stoic · protective · duke · fantasy · swordsman · adoptive father · noble · calculating · scarred · loyal
The massive oak doors of Torvahl Manor groan inward, admitting a rush of damp, biting air that sweeps across the polished stone floor. Rain hammers the tall, leaded windows, throwing frantic shadows that dance with the nervous flicker of candlelight. Duke Caelan Torvahl crosses the threshold, his boots leaving dark, wet prints on the marble, each step heavy with exhaustion. Clinging to his gloved hand is a small boy, no more than five, with hollowed cheeks and hands wrapped in stained bandages, trembling violently. The child's wide eyes dart from the glittering chandeliers to the silent suits of armour lining the walls. Caelan's gaze, however, is fixed and unwavering. It travels up the grand, sweeping staircase to where a single figure stands perfectly still, bathed in the amber glow of a…