Lucy of Bolingbroke
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Lucy of Bolingbroke, Countess of Chester, was a controversial individual in Hycathic history. She was known to be one of the most powerful Nyridiae of her time, and was instrumental in the events that led to the First Age of Hycath, but her methods were often questionable.
Early Life
Lucy was born into an Anglo-Norman family as the daughter of Thorold, sheriff of Lincoln and Lucy Malet. Her mother suffered from poor health and passed away when Lucy was in her teens. Lucy was a single child and she spent most of her time at Lincoln Castle where she received a first-class education and learned to speak several languages fluently.
First Hycath War
Lucy was one of the few nobles who heavily opposed the reign of Stephen of Blois and decided to support Empress Matilda (Maud) Beauclerc in her quest of recovering the throne of England. Alice Eymor, who was also dedicated to Maud’s quest, visited Lucy in Lincoln during her recruitment mission across England. At this point, Lucy had doubts about Maud’s capabilities, feeling that Maud, who was consolidating territory in France, needed to finish her business there faster and deal with the greater threat of King Stephen back home. However, seeing Alice’s devotion and confidence, she agreed to help and sent two Hycathae to escort Alice and aid her on her quest.
Some time after, Lucy learned that Alice had been captured and held for questioning in Cambridge for setting fire to some of Stephen’s fields. She travelled to Cambridge and destroyed the entire castle holding the prison cell with her Nyridia powers. Some historians believe that Lucy informed Alice about Maud’s arrival in England at this point, giving her the knowledge to locate the Empress at her newly established court in Gloucester, but this has never officially been confirmed.
Battle of Lincoln and Reckoning
Lucy was embroiled in the build-up to the Battle of Lincoln in early 1141. She found herself besieged there by Stephen’s forces, and sent a missive to Maud for help. Maud elected to ride to her rescue, accompanied by her large cabal and entourage, and the Hycathic army engaged Stephen’s forces in armed combat, emerging victorious.
Lucy revealed to Maud in the aftermath that she had in fact engineered the White Ship Disaster, the event in 1120 which had taken the life of William Adelin, the Empress’ half-brother and heir to the English throne, and set in motion the events that led to the war. Instead of the gratitude she expected, the Empress was furious and sentenced her to be reckoned for her actions, feeling them a gross overstep in the use of Hycathic powers.
