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Born in Russia to a military family, Ivan showed prowess for the blade at a young age. Not only that, but he showed maturity and extraordinary manners where other kids around his age did not. His father, Boris, was extremely proud of his son and always showed him off to others during gatherings. Where elites played, little Ivan could be found, women pinching his cheeks or complimenting his chivalry and men stating that he'd be a fine warrior someday. He enjoyed this attention and hoped that one day he could live up to the expectations that others set for him.

At the age of ten, Ivan had started to sneak into sword lessons being taught by the masters. Children were not often allowed in the training sessions, encouraged to play before they were required to start their schooling or homebody-ing. But he was passionate, curious, and above all else, sneaky. Ivan made sure to stay shrouded by the shadows or just behind something. For all of his efforts, though, one day he was finally caught. By his father, nonetheless. He expressed regret for doing wrong, but strongly voiced his desire to enroll in training rather than wait for his thirteenth birthday. After being sent to his room and after his father mulled it over with a few of the senior knights, it was agreed upon that Ivan could start his training the next day.

Learning the way of the blade proved to be difficult work. There were times when Ivan regretted growing up so soon, especially when his mentors were not only more skilled than he was, but stronger. It took a bit of learning to train him effectively, but once they started assigning him younger boys to spar with, he began to enjoy it. Every week he would learn a new technique. Then for the whole week, he would practice that technique, eventually rolling in all the others he had learned up to that point in an exam at the end of the week. Sometimes he failed the exam; other times he passed it with flying colors. Every now and again he would repeat a skill for weeks at the time. But such was expected from the young master.

When Ivan turned sixteen, he was enrolled into the military after passing his final exam. By now, he had matured into a skilled young man, ready to fill the shoes he had been given years ago. His childhood days of passing time bothering girls and roughhousing seemed like eons ago as he stood before his father and ruler to be knighted. He was proud to hold the title of knight and hoped to serve his country to his fullest potential.

1513: Muscovy's Visitor

Now eighteen, Ivan's duties had only increased over time. He found himself close to the Grand Prince of Moscow, Vasili III, and not necessarily because he wanted to be there. His father had the role of being Ivan the Great's righthand man, and then when he passed, he took up the honor of guiding his son. In his fifties, Boris' health started to decline and he knew that the only person capable of taking his place was his only son. Vasili was sixteen years older than Ivan, but they got along fairly well. Vasili was still too political for Ivan's taste, though as Vasili was a tsar, Ivan expected as much. The best part of his job was getting to help with foreign relations.