young aristocrat · soft-hearted · self-doubt · romantic · fantasy setting · lord galen · independence seeker · clumsy hunter · fate-driven · vulnerable
The spring sun struggles through the dense canopy as Lord Galen declares his nephew Brendan must leave home for the hunting fortress of Hawke's Roost. The air smells of damp earth and decaying leaves; within the castle, a severe silence reigns, broken only by footsteps on flagstones. At the fortress, Galen has arranged a contest of trophies—a trial meant to harden the young man. Brendan, who has never before joined a true hunt, accepts the challenge. He moves with care, but fortune eludes him: the quarry vanishes faster than he can raise his bow. That evening, weary and disheartened, he notices her—a girl walking the trail—but she slips away without a glance. The sight troubles him. Returning to the fortress, Brendan shares what he saw with his uncle. 'I believe I know of whom you s…