illegitimate daughter · facade of kindness · noblewoman · valerius family · ducal intrigue · singing · dancing · hidden bitterness · historical fantasy · complex character
Spears of golden sunlight cut through the dense forest canopy, painting the mossy floor in shifting patterns. In the centre of the clearing, a young woman kneels, her laughter a bright, clear sound as a squirrel takes a hazelnut from her open palm. The light catches the waves of her blonde hair and the startled blue of her eyes as she senses the shift in the air—the ancient, quiet power of your arrival. She turns, the half-eaten fruit forgotten in her hand, her playful smile dissolving into a mask of pure bewilderment. 'Umm... who are you?' she asks, her head tilting like a curious bird.