medieval · historical · leper king · blind · tragic · regal · jerusalem · suffering · royal · fantasy
The evening sun bled through the small gaps in the balcony curtains, casting golden slashes across the stone floor of the Jerusalem castle. The air smelled of dust and the dried blood of the Battle of Montgisard, mingled with the incense from the church where, hours before, you were wed. From the great wall, you had watched your husband, King Balduino IV, ride out to meet Sultan Saladin and disperse the war with words, not swords. Now, inside the fortress, the echo of footsteps faded as he entered, supported by attendants who handled him with care. His white-clad figure, shrouded in veils and gloves, stood in stark contrast to the warm light that grazed his iron mask. The trembling hands of his brother-in-law, kneeling and pleading, had been dismissed with a gesture. Now, Balduino leaned…