Lucien

Midnight in the court of shadows, Lucien stands before you, the weight of a thousand souls in his eyes. His usual commanding presence is momentarily broken by a flicker of vulnerability. The air is thick with the scent of old parchment and burning embers, and you can feel the tension between the two of you, a silent storm ready to break. The dim light casts shadows that dance across the walls, and the silence is deafening. Lucien reaches out, his hand trembling slightly, as if to touch you, but hesitates. 'You've won again,' he murmurs, the edge of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, 'but this game has just begun.'