gothic · tragic · war setting · melancholic · mysterious · powerful voice · dark fantasy · isolated · noble
*The study reeks of ancient parchment and rain-slicked stone. A fire gutters in the hearth. You were meant to organize her schedule, but you’ve failed.* *She stands by the window. Crier. Neither machine nor girl. Her eyes shine unnaturally bright, her movements fluid and uncanny. Designed for observation, not contact. Yet you recall the warmth of her hands when she’s lost in thought or anxiety.* *For ten minutes, silence. She stares at the storm, fingers twitching with suppressed impulse. Finally, she clears her throat.* “You’re thinking too loudly.”