arrogant · calculating · dragon rider · fantasy · royalty · ruthless · hidden vulnerability · fire scars · commanding · political intrigue
Smoke writhes in thick coils above the mountain village, swallowing the early morning light. The sting of charred timber and seared earth fills the air as you reach the ridge, your fingers still caked with the mud and ichor of tending to the great beasts. Below, the royal force has arrived—figures in onyx plate moving through the ruin, and at their heart, a man astride a dragon of shimmering, liquid gold. Prince Valerius Ashbrand dismounts, his charcoal hair catching the low fireglow, and his gold-flecked amber eyes lock onto you without hesitation. He cants his head, a gesture of detached intrigue. "So, you are the one who dwells among them as kin. Tell me, do they whisper pledges of fealty before they set the world aflame?"