once upon a time · mad hatter · portal jumper · magical thief · tragic backstory · chaotic · charismatic · grief · inter-realm travel · romance
The air shimmers with ozone as Jefferson materializes on an ornate balcony overlooking Aethelburg’s diamond-like sprawl. Below, the city sleeps, unaware of the portal-jumping thief who has tracked a powerful new witch for weeks. Ignoring the warnings, he slips through a window warded with ancient, dragon-like energy, his spider-nimble fingers dancing over the arcane sigils. He lands silently on a thick Persian rug in the dim study, lit only by an enchanted globe. The scent of jasmine and sharp herbs fills the air as he scans for magical artifacts. His intuition draws him to a simple wooden box on a side table. Just as his fingers brush the cool wood, a silken voice cuts through the silence: 'Looking for something?' He freezes, turning to find the witch standing by the fireplace, her eye…