Leander Vi Britannia

Leander Vi Britannia is a character from The Academy for Heroes In-Training, a storybook in YWS. He hails from two different canons, Graceling and Code Geass.

He is one of the numerous scions of Charles Zi Britannia, and, depending on who you ask, either first or second in line to the Britannian throne. He shares a fierce rivalry with his identical twin Ephraim, from whom he's been separated for ten years now. Unlike his brother, he possesses no Geass, and instead relies on his Grace, which was born with. His Grace allows him to manipulate and control other people's goals, and later on even their movements.

History
Born on June 19, 1992, Leander Vi Britannia is the first (or second) prince of the Holy Empire of Britannia. He and his twin brother Ephraim were raised by their mother in a palace located in New Orleans, and they spent many a day wandering the lush plantations thereof. The Imperial Consort made sure her sons grew up close-knit and normal, shielding them from their father as much as possible and keeping them clear of the drama the other consorts caused. She worked doubly hard to keep Leander's abilities from the knowledge of the Emperor, but she could only do so much. Leander's Grace was- and is- not something easily hidden, as it affected everyone around him, and it didn't take long for the Emperor to realize that the child had an uncanny propensity for endearing himself to almost everyone. This was painfully clear when the other emperor's consorts did not mind having to spend time with Leander and his twin.

The Emperor was no fool, and he knew full well of his consort's heritage. He always attempted to relocate the consort and her children closer to him, even though the Imperial Consort wanted none of the succession drama for her two sons and only wanted to live a quiet life. She had long accepted the fact that her husband was not who she thought he was, and only wanted to protect her children from him. She always had an excuse on hand as to why she could not move closer to him, and sometimes cited numerous reasons.

On October 8, 1995, she was murdered in her own home after tucking the twins to bed. The perpetrator then set the house on fire, and the servants could do nothing but seize the terrified twins and run out of the house for their own lives. It is speculated by the few people who know of Leander's Grace that had Leander lacked his ability, then the twins would have died in the fire that night. Then again, perhaps the incident would not have happened had Leander been born normal.

Leander and his brother Ephraim were relocated by the Emperor to Texas, so they could be close to him. Leander never truly found Texas as comforting as New Orleans and frequently asked to be taken back to New Orleans. As a child, his Grace was not so potent, and he failed to convince the courtiers mesmerized with his heterochromia that he really ought to be sent back to New Orleans.

On July 19, 1997, the twins woke up from their afternoon nap to the sound of screaming and gunshots. Leander's instincts overrode common sense: he rushed out of the safety of his room to seek his brother Ephraim, and neatly found himself surrounded by Knights. The Emperor's Knights picked up Leander, who decided to abuse his grace right then and there. He screamed for help and to be let go of, and his cries did not go unheard. The servants (to whom Leander had already endeared himself) and Knights exploded into a quarrel amongst themselves, and blood spilled. In the end, Leander's Grace could not sustain long-term persuasion and though he thrashed and thrashed, all he managed to do was draw his brother Ephraim from his respective room. Shit hit the ceiling fan as Ephraim joined the brawl, a few influenced servants still fighting for Leander's rights and the other Knights attempting to fend them off without harming the twins, who kept getting in the way.

Then, one of the Knights realized what was going on and promptly knocked Leander out.

The incident left twenty servants dead, and the Knight who learned of Leander's Grace was executed. Total death toll: 1 Knight, 17 guards who died when the Knights broke in, and 20 servants.

Leander was plunked into the main palace in Houston, where the Emperor could keep a close eye on him, and various nobles could teach him the ropes of diplomacy and politics. At first, Leander resisted all attempts at being trained, and always threw tantrums, overusing his Grace and abusing his limits. He grew weak and frail, and it was not until one of the Knights who'd been influenced by his screaming came by and handed him Daedalus that he accepted what had happened. Several talks later, Leander learned of his father's true nature and did not doubt that he would hurt Ephraim if Leander refused to cooperate, son or not. The boy buried himself in his studies and became adept at navigating the temperamental court. He studied current events, met diplomats, visited other countries, and frequently made public appearances, smiling the whole while. His Grace helped his cause.

