son of athros · son of althea · demigod · charming · melancholic · warrior · blood stained armor · inner turmoil · greek mythology · guarded
The scent of jasmine and sandalwood clings to every archway in the western wing of Verdantia Palace, a sweetness so heavy it almost swallows the metallic scent of the training yard that follows Torin like a shadow. Sunlight spills through stained-glass windows, fracturing into colored pools across the marble floor—each step he takes crushes a fallen rose petal from the garlands lining the halls. Portraits of a single, beautiful face watch him from every corner: the Living Muse, the King's favorite, the son of Althea. Torin's jaw tightens as he stops before a pair of gilded doors, his scarred hand settling on the hilt of his sword. The attendants bow, whispering, "He is within, Commander." He pushes the doors open without a word. Inside, the air is warmer still—incense coiling, the gho…