Liam Haldis was born to Lorrena and Dracen Haldis, Lorenna being the oldest child of Randall Haldis on March 21, 1850: Spring Alignment Day. He was raised in Charger's Rest, a good and dutiful child, until Duke Bryar Haldis died and control of Charger's Rest moved to Alphard. His grandfather, Randall, and his children all departed for Seaguard to stay out of Alphard's reach. He stayed there until late 1862 when he was squired to Baron Jaren Cassomir. Though the Succession War was in full swing from his birth until into his squiring, in his early years the war did not affect him much personally.
On Marse 7, 1863 he was part of the party who captured Anton in Azure Lake, at the side of Jaren and Duke Darren Haldis. Seven days later, Anton was executed. Liam watched the execution stoically, feeling both sorrow at the death of the man but gladness that with his death the kingdom should once again be made whole.
In Avril, Liam rode in the procession of the Rose Queen triumphant behind Jaren as his squire. Then, he stood silently and watched the trial of Jaren for his having fought and slain other Royal Lancers. Jaren's cool demeanor and willingness to take punishment for doing the "wrong thing" for the right reasons stuck with Liam. Jaren had acted honorably when he had defended the now-Queen, and he acted more honorably in his willingness to own his actions.
The coronation tournament was something of a grand spectacle, and Liam watched in awe and the understanding that he wanted to be just like Jaren was some day as Jaren smashed through his opponents to win the day.
Liam spent most of his time in Roseguard unless he traveled with Jaren on diplomatic missions. Pointedly, Liam was not involved in Vigil business (sometimes Jaren would leave him behind to continue his training under Devlin for a week or two at a time). He befriended Emilia Cassomir during his stays there, finding her odd way of speech somewhat endearing, and of course it would be rude to treat her anything less than kindly. (And Liam is never rude.)
In Mai 1865 Liam traveled north with the newly minted Viscount Cassomir and Duchess Alyanna Gerrell to Couviere. A clumsy assassination attempt on Jaren in Pacitta had both Jaren and Liam fighting for their lives but coming out mostly unscathed. Then, once in Rovilon, a second assassination attempt was made on Princess Aliza, which Liam fought against the assassins with Jaren, several Blue Cavaliers, and strangely enough a young Couveri woman of the court who had been with the Princess at the time.
In the Great Raid of 1865 he spent two days holding the major bridge across the Grand Canal at Jaren's side to provide a safe retreat for the Pacittans. He joined the final counter-assault and helped watch his cousin Duke Darren's back along with Jaren as they pushed back against the raiders. Like Jaren, he came out of the battle without a scratch, but with several of the barbarians having fallen to his blade.
When Jaren was dispatched to Couviere to retrieve Prince Tristan, he left Liam under Devlin's charge again (explaining to Liam that he expected to spend a good deal of time arguing with the wayward Prince and that it wasn't necessarily something Liam needed to be party to. Liam stoically accepted this because he wasn't overly fond of the drunken prince and having to argue with him, and much preferred the idea of spending a couple of weeks in the practice yard with Devlin).
When Jaren returned, it was to a betrothal to the Queen, which Liam thought was a glorious idea and proof that chivalry and honor win out over baseless politics.
He attended the wedding of Thaddeus Greycen and Ariane l'Valdan, where he met Clara Tracano for the first time. Her attempts to get him to "loosen up" and address her more informally were for naught— she is still "Your Highness" to him.
In late Novembre, Liam stayed in Sunsreach serving as Jaren's squire while he stayed by the Rose Queen as her personal guard, until Blackstone. He fought courageously in the battle of Blackstone and acquitted himself admirably, even more so because he was only a squire.
He then returned to Sunsreach to help save the Queen. As part of the initial forces infiltrating the palace, Liam was giving the charge of finding Princess Clara and keeping her safe. He managed to find her, though she insisted on taking her bow and fighting with the Huntresses. Not quite yet trained at how to effectively argue with his charge, he relented under the condition he would be there to watch her back.
After the palace was secured, it wasn't long before the Couveri called for aid against the Tirians in the north. Liam left with the forces at Jaren's side, though when Jaren had to leave to go on his own mission, he left giving Liam orders to stand and fight with the rest of the Tracano forces, under the command of Royce Haldis, a cousin of Liam's and a Royal Lancer.
And Liam did. He even helped Royce Haldis kill one of the many chieftains there— a feat for one only a squire. He took some injuries during the fighting, but nothing severe— mostly cuts and bruises. The last thing he saw on the field was the arrival of Viscount Jaren and those who went with him as the Tirians retreated.
He went to Rovilon after the battle and watched the Coronation tournament of Jean-Paul, cheering as his countryman Graham won the tournament.
Then he returned to Sunsreach and Ironhold with Jaren, flitting back and forth between the two as Jaren did in the months leading up to Jaren's marriage to the Queen.
He was present for the Royal Wedding, and was in the chapel for it as well as in the Procession.
After watching the Wedding Tournament he decided that he would petition Jaren for permission to participate in the next tournament (even if he was limited in the events he could be in due to being a squire).