding will yet bring us much pain, and much power within this realm of ours. Such is the way of deals with such great powers on Earth.
But Derby was not satisfied with these mortal strengths. He looked to the Heavens and found the Faith in turmoil, in Francia and in Rome; something again that has yet to be rectified and perhaps never will. But it was here that my forebears first became true Christians, instead of reluctant converts. After Derby, many tales and writings emerge on our piety, and many churches sprang up in these lands. It began with this man.
God tested him, and tested him again. His faith was challenged and questioned, but never did Derby relent! He stood fast in his Faith and so Faith rewarded him, with a child born onto him: Wiglaf of Chester.
Another child of his was soon imperilled by mortal illness, and it became clear to all that Derby’s quest was not yet done. God wished him to go on a special mission and so he prepared to leave his homeland.
His vassals, bar the mutinous Macclesfield, were in good cheer of him by this time, so he could safely leave the place in good hands and their trust. He would also be aided by the newly matured Pepin, whose empire stretched from the coasts of the North Sea to the shores of the Mediterranean. Derby and Pepin could easily have thus taken a procession to Rome and indeed did so for Pepin’s coronation. But this was too easily done to be a holy passage, and so the pair looked further afield. They were called to the Holy Land itself, to the Great City of Christ.
A separate Epic tells of their travels and adventures through sea, forest and desert, through the land of the Infidel and Heathen, and to Jerusalem itself. Throughout the journey to the East, Derby began to exhibit the kindness and Christian charity his own father was well remembered for, and a humbleness that impressed the mighty king he travelled with. Some say that at this time, the king granted Derby and all his heirs the title Defender of the Faith, for their demonstrable piety.
As he wondered around the old city, reflecting on the Bible, Derby came to some conclusions that mark our family to this day:
First, there is but one God in Heaven and so there must be one Arbiter on Earth. The Head of the Family must hold absolute power to rule absolutely.
Second, the Head of the Family is God’s chosen, thus anyone from the House may rule.
Third, a House divided cannot stand. When the Head is made, they will be followed. The only reasons to break from this sacred pledge is the Head threatening the House’s existence, or making war with God.
These tenants of our Creed became embedded into our very souls, that all within our family, as then not yet fully formed from the darkness, can repeat them ad nauseum. We are the children of God, and of Lancaster. And so, we will choose, with God’s aid, our ruler from within our family, to love and obey.
I was chosen. One day, perhaps, so will you, dear listeners. But we all bear a great weight of history, and must carry down the road towards the future Each and every one of us is responsible for the successes and failures of our entire line. And when I became Head, I was no longer a man. I
am Lancaster. And to Lancaster, now, we finally come in our story.
