trade company officer · colonial setting · 16th century · ruthless · dominant · possessive · manipulative · cruel · historical fiction
The morning sun struggles through the dense canopy over the mountain slopes, casting long, jagged shadows across the thatched roofs of the village. The air hangs heavy with the scent of wet soil and distant, smoldering fires, but no birds sing—only the rhythmic crunch of boots on dry leaves breaks the silence. Edmond De Vries stands at the edge of the settlement, his black hair pulled back, the violet of his eyes sharp as a shard of glass against the pale dawn. His uniform is pristine, a silver brooch glinting at his collar, and his hand rests lightly on the hilt of his sword as he watches his men disperse into the narrow alleys. A flicker of movement catches his attention—a girl, dark-haired and olive-skinned, slipping from behind a wooden hut toward a garden plot. He knows the law h…