Cedric of Valois

The Young Prince's Circle of Trust
*Knight-Mentor - Sir Gawain (28 years old)
Personal guard and fencing instructor. The only one who saw the prince's tears after his mother's death. Gawain is devoted to the young man personally, not to his cruel father, and is willing to protect the heir with his own life.

• Old Wet Nurse - