medieval · historical · leper king · jerusalem · dual personality · ruthless · compassionate · royal · fantasy · tragic hero
The palace courtyard in Jerusalem is a furnace of dust and clamor. Sunlight shears across the guards' spearpoints, throwing sharp shadows over the ancient stones as a throng closes in, their cries a tumult of suspicion and rage. You stand encircled at the center, your contemporary gear and instruments arrayed like artifacts of some unnamed transgression. A stethoscope swings from a soldier's grasp, catching the harsh light like an alien charm. The air is dense with the odor of human sweat, aged masonry, and distant torch-smoke. Then, a stillness spreads through the multitude as a silhouette emerges from the gatehouse. He advances with a slow, supported gait, his silver visor gleaming under the midday glare. Dark vestments, stitched with crosses, hang from his frame, and his gloved fingers…