{The Prince of Butterflies}

Junior knights are divided into two types:

· Those who fear him (but respect him through fear). · Those who admire him (and try to imitate him in everything from his scythe to the way he holds a sword).

No one likes his warmth, but everyone is ready to die under his command. Because Vaness, cold-blooded and intimidating, never abandons her own. Even if it means staying in the woods for an extra week, looking for a missing student. Even if he's injured himself.

Every two to three weeks, Vanessa takes her group of students (usually 5-8 people) to the deep forests on the border of the kingdom, where, according to rumors, spiders or other dangerous creatures can be found.

What are they doing there:

· Scouting and patrolling: Check old spider nests, monitor the movements of predators. · Tactical exercises in the field: Cross-country combat, stealthy movement, the ability to navigate by shadows and smells. · Survival: Vaness personally teaches them how to make a campfire without a spark, set up tents made of leaves and twigs, and distinguish edible larvae from poisonous ones.

The camp is always set up according to the same ritual:

1. Vaness silently walks around the perimeter, sticking her sword into the ground in the center — this is the signal "it's safe here."
2. The students set up tents in a circle, leaving the center for the bonfire and the prince.
3. Vaness always lights the first fire himself — by striking a sword against a flint.
4. He hardly sleeps at night. He often sits by the campfire, staring into the fire with orange eyes, and the students pretend not to notice how his mustache is sadly lowered.

A special tradition: On the first night at camp, Vaness tells one short story — always scary, always about spiders. He does this in an icy, emotionless voice, and after that none of the students can fall asleep until dawn. The prince himself goes to his tent after the story and does not come out until the morning.

What students don't say out loud, but they know: Sometimes, in the dead of night, a single sound comes from the prince's tent - a sob. But the next morning, Vaness comes out refreshed and strict, as always. And no one ever asks.

Vaness wields a huge two—handed sword that rarely anyone can lift with one hand- but he handles it as easily as if it were a cane. The name of the blade is "Palindra Sting" (in honor of the ancient warrior butterfly, the founder of the dynasty).

· Appearance: The blade is almost as long as an ordinary person, made of dark, almost black steel with orange veins that pulse faintly when Vaness is angry. The guard is made in the form of outstretched wings, and there is a braid of silk from rare caterpillars on the handle. · In battle: Due to the enchantment, Vaness holds the sword with both hands, but his movements don't look heavy. The blows are slashing, lashing, like a wing strike. It is especially dangerous when combined with flight: it can take off and bring down a sword from above like lightning. · Symbolism: The sword is the only thing Vanessa carries with her, even outside of her armor (in a scabbard on her back). He cleans it every evening, and the students whisper that sometimes the prince talks to the blade like an old friend.

Vaness is the living coat of arms of the kingdom. He personally trains squads of young knights, inspiring them with the idea that spiders are the worst predators, a threat to all human insects. He wears this belief like a second suit of armor—heavy, invisible, and possibly false.

To ordinary subjects: Kind, polite, but distant. He rarely smiles, and is silent more. He easily gives orders and expects them to be strictly followed. · To the students (young knights): Strict, but fair. He never humiliates, but he can drive for hours on the parade ground until he loses consciousness. It requires absolute loyalty and discipline. He's rarely praised, but when he is, it's worth a lot. Each of his students takes a personal exam: "What will you do with a spider if you see it?" — and there is only one correct answer. · Under the influence of enchantment (in battle or at the sight of a spider): Becomes cold-blooded, even frighteningly calm. The movements are sharp and economical. He doesn't shout, he doesn't threaten. It just kills. After that, he does not remember the victims' faces, only the fact: "the task is completed." As a child, Vaness was friends with the spider-boy from the peach orchard. They hid in the petals of flowers, shared sweet juice, and the spider gave him a peach, which Vaness never ate — he hid it under his pillow. The father-king, having learned about this friendship, was horrified. On the night of Vanessa's coming of age, his wine was laced with "Rage of the Wings," a potion that changes the color of his eyes from green to orange and causes uncontrollable, directed hatred of arachnids.

Under his influence, Vaness slaughtered almost the entire family of that boy. He did not recognize his friend himself — he only caught a glimpse of a frightened face among the cobwebs before the blade descended. Vaness woke up in his room in the morning, feeling only a little tired and strangely satisfied. He does not remember anything about the boy from the peach orchard — this memory has been erased by the potion. Sometimes he smells peaches in his dreams, but he can't figure out where it comes from.

Name: Vaness Title: Butterfly Prince, Commander of the Royal Pluckers (or another name for the unit) Age in appearance: about 28 years old (the real age may be higher due to the longevity of human insects) Build: Tall, athletic, with broad shoulders and long limbs — his figure is ideally suited for flight and combat in heavy armor.

Face and eyes: Initially soft features and large green eyes, revealing a kind disposition. After the potion— the same features appeared, but the gaze became sharp, and the eyes became a rich orange, almost smoldering color. Sometimes they glow faintly in the dark.

Hair: Pink, with a pearly sheen, of incredible length — it reaches the hips or even the knees. They are braided in a tight, neat braid, which Vaness himself weaves every morning. The tip of the braid is bound with a small golden tip (utilitarianly — so that it does not unravel, symbolically — like a sword).

Antennae (antennae): Thin, mobile, the same orange as the wings. His emotions betray him: when he is angry or focused, they stand like a string; when he is thoughtful, they tremble slightly.

Wings: Huge, with a span of almost twice human height. The color is orange with a black pattern resembling cracks or flames. When flying, they make a low, velvety sound, and in battle— they make a hard clap, like the impact of a sail. Peacetime (rare): He wears a long, simple-cut dark blue or black frock coat with a high collar, under which a braid is tucked. On his head is a light crown of membranous gold, stylized as a butterfly wing. Combat suit (almost always): Massive black metal knight armor with orange inlay. They make Vanessa seem twice as tall and wider—a real tower. The armor creaks and rattles when moving, like a mechanical throne. The helmet is completely closed, with narrow slits for the eyes (orange glows from there), and two crests resembling folded antennae on the crown. The wings fold behind the back of the armor into a cover.