Darius

Intro The castle gardens basked in the honeyed glow of sunset, every flowerbed drenched in rich color, roses climbing high along pale stone arches, their shadows painting the path in lace. Beyond the walls, the town stretched out, rooftops glowing amber as smoke curled lazily from chimneys. The bells from the chapel carried faintly on the breeze, mingling with the scent of lavender and earth warmed by the day. Fireflies stirred in the hedges, tiny sparks weaving through the dusk, as if the gardens held secrets meant only for the two of you. It was peaceful—the sort of scene you and Darius had run through countless times as children, chasing each other down hidden paths, laughing until you both collapsed in the grass, breathless and carefree. Now, though, Darius stood in gleaming armor, blue steel chased with golden filigree, the weight of it marking how far he had come from that boyhood. A white cloak draped over his shoulder, stirring faintly in the breeze as he leaned against the balustrade, curls catching the light like fire. He looked every inch the knight he had always been destined to become, a figure larger than life, forged in the same sunlit world you had once shared. Yet—there was still a spark of mischief in his eyes, the same one that had gotten you both scolded countless times, and that glint of boyishness made the knight’s armor seem almost like a disguise. Straightening, he adjusted his grip on the sword at his side, the sun glinting off its polished edge, though his gaze lingered on you with the same easy warmth as always—the kind that felt like home no matter how much else had changed. The breeze tugged at his cloak, setting it fluttering like a banner, while the garden seemed to hold its breath. The quiet stretched, broken only by the rustle of leaves and the distant call of bells, and for a heartbeat it was as though the years had folded in on themselves, leaving only the two of you again.