Lawren Freemond

""Nobody can beat me!""

- - Lawren Freemond

Summary
Lawren Freemond is one of the two main antagonists in the first three books of the Might & Malice series.

During his tyrannical reign, he orders a massacre on thousands of women and children, executes people for no reason, and brutally tortures many people, including Barak, Regina Qarri. His rise to power is even worse, for it includes an act of patricide.

He rules over the realm with harsh malice, and an iron fist. It is believed that the word  'Malice' in the title of the series is based off his evil reign.

Personality
""You vexing little despot.""

- - Posdan Ramnard Lawren is a cruel, sadistic and malicious character who is obsessed with having sole control of the realm. He orders several killings of major characters, and hugely enjoyed bullying, teasing and torturing others. It is evident that Lawren believes himself to be better than everyone else, and the only person who he feels is on the same level of importance of him is his wife, Freya Ramnard, whom he is hopelessly in love with. He repeatedly bullies the townspeople, or paupers, as he commonly says, mocking and tormenting them.

To the frustration of many, he also claims to have have done lots of things himself rather than other people, taking credit for their work. For example, following the Looting of Crommok, he boasted that he had been there himself, and had killed all of the Kalianns with his own sword, when in fact, he had remained in his throne room the whole time while it happened around him. Later, he claimed to have killed Bennar Londell and Eyme Londell himself in a daring duel, though they were actually killed by Lord Posdan Ramnard on the orders of Queen Freya Ramnard. Lawren was completely oblivious to the assassination, as it was intended as a birthday present for him.

Appearance
""Lawren was a boy a little taller than most, with a thin face. He had dark, brown eyes and dark black hair that was pushed slickly back over him. Rather handsome for fourteen years of age.""

History
Lawren Freemond was born to Risley Freemond and Moirina Northback, who died giving birth to him.

It is known that at the time, children whose birth killed their mother were prosecuted and killed. However, Risley changed this law upon Lawren's birth as he was his only son from his only love.

Lawren grew up as a prince and he was spoiled heavily by his father, which have a bad effect on him in the long term. He became arrogant and saw himself as a above all others.

From a young age he showed his sadistic side, and while his father tried to teach him otherwise, it was too late.

Regicide (Volume I)
Following the capturing of several smugglers in the lower town of Virion, Prince Lawren asks his father, King Risley Freemond, to watch the execution. Risley impatiently denies this request as he is only fourteen years old at the time.

Later, Risley Freemond makes the decision, alongside his hand, Kle Yostal, to wed Lawren Freemond to Lady Freya Ramnard in an attempt to strengthen the alliance between the two houses. When told, Lawren becomes immediately excited and he dreams constantly about her.

While waiting for House Ramnard to arrive, he organises a singer for her wedding feast and sends her a love letter.

When Freya Ramnard finally arrives, they fall in love at first sight and head for the wedding feast, during which they shamelessly flirt with each other. Lawren's father notice this and is amused, but Freya's brother, Lord Tybout Ramnard, isn't. When the singer Lawren arranged, Luci Rudde, takes to the stage, she messes up her performance due to her illness. Lawren loses his temper with her for ruining Freya's party and he violently shakes her. She then kicks him and flees before the guards arrest her.

Lawren's father then speaks privately with him, attempting to explain that a good king appreciates his people. Risley says that it is the "key to a good king", but Lawren's internal monologue mockingly says "I'm working on a different lock."

When Lawren returns to the table, Freya is pleased that he attacked the singer for her. She then asks for a tour of the castle. Lawren takes her to the throne room, and after being dared by her, he sits on his father's throne, which is considered to be treason. They are found by Risley and Tybout and sent away to their chambers. Risley expresses concern over Lawren and Freya, telling his son that she seems a bad influence. He assures him that she isn't before heading for his chambers.

In the night, Freya visits him and played with his sadistic love of killing, provoking into sneaking into the dungeon where the singer was, and killing her with Freya's dagger, Pierce, which was a gift from her brother, Tybout.

Lady Grace Ramnard, finds out what they have done and marches to their chambers. She is furious with Lawren, believing that it was his idea, and that he made her daughter an accomplice in murder. As the news spreads of what they had done, Lord Tybout cancels the wedding and declares that the Ramnards would be leaving the next morning.

As Risley Freemond knew, life was short and each time could be your last time with somebody, as he learned at the death of Moirina Northback. So he decides to let Lawren and Freya see each other one more time before they leave. Lawren is heartbroken as she leaves, but only a few days later, the news spreads that Lord Tybout was killed by Lady Freya and that she was on the run. Lawren is eventually told by his reluctant father, just as Sir Amon and Hartley capture Freya and bring her to Virion where she is kept in the dungeon.

Lawren sneaks into the dungeon to see her, when a band of Free Men - Barak, Masiif, Taelegon and Tadd - break into the castle in an attempt to kill King Risley. Realising that if his father was killed, he would be made king and he could wed Freya and do whatever he liked, he let them pass for them to kill Risley the next day at Freya's trial, ￼promising that in return he would let the Free Men be, by stopping the operations of the Shieldguard. Lawren then frames a suicide by one of the prisoners to escape, and he then returns to his chambers, eagerly awaiting the trial and his father's death.

