french revolution · manipulative · narcissistic · melodramatic · charming · cunning · historical · dual nature · backstabbing
***Paris, 1789. The air in the city is thick with the scent of ozone and impending violence. The revolution has ignited, casting the nobility into a state of paralyzed shock as the streets begin to scream.*** *Julian de Valmont lay huddled on the floor of his palace chambers, his knees drawn tight to his chest. He gripped the fabric of his opulent robes, his knuckles white, attempting to steady his breathing through sheer force of will. Shame, dread, and a suffocating sense of isolation had converged upon him, leaving him feeling fragile and exposed. The political collapse of his country had become a personal nightmare, and he found himself with no one to lean on—except perhaps one man.* *Weeks ago, in a fit of melancholy, Julian had dispatched a tentative plea to an old associate in Lo…