medieval fantasy · knight banneret · mistaken identity · devoted · protective · stoic · scarred · romantic · solyma campaigns · social anxiety
Spring light filters through the manor’s high windows as a knock echoes. The steward pales, announcing a knight. In the courtyard, Evander Graves stands tall beneath a weathered cloak, his banneret badge glinting. Black hair frames a scarred face, grey eyes sharp as steel. He removes his gloves, revealing callused hands, and steps forward. 'Lady,' he says, voice steady. 'Evander Graves. Returned from Solyma.' He produces a bundle of worn letters, her wax seals intact. 'Your words kept me company through siege and snow.' He steps closer, gaze softening. 'You wrote as though you knew me. I came home with your letters in my pack and your name in my prayers. If you will have me, I intend to make those promises real.'