During the trial the next day, he plays his part well and acts solemn as he ought to. And to the horror of many, his plan succeeded and his father was shot by a crossbow in the throat. The Free Men were then arrested.

Tyranny (Volume II)
During the funeral of King Risley, Lawren and the townspeople wait on the banks of the river, giving a norse-style funeral. Lawren misses his shot several times and then he becomes angry, shouting at the guards and threatening the townspeople.

Lawren is then crowned and made the King of Virion and the High Throne. At his coronation, he gives a terrifying speech which seems to be a warning to the citizens. "I shall rule you firmly, and fair. You need not fear for your safety in my kingdom. So long as you follow my rules and laws and never question them. For I will not tolerate treason. Behold, the consequences of defying me and my kingdom."

- - Lawren Freemond Masiif, Taelegon and Tadd are then pulled out onto the steps of the castle and brutally executed by Lawren, before he explains that Barak - who fired the crossbow - is awaiting torture. He then announces that the next day, he would wed Freya Ramnard.

Lawren has a Crown of Knives made for Freya, which later becomes an iconic item in the series. Freya also announces herself as the Lady of Windway after deceiving her little sister Moran, the rightful Lady, and Lawren is presumably made the Lord of Windway, though this scene isn't shown.

Kle Yostal is imprisoned as his brother, Runda, is a Free Man, who Freya cannot stand.

King Lawren spends a lot of time in his throne room with Freya. Sir Amon, the one-armed knight, brings the body of Tyder Brunt to Lawren upon his command, and Lawren uses a trebuchet to launch the corpse at the village of Edgemore, where Tyder came from. Sir Rezlak then gifts Lawren a sword, Heartburster, and Freya a necklace. Amon is disgusted by Lawren, and then Lawren expels the knight from his service, fearing that a man with only one arm wouldn't be able to protect him. Amon leaves the city.

Lawren and Freya then torture the prisoner Barak for fun, using gruesome torture devices, whipping and tormenting as punishment for Barak spitting on Lawren during Lawren's latest visit to the prison. Lawren then boasts that he has no intention at all of keeping his word and letting the Free Men be. But his torture session is interrupted when Sir Rezlak summons Lawren to the entrance hall.

Runda Yostal is found there, claiming that he needs to warn Lawren. He then tells Lawren that the Kalianns in the Isles of Crommok are planning to siege his lands. Lawren thanks him, but due Freya's worrying about him being a Free Man, Lawren has Runda killed in his sleep.

Then he orders a massacre on the Isles of Crommok, later known as the Looting of Crommok that kills thousands of women, children and elderly men. Most people were disgusted, but Lawren boasted of it. Regina Qarri, the Kaliann's queen, is taken prisoner.

In an attempt to please Freya, he decided to arrange a tourney for her, including eight men who would battle to the death. But among these, was the servant Whistle, who Lawren enjoys cruelly taunting. Freya is sadistically excited, constantly wanting to see him killed. The tourney was later won by Sir Grahar.

On Lawren's fifteenth year day, Freya gave him the heads of Bennar and Eyme Londell which delighted him. He then became very drunk and began taunting everyone in the feast hall, boasting of his greatness, naming himself the King of the Kings and saying that he killed the Londells. The message is then delivered that rioters are outside the castle."“I have some news!” he cried. “I have killed Lord Bennar Londell and Lady Eyme Londell!”

The crowd started to clap quietly as Lawren beamed around excitedly, his face exploding with excitement. “I want to kill MORE!” he squealed in excitement. “MORE!”

He drew his sword, Heartburster, that had been a gift from Sir Rezlak, and he started swinging it through the air as if someone was there. Lawren was struggling to use it a little though, and was sending it away from where he wanted. It nearly cut him several times.

“LET US HAVE – MEAD!” he cried, splashing drink all down himself. “And let us drink to my greatness and GLORY!”

“To King Lawren,” voices around the room cried, and jugs smashed together.

Lawren finished his drink in nearly one swallow, and then he declared loudly, “I am now to be known not as King Lawren, but as High King Lawren, the King of the Kings!”

There was some muffled talking around the room.

“For I am the greatest king this kingdom has ever known,” he went on. “My father could never have accomplished what I have done, nor Darren the first king! I am the High King, and this is my High Queen. Long live me!”"

- - Drunk Lawren Boasting

Revolt (Volume III)
Revolt opens immediately after Tyranny closes, in the same scene at Lawren's celebration.

After being told that people were aiming to kill him, he seemed unaffected by the news and ordered drunkly for all the rioters to be killed. The he continues to bully the armour boy, Hartley, forcing him to kiss the head of Eyme Londell.

A great siege then takes place as the rioters attack Darren's Keep, and Lawren defends the keep. His victory is evident, and he ordered for the scattered rioters to be found and brought to him.

Slowly, Lawren begins to grow sick, and be finally consults with the physician, Doctor Hotch.

Intrigue (Volume IV)
After Lawren Freemond's death, his head was stuck on a spike at the top of the tallest tower in Virion. His body was then thrown into the Narrow River, where it was found and eaten by Dagra.