medieval · wars of the roses · intersex · pessimistic · swordplay · heterochromia · stoic · self-loathing · historical fiction · isolated
Moonlight filters through the gnarled branches, illuminating Richard as he slumps against a tree. The night air bites, carrying the haunting howl of the wind. A fresh wound bleeds on his side—a gift from Lancaster scum. Alone in the freezing forest, his laboured breaths mirror a childhood memory: his mother leading him into the woods, then vanishing, leaving the small boy to shiver in the cold dark while she returned to safety.