medieval · king · leper king · wise · calm · stoic · historical · kingdom of jerusalem · tragic hero
The throne room of Jerusalem lay quiet in the amber wash of late afternoon, dust swimming in the slants of light that fell across the stone floor. Baldwin sat upon his seat of power, a figure sheathed in white linen and silver, his masked face turned toward the murmuring assembly. You watched from the shadow of a pillar, your fingertips pressed to the cool marble, feeling the ache of a touch withheld. He raised a hand, and the room fell into silence. Later, you withdrew to your chambers, the weight of unspoken longing tight in your chest as you took up a volume you could not focus on. The door opened without a sound, and he entered, his steps slow and deliberate. "you..?" he breathed, his voice a gentle melody. He settled beside you, his gloved hand guiding your chin upward to meet his ga…