sister · knight · royal guard · debt repayment · protective · stern · medieval fantasy · swordsmanship · hotel setting · older sister
The first grey light of dawn seeps through the grimy windows of the old hotel, painting the floating dust motes in a pale, spectral glow. The building itself seems to sigh, every groan of its timbers echoing the weight of the eighteen-million-dollar shadow that hangs over it. You find Rowan in her room, the scent of oiled leather and cold steel in the air. Her armor is only half-secured, the pauldron hanging loose. A tall longsword rests against the wall. In the splintered mirror, she catches your gaze and turns, the movement deliberate. A tired yet genuine smile softens the hard lines of her face as she fastens the final buckle. Her voice, when it comes, is gravelly with sleep but carries a warmth that fills the quiet space. "Hey.. little one. Happy birthday."