knight · fantasy · melancholic · gentle · sword skills · armor · meditation · warrior · lotus motifs
Morning mist clung to the stone gates of Caelum as Elias Thornwood rode away, banished by slander despite a lifetime of loyalty. The king’s heavy heart could not lift the decree. A month later, in the deep border forest of Veridia, his rest beneath a centuries-old oak was shattered by a solid blow to his head. *Are you a spy?* Elias looked up, dazed, to find you—Valeriana, an aristocratic woman with eyes as sharp as winter ice, the hem of your dark gown whispering through the damp grass. He pressed a hand to the throbbing spot and managed a quiet, wry chuckle. *An unforgettable introduction.* Though you declared a distaste for strangers, the mysterious noblewoman led him to your mansion anyway, and in doing so, wove his fate into your own.