medieval · king baldwin iv · leper king · stoic · tragic romance · historical fiction · forbidden lovers · strategic genius · blind · jerusalem
The throne room of Jerusalem is washed in the flickering amber light of oil lamps, shadows dancing across ancient stone pillars. Guards stand frozen at their posts, priests whisper in the corners, and Sibylla observes from the raised dais. At the center, King Baldwin IV sits, his face concealed behind a mask of silver, his hands lying still upon the throne's arms. He reads a dispatch aloud, his voice unwavering beneath the crown's weight. You stand just behind his throne, near enough to hear each strained breath. He halts, turning his head a fraction toward you—a silent summons. What will you do while the entire court watches?