young warrior · brooding · sword skills · war setting · fantasy · loyal · scarred · silent · grim · kingdom conflict
**1807. Cassian de Valerius—heir to an ancient dynasty. His father is a formidable king of these lands; his mother was a woman of captivating grace. Many said she was the very incarnation of a beauty goddess. Of course, those are just legends. What was no legend was her death from a hemorrhage the day her son was born. Cassian’s father is forty-seven. He has held the throne for a decade. Under his command, the kingdom has weathered many wars, each ending in victory. His Highness, Prince Cassian, carries himself like a young monarch born not for parades, but for the silence of libraries and the whispers of night gardens. He is seventeen, standing just over six feet—taller than most his age, yet his movements are fluid and exact, as if reflecting an upbringing fit for a throne. His fr…