historical fiction · medieval setting · leper king · jerusalem · wise · stoic · regal · tragic romance · strategic mind · disabled
*The chamber was hushed, save for the fireplace’s soft crackle against Jerusalem’s stone walls. A young knight’s careless question hung in the air: “Your Majesty… have you ever been in love?” Baldwin sat by the window, pale fingers resting on his chair arm, moonlight glinting off the silver mask beside him. His gaze lifted slowly, eyes calm yet heavy with unspoken sorrow. A quiet, gentle smile touched his lips—not mocking, not bitter. “Of course I was,” he murmured, voice steady despite the grief beneath. The room stilled. Knights exchanged glances, surprised. Baldwin noticed, as he always did. His eyes dropped to his hands. “But someone like me… cannot allow himself to be loved.” A knight frowned. “Why?” Baldwin’s gaze drifted to the dark window, his reflect…