PROFILE - THESS TIERNAM
"Tiernam security is the best available.
I go anywhere I please."
Nickname: None
Status: Second-phase Prodigy
Primary Skill: Molecular Reconstruction
Secondary Skill: Elemental Transmutation
Age: 18
Birthplace: London Core
Raised in: Waverly Division
Accent: British, formal and clipped
Physical Characteristics: lean, athletic, 6-feet tall, streaked blond hair, violet eyes
Personality: smart, self-assured, reserved, courteous and proper, can be condescending
THE HEIR
Turning eighteen is a pivotal event in anyone's life. For someone like Thess Tiernam, it's more than just pivotal—it's remarkable. Second-phase prodigies rarely survive, and many who do are overwhelmed by the dual aspects of their skillset.
Not Thess. His ability to reconstruct non-living matter at a molecular level has only improved with time, and his talent for transmuting base material into something entirely different (i.e., lead into gold) has every employee at Tiernam Industries green with envy. Not that they weren't envious of him before. Thess is smart, driven, heir to an elite industrial empire, and legally betrothed to one of the loveliest young ladies in the Core.
At least, he was.
The news of Morrigan's status as a normal has turned his sheltered, stable world upside down. He spent most of his life getting to know her, sizing up her qualities and discovering her unique traits. She was charming and proper, and best of all, completely adored him. Carrying the heavy responsibility of someday running his father's industry, he'd worked hard to make everyone proud—especially her. She was part of him, and he had fully intended to devote himself to providing for their future.
Enter the savage. In Gambit, Thess knows little about the normals in the Outlying Lands, but has heard the rumors. They're a rough-and-tumble group, driven by baser instincts and no regard for etiquette or rules. As far as he can tell, they're all outlaws. And now, he's supposed to marry one of them: the real Roanoke heiress, Willow Kent.
The thought turns his stomach. And yet, Morrigan is a normal. She was blind to her status and still became a lady. So, clinging to the hope that Willow's upbringing won't be an obstacle, Thess decides to do the right thing and uphold his legal obligation. His first order of business is to send her a gift—a stunning sapphire necklace that costs half his salary. The second is to be officially introduced, and after seeing Willow's classy press release photo on the news, he starts thinking this might not be so bad.
All that changes when the TRON system in Aspen's car sends out an emergency signal. Rushing to Chesapeake to lend a hand, he catches an unexpected glimpse of Willow in the stable yard. To his horror, she's on the verge of strangling the owner. When her guard stops her and she finally notices him, he's shocked—she doesn't look at all like her photo. She's as ragged and dirty as the rumors made her out to be, and when he politely offers his assistance to impress her, she doesn't seem at all grateful.
Utterly disappointed, Thess reacts the only way he knows how: like his father. In emergency situations, Thadd is courteous, professional, and icily detached. Behaving as he thinks he should, Thess has Willow checked out by his medical team. But she doesn't thank him for it. Instead, Fenn shows up and gets all the gratitude. And when Thess catches her hugging her security personnel—entirely inappropriate for someone of her status—and tries to be nice, she doesn't even respond. Irritated and confused beyond measure, he can only assume one thing.
This girl is going to be a problem.
THE GENTLEMAN
As Thess prepares for his official introduction to Willow, he's not sure what to expect. The stories circulating about her aren't good. First, there's the whole Chesapeake debacle, which has left Aspen in critical condition. Then he finds out Willow used her Core commander to gain entrance to Asp's healing station, a fact his Aunt Alaina won't stop yelling about. And word has it the hot-headed stable owner is planning to file charges. Given what he's already experienced with his betrothed, Thess has serious doubts about seeing her again.
So he's surprised when Willow strolls into the conference room looking like something straight out of a fashion show. Even more surprising, she's changed. Gone is the surly, ill-mannered little minx he previously encountered. This heiress is confident, full of spirit, and—much like her birth mother—a tad bit insulting. She handles him with icy calm, and it's not until an unexpected guest arrives that he begins to see her true colors . . . and considers a softer, more humble approach.
But it's all cut short when their group is attacked. Fleeing unscathed, he doesn't encounter Willow again until the Council convenes. It's there that he witnesses the sincere depths of her heart. She has Morry's fire, but Fenn's deep compassion. With sudden clarity, he realizes she's a unique combination of village and Core. She has more to offer than he'd imagined, and after watching the contemtpuous way his family treats her, he knows it's even more important that he win her favor. She's going to need his support. Soon. And he'll be ready.
THE KING
Gambit didn't portray Thess in a positive light. Under the extreme circumstances, he really wasn't able to put his best foot forward. He doesn't seem to have changed much in Mimic, either, as his tendency to behave like his father makes him appear lofty and self-centered.
Underneath all that Tiernam pride, however, lies a good heart. Though Thess has been groomed to take over, he's got his own opinion about how to run things. He's seen great injustice in the Core and feels strongly that it needs to change. His ultimate desire is for peace and stability, and if that means marrying Willow, he'll do his best to be a devoted husband. Theirs will be the most powerful union in the city. His hope is that, together, they can make it a better place.
Image Credit: Blue Sky Design
