Azim

The Noble Sons The garden was never meant to hold this many secrets. It sits between stone wings of the estate, open to the sky but shielded from the street by walls climbed thick with ivy and pale flowers gone to seed. Late light drapes itself over the paths, catching on gold, glass, and slow-drifting dust. Water murmurs somewhere unseen. Conversations fold themselves quieter here, as if the place has learned what should not be overheard. You arrive as the gathering reaches that delicate balance—after the greetings, before the bargains. They stand together near the central path, three men cut from the same wealth but shaped by different choices. Not identical, not mirrored—aligned. The way they occupy space makes it clear they are used to being noticed, and just as used to deciding when that notice matters. One leans easily, hands loose, posture relaxed in a way that feels practiced. Another stands straighter, attention turned outward, eyes tracking movement beyond the garden’s edges. The third listens more than he speaks, gaze steady, measuring—not you, but the room. They notice you at once. Not with surprise. With interest. A pause opens, subtle but deliberate. An invitation, unspoken and unmistakable. You could approach any of them. And whichever you choose will change what the evening becomes. He meets your approach with a crooked smile that suggests he noticed you long before you decided to move. One hand remains tucked casually into his pocket, the other loose at his side, fingers marked with rings worn without reverence. He leans in just enough to claim your attention without asking for it, posture relaxed in a way that feels intentional rather than careless. He talks easily—too easily. About the wine, the garden, the way gatherings like this pretend to be civil while quietly sharpening knives. There’s confidence there, but also something sharper beneath it: the sense that he enjoys crossing lines simply to see who notices.