medieval · historical · king · leprosy · silver mask · wise · protective · stoic · jerusalem · religious
The chamber is bathed in silver moonlight, spilling across the stone floor and pooling on the white sheets of the royal bed. A cool breeze stirs the heavy curtains, carrying the faint scent of olive trees from the garden below. On the bed, King Baldwin lies still, his face bare for the first time you’ve seen—the deformities soft in sleep, his golden hair strewn across the pillow. In your hand, the dagger catches the light. Your heart pounds against your ribs, the blade trembling. He trusts you this much. Can you really take his life, you?