Ser Alester Tyrell (born 411 AC), also called Alester Blackrose, is the second son of Lord Gareth Tyrell and served as a knight in the household of Highgarden. He served as a commander in his father's army during the Second Hammer Uprising.

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Appearance and Character

Alester has a somewhat more stocky build than most of his siblings. He keeps his hair cut short and beard well-trimmed and has pronounced eyebrows which give his brown eyes a slightly squinted look.

Unlike his older brother, Alester eschews the opulent and flashy attires that the man is known for preferring more subdued styles and utilitarian wear. Unless expected to wear otherwise, he is often found in clean combat leathers or simple tunics that might have him mistaken for an average man-at-arms to any who did not know otherwise.

Alester is well-liked by the smallfolk in part due to his actions during the Second Hammer Uprising which earned him a reputation as a chivalrous knight. However, he has a temperament that makes him quick to anger and vulgar in his speech. Preferring the company of fellow soldiers and townsfolk, he is oft found in a tavern or inn rather that behind the protective walls of the keep with his family.

History

Early Life

Alester had a fairly typical upbringing for the second son of a Westerosi noble house. Not expected to inherit his father's lands and titles, Alester's education as a child was more focused on physical conditioning and warcraft than affairs of state and the administration of holdings.

Unsatisfied with his standing as a second son and jealous of the attention his older brother received, Alester would often act rebelliously and as a counter to whatever his brother attempted to do. While never deliberately sabotaging his brother, he often took advantage of his more athletic build to bully and intimidate Garlan beginning a sibling rivalry that persisted well into their adult lives.

The Blue Winter

During the Blue Winter, Alester rode alongside his older brother under orders from their father to root out a band of brigands that had been raiding villages south of Highgarden. Reluctantly following Garlan's lead, Alester helped his brother plan the assault on the brigand's encampment and fought alongside the Tyrell soldiers when the brigands were successfully flushed out from their camp.

Upon returning to Highgarden, Alester watched as his father knighted Garlan for the successful completion of the task while silently seething that he was not granted the same honor.

Family Matters

Once Garlan was betrothed and wed to Florys Redwyne in 431 AC, Alester's father began to seek out potential matches for the second son. While not possessing or expecting to possess any holdings or titles of his own, it was expected that Alester would marry a second daughter of a major house or the first daughter of one of the many minor houses in the Reach.

Despite several matches and courtships, Alester refused to marry as he believed he should be the one to choose who he marries. In doing so, he would slight his older brother who was forced to marry against his will -- one small victory for the Tyrell scion that believed himself to be continuously under-appreciated and ignored by his father and the court at Highgarden.

The Second Hammer Uprising

During the Second Hammer Uprising which broke out in 432 AC, Alester rode to battle with the Tyrell forces mobilized to confront the Warsmith threat. In the war tent, Alester advocated for decisive offensive strikes and a proactive military strategy while his older brother argued for a more defensive strategy that would allow reactive responses to Warsmith actions. Ultimately, and much to the chagrin of Alester, Garlan's plan was adopted.

Rather than remain with the main body of forces within fortified keeps and cities, Alester would often volunteer for scouting and reconnaissance tasks that would not only get him away from his brother but potentially earn him his own glory without being forced to share it with his brothers.

As a scout, Alester leveraged local connections and the Tyrell coffers to gather information and hire informants to report on the actions and movements of the Warsmiths. Over time he developed an aptitude for establishing local spy rings thanks to his ability to blend in as one of the smallfolk. The information he gathered was pivotal in allowing the Tyrell forces to track the Warsmith armies and anticipate where they may next strike or attempt to gather sympathy from.

During the Battle of Bitterbridge, Alester fought in the vanguard and inspired the men around him to fight to their limits. When the king fell from the sky he did not see the man's body; rather, he heard the dragon's wail that pierced through the sky and caused the battle-hardened knight to remove his helmet and cover his ears.

After the battle, Alester rode with his father's army for a successful campaign against Ser Randyll Fossoway and the remaining Warsmith forces that operated in the Northmarch. Later, he would follow the army to Ashford where he, along with his brothers, fought the troops within the city and watched Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen duel and defeat Ser Duncan Hammer. The act would remain in Alester's memory as the moment Rhaenyra had gained his respect as a skilled fighter and leader.

Present Day

In order to form a closer bond with House Targaryen, Alester was wed in a hastily organized ceremony to Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen a few weeks after the king's death. Finding himself thrust into the intrigues of court, he has tempered his more independent and adventurous inclinations for ones more supportive of his wife and stepson, Prince Viserys.

Family

See: House Tyrell