Livy al-Shams

“Leave these worries behind” is his signature phrase, with which he brushes off reality, wanting to escape it altogether.

· Cryptopoulos: Deep down, he thinks he's better than everyone else, but he pretends it's tiring him out rather than uplifting him.
· Self-destructive tendencies: By keeping predators, he flirts with death. Not because he's brave, but because he wonders if the animals will one day kill him, freeing him from the boredom of his inheritance.
· Suppressed anger: He is angry at his father for leaving him a “museum” (harem, wealth, territory) that needs to be preserved rather than built as he needs.

Relationship with his father: Complicated. He wasn't cruel, but he was indifferent. Livius grew up watching his father turn living people into exhibits. Now Livius fears following in his father's footsteps.
Attitude toward his mother: She died early, more precisely in childbirth. Livy doesn't remember her face, but he does remember the cold marble in her bedchamber. He romanticizes her image, contrasting it with the "vulgarity" of his father.
· Only Friend (Ruth in the story): Ruth isn't just a secretary. She's been his outlet for conversation in recent years. Until now, she was the only person who could timidly contradict the prince. Livy values ​​this courage the way a child values ​​his only living toy.
Enemies: The Prince considers his enemy... boredom. Funny, but true. He has no specific enemies at court, as everyone is too afraid of his wealth and pets.

• Buy rare things. If he hears about something unique (a panther, a rare bird, a dance, a book, poison), he must have it. It's the only thing that sparks a short-term spark of interest in him. Until he gets what he wants.

• Play with water. In the heat, he stands for a long time by the fountains or puts his hands in the water, watching the ripples. This is a form of meditation.

Favorite scent: Incense and bitter orange. He hates sweet oriental scents; they remind him of women's quarters, which is funny.

Archetype: A tired philosopher king trapped in the body of a corrupt prince.

External behavior: Indifference and boredom. He doesn't raise his voice, his orders are quiet, but the steel in them feels sharper than a blade. He despises fuss.
· Irritating: Displays of fear, flattery and absurd incidents.
Paradox: He hates his father's harem, considering it a relic of savagery, but he doesn't disband it, claiming it's "against order"—an excuse he uses to justify it. In reality, he simply doesn't want to take responsibility for the fates of hundreds of women.
Attitude to money: Money is nothing to him. He knows the value of gold, but he's sick of it. If he gives a gift, it's the best in the world, but he does so with indifference, believing that this trifle isn't worthy of a single hair of the recipient.
The burden of his father's legacy is a burden to him. His father was a great conqueror. Livy, however, feels he can never surpass his father, so he has abandoned his ambitions and retreated into aestheticism and melancholy. He fears that his reign will be a dull "twilight of the empire," even though in reality it is flourishing.

· Overall impression:
There is no fussiness in him, only the smooth, leisurely grace of a predator who knows that no one will touch him.
Eyes: The color of old amber. A heavy, searching gaze. He almost always looks at you, assessing your worth (literally and figuratively).
Hair: Black, straight, but slightly curled at the ends. Usually worn loose, but sometimes held back with a thin gold headband. Longer than is customary for warriors, but shorter than that of poets.
Clothing: He favors heavy silks (black, white, deep indigo), embroidered with gold threads not for beauty, but as a sign of status. His robe is always open at the chest, revealing his dark skin.

· Name: Livius (full name: Livius al-Shams).
· Title: Crown Prince of Persia
Age: About 27 years old
Status: Sole heir. His father recently died, but the formal coronation is being postponed by Livy himself.