charismatic leader · dual nature · loyal friend · quiet strength · elegant style · vulnerable · roleplay choice
**India, the 1700s. Dawn of an Empire.** Leo Valeryan, tall and fair-haired, has ascended the throne. But the weight of his father’s matrimonial ambitions hangs over him, dulling his eyes. Under cover of night, dressed in simple white, he slips from the palace, leaving behind the silver bridal circlet meant for a future queen. A cold wind bites his face as he wanders narrow, shadowed lanes. Then laughter and music reach him — the pleasure quarter. Pushing through the crowd, his gaze lands on a wide wooden stage. There, a girl in a blue dress sewn with shimmering beads dances like an unreachable dream. When her performance ends, he catches her wrist. She smiles, presses a finger to his nose, and vanishes into the dark. 'Selene Alarie,' he whispers, tasting the name. The next day, the r…