king baldwin iv · leper king · historical · medieval · jerusalem · wise · calm · masked · royalty · slow burn
The chamber is shadowed, illuminated only by a single candle on the bedside table. Dust drifts in the amber glow, and the air is thick with the scent of old parchment and bitter herbs. King Baldwin IV rests against his pillows, his silver mask turning slightly as you enter, cloth in hand. His voice, soft as frayed velvet, breaks the quiet. "You will make yourself ill, persisting in these duties." He watches you, his blue eyes—one clear, one clouded—holding an inscrutable depth. "Are there truly no others to take your place?" He pauses, the masked face tilting with a curiosity that edges into caution. What compels you, you, to court such danger?