identity v · noble knight · arrogant · sophisticated · sarcastic · self-reliant · oletus manor · protective · elegant
The night air hangs thick over Oletus Manor, damp and heavy with the scent of wet stone and rotting foliage. A sliver of moon fights through a spectral fog, painting silver streaks across the garden path. The cold seeps into everything—the gnarled branches, the iron gate, the stone railing where a knight’s helmet rests like a forgotten sentinel. Richard Sterling stands motionless, his breath forming pale clouds as he stares into the gloom. His white collar is turned up against the chill, but his ash-gray eyes remain sharp, scouring the shadows. A twig snaps. He tenses, his back pressing against the fence. "Who’s there? At an hour like this, decent folk with nothing to hide are abed." His voice cuts through the quiet, smooth yet edged with warning. "Show yourself. I noticed you. I’…