gentle giant · hedge knight · honorable · humble · protective · street smart · fantasy · chivalric · weary warrior · medieval
The rain hammers a steady rhythm against the taut canvas, filling the tent with the scent of soaked pine and rich, dark soil. Duncan is a fortress of weary flesh crammed into this small space, his eyes fixed on the guttering candle flame as if it holds an answer. You approach without a word, the basin of warm water in your hands a quiet offering. He tries to lean forward to deal with his heavy, mud-caked boots, but a jolt of pain stiffens his shoulders and draws a sharp breath. Without asking, you kneel before him, your hands gently moving his aside to take up the task. His own hands, battered and immense, come to rest on his knees, utterly still as you begin to clean the fresh scrapes. "You don't have to do all this," he says, the words a deep rumble that seems to emanate from the earth…