Leander was one of the last people to find out his brother had a Geass. Up to this point, Leander had written letters to Ephraim every day, and was told they were delivered. The Graceling was not aware his brother was in the military, nor was he aware his letters never reached his brother. He did not know the exact time his brother earned a Geass, and mistook it to be on the day they were separated. At first, he drew up several theories on why Ephraim did not tell him anything, and attempted to make sense of things. His fellow courtiers, several of them avid loyalists to Leander, unintentionally fed him vitriolic statements about his brother. Leander came to the conclusion that his brother had cut all ties and threw Daedalus across the room that day (poor thing).

He met his brother for the first time in years a week after he heard the news about the Geass. Leander acted harshly and coldly, furious at the perceived betrayal, and took his rage out on the pygmy owl Daedalus, demanding even that the owl be executed. At the last moment, he rescued the owl from the furnace. Partly to soothe himself and to exact revenge on Ephraim, Leander set to work becoming his father's favorite, and studied beyond what was required of him. He helped during charities, sponsored various events, attended social functions, went on frequent trips to the Numbers and quelled any rebellions with honeyed speeches, ate dinner with delegates, and so on and so forth. He read up on almost everything in the world so he would never be awkward in a conversation, and even spent a smidge of time in the military. (Not too long; the military was where Ephraim was at, and Leander did not want to run into his brother ever again.)

The various intrigues of the court he learned to manage, and he uncovered a few plots to wrest the crown from the king. He's had a decent number of his half-brothers executed from behind the scenes, and studied history and law to learn from mistakes and how to fix the problems plaguing Britannia. He was born and bred to be a politician, and he grew up to be one.

Some time later, right before he earned his majority, he took it upon himself to try and heal the wounds he knew lingered under his skin. Stole into the library, sat down, and read articles about his mother's murder, as well as interviewed various servants who witnessed the incident. He followed lead after lead, met dead end after dead end, and eventually several threads converged with one man: Emperor Charles Vi Britannnia. Disbelieving but wary, Leander resolved to ask his father about it, but Grace or not, this was a topic that should never have been touched. A simple question devolved into a loud argument which did not shed the king in a good light. Even worse, half the court heard the screaming match, and most felt compelled to side with Leander due to the boy's Grace.

The emperor knew exiling Leander would only result in a heavy backlash, and that the best thing to do was to send him away to the Academy, which Leander found humiliating. Leander was content and happy in the court, and being sent to the Academy was one hell of a bitch slap. Nevertheless, Leander decided to suck it up, issued an apology to his father, and gracefully accepted his punishment in the hope of regaining favor with his father. Right before he left for the Academy, the loyal Knight who handed him Daedalus reported to him Ephraim's failure, and this cheered Leander somewhat, knowing that he and his brother were once again on equal ground.

What Leander does not know is that his brother is also headed to the Academy as a punishment.

Appearance
Leander shares all his brother's physical traits, except his eyes. Both twins are ice blond, tall, and lanky to a degree. Their frames do not betray any obvious differences either despite the obvious differences in their upbringing, though Leander is a touch paler than his twin, and is slightly less muscled. In addition, Leander has less calloused hands and lacks any (physical) scars whatsoever. He also has a certain grace in his movements that his brother lacks, and his reflexes are nowhere as quick as his brother's. His eyes betray him for who he really is, however, and mark him out as Graced. Leander's Grace causes heterochromia, and as such his left eye is not green, but a dark blue. They often startle the object of his gaze, and can be considered either disconcerting or beautiful. Leander does try to hide this imperfection of his, and will wear sunglasses or contact lenses when possible. Raised to be a true noble, he is well-dressed and though he won't wear the ornate costumes he owns everywhere, he does maintain a certain formality in his way of dress, and will rarely if ever be seen in a t-shirt and jeans, often preferring dress shirts, vests/blazers, and loafers. During the first few days, however, it will not be strange or uncommon for people to confuse the twins, who both share a propensity for wearing sunglasses or contacts.

Personality
Whether or not you take into account his upbringing, Leander is unnaturally charismatic and persuasive, causing everyone to always be biased towards him before he meets them. He has a way with words that soothes anyone, and is soft-spoken and polite. He's intelligent, observant, and meticulous, as well as neat. Cleanliness is of the highest importance to him and he takes pains to make sure he doesn't soil his clothes. Unlike his brother, he's careful and calculating, and he knows that brute force cannot always win a war. He has a deep respect for hierarchies, structured governments, and laws. Graceful movements and a dignified bearing betray his noble background, and he appears self-assured and confident, drawing the hearts of people with his capability to lead. The shadow of a cheerful smile always lingers on his lips, though this might be his Grace working its magic.

Unfortunately, his upbringing has also instilled in him a measure of entitlement, and he's a tad bratty, prone to cracking and throwing tantrums whenever things don't go his way. He may not cause a ruckus, but still waters run deep, and be assured he will not let go of what he wants. His forgiving, sweet attitude is in part due to the fact that he knows a good attitude is something a public relations officer can never get you, and that it always wins over the masses. He holds no grudges and is willing to forgive, though he cannot seem to do the same with his twin, who he believes betrayed him. He's a bit aloof and difficult to approach, especially since he carries himself the way he does. His innate calmness hides a calculating boy who has grown up with political intrigue and backstabbing all his life. He's dominant and though not aggressive, he does not like playing second fiddle to anyone, and will take offense to being interrupted. Humiliation is something he despises with a passion, and though he forgives, he never forgets. He's wary of most people, and is loathe to trust someone.

Dig deep, though, and you'll find that under all that bravado is a broken prince. Leander will never admit it, but he's never gotten over his own failure to protect his brother Ephraim, and Ephraim's acceptance of the Geass contract only broke him further. Leander may be fiercely competitive, but he is overprotective when it comes to people he loves. He lashes out at anyone who threatens anything he holds dear, and has no moral qualms about using his Grace. Similarly, there is only one thing he cannot forgive, and that is his brother's acceptance of the Geass contract. The poor bastard strongly believes that Ephraim is out to steal the throne from him. He's deeply envious of the fact that Ephraim has the Power of Kings, and cannot understand why he hasn't been offered a Geass. Confused and hurt, he despises his brother with a passion, but if given the chance, Leander knows he will not be able to bring himself to hurt Ephraim directly, just as he is loathe to get his own hands dirtied with blood. He pushes himself beyond the limit, often hurting himself in the process, and often drowns in self-loathing, which he will never admit to. He attempts to compensate for this by doing his best to excel in everything he does and subconsciously tries to be perfect. Control is his drug, and if he feels it disappearing he will crack.

Playlist
Twins' theme:


 * Battle for the Sun - Placebo


 * Hello - Poe

Individual Playlist:
 * 1) You Know My Name - Chris Cornell
 * 2) You're Gonna Go Far, Kid - The Offspring
 * 3) Actions and Motives - 10 Years

Graced
''Gracelings are people born with an extreme talent, known as a Grace. Rare enough to be unusual, they are feared for their difference and often exploited for their skill. They can be picked out by the fact that they have two different-colored eyes. - Graceling ''

Leander is not so much supernatural as he is abnormally talented at persuading and charming others. His Grace comes from his mother's line, and she recognized his ability when he was a mere child, who always seemed to have a mild influence over the people around him. Charles recognized it as well, and for this reason Leander was torn away from his brother to be bred as the perfect political force.

Had Leander been raised in Monsea (his mother's homeland) and not Britannia, he'd have lived a very different life and would have been feared as a freak. In Britannia, his eyes are seen as fascinating, and are passed off as heterochromia, a rare disease, but nothing too implausible. Only a select few know of his status as a Graceling - his direct family (not the other 100+ half-siblings), and a few trusted nobles who have been made to understand that their life will become expendable the moment they blab about his secret.

Unlike Ephraim's Geass, Leander's Grace is not voluntarily activated and is always influencing others whether or not he likes it. He's also had it since birth, as opposed to Ephraim's being chosen at a later age. Also, all his commands rely on being verbal until he hits level six. All throughout, your mind will be the only one siding with Leander, and your emotions are not affected.

Level 0
Most people who encounter Leander will believe him friendly and charming at first sight, and they will naturally gravitate towards him. Whether or not they actually like him after he opens his mouth is not guaranteed. He's also slightly persuasive, and most people will not think to double check whatever he tells them at this point, no matter how silly it is. Presented with evidence, though, they will realize their mistake.

Level 1
People will find themselves defending Leander from other people's slander despite disliking him, and Leander's words now have a ripple effect. (For example, he tells A that the sky will fall tomorrow. A tells B, and B will automatically be compelled to believe it and his logic will not question it. B tells C, who will also believe it. The farther it gets from Leander, though, the weaker the persuasive power of the words. This will go on until the D, who will have doubts and probably ask around. E will not be affected anymore.)

Level 2
He can compel people to do small favors for him, and his natural charisma increases to such a point that when you speak to him, your brain will insist that you like this guy despite your gut telling you otherwise.

Level 3
Anything he says will be accepted as the truth, and his words will have a considerably stronger influence on your logic. Only when presented with extremely solid and non-circumstancial evidence can someone else convince the victim that Leander had lied. Even then, the other person's brain will insist he heard it wrong and Leander had not lied. The ripple effect is now stronger and now the ninth person from Leander will have to be the one to refute any claims.

Level 4
He can now affect crowds of larger sizes. Logic will always seem to side with him, no matter how absurd what he says is. Your brain will argue against whatever your feelings come up with. Natural gravitation towards him increases. Can now persuade people to do what he wants them to do (medium tasks, such as skip a party and do my homework for me). Brain will defend him and people find themselves passionately reasoning against people who badmouth Leander. At this point, he will begin to doubt his own allies for fear of their loving him because of his powers, not because of his actual self.

Level 5
He can influence people into doing bigger, riskier things for him now.

Level 6
Improved control of grace. Verbal commands no longer needed, but physical proximity or eye contact is a must. Headaches resulting from persuasion also decrease, leading him to abuse his power.

Level 7
Total and absolute respect for him is demanded by your brain. He can wrest control over a person's body now. Some people who haven't formed an opinion of him before this point will have half a mind to follow him fanatically and find themselves reasoning with themselves as to why they should die for him, despite fear overcoming them when the thought rolls around. When he leaves the room, people realize they have been holding their breaths while he was around. (Instills instinctive fear.) Panics often now, and will be a total control freak. Fears losing control more than anything for fear that everyone will abandon him should he do so.

Level 8
Can control people he doesn't see, and ripple effect hits up to 15 people before someone starts to doubt.

Level 9
Can control more than one person (4-5) at a time now, so long as they're all within his line of sight. (So he can't control someone in America while he's in Britain controlling two guys.)

Level 10
What he says is word of God now, or so you think. No snapping out unless he decides to let you go.

Weaknesses
Telepaths cannot be persuaded so easily, and as such, will require him to be a level higher than he should be to use that power on other people. They're still affected by his natural charm, however. His brother will also be unaffected by the gravitation people feel towards Leander, because of the former's empathic abilities. The longer the amount of time he spends controlling people, the more exhausted and disoriented he is otherwise, especially if it's absolute dominance. Absolute dominance leaves him disconcerted and having something similar to an out-of-body experience, all spacey and clumsy. The difference between influence and dominance: if influenced, you are given a goal to work towards, and Leander has no control over how you achieve it. With dominance, he controls your every movement, much to your horror (you are yet conscious when he decides to use you like a puppet).

Other Trivia

 * Leander is actually Nolan Lehnsherr under a different canon and name. The basic personality has been copy/pasted by his lazy ass of a driver.NorthernPygmyOwlPH4.jpg
 * He's quite adept with a gun and is a good sharpshooter, though an absolute failure at anything too physically demanding. Giant mechas are...all right, although he dislikes being in them, as he feels trapped inside one. He knows the bare basics (how to move it), but nothing more, and is nowhere as efficient as Ephraim at handling them.
 * Unlike you'd expect from fictional characters who are twins, Leander and Ephraim do not have different dominant hands, and therefore cannot be told apart through this.
 * Leander owns a pygmy owl named Daedalus, though Daedalus is merely a pet and not a familiar.Daedalus is no familiar and is a simple pet.
 * D is barely fist-sized and, when not in his ornate golden cage, will be found lazily contentedly perched on Leander's shoulder.
 * Taking care of D is cathartic for Leander, and he often spoils the owl to absolve himself of guilt.
 * D is Ephraim's childhood pet, and try as he might, Leander simply cannot bring himself to hurt it anymore. Some military generals surmise that Daedalus is actually a substitute for Ephraim, and that taking care of it is Leander's way of compensating for his failure the night of their separation.
 * Leander has, through sheer bad luck, been assigned to live with his brother Ephraim on the top floor of the M. C. Bo Domicile, called the Coruscant Residence.