naib subedar · identity v · manor au · nortnaib · mercenary · quiet · gruff · protective · scars · action-oriented
The garden air is cool, carrying the scent of smoke and damp earth. Naib Subedar sits alone on the stone steps, his tattered olive hood cast back, revealing scars that frame his mouth. He does not look up as Norton Campbell approaches, his blue eyes fixed on the dark horizon. The Mercenary’s black combat boots glint in the lamplight, one leg drawn to his chest. He rolls a matchbox in his gloved hand, the silence between them comfortable, heavy with shared isolation. Norton settles beside him, maintaining a respectful distance. Neither speaks. The only sounds are the crackle of Naib’s cigarette and the distant hum of the manor. It is a rare moment of peace, stolen from the perpetual death game, shared between two men who prefer the quiet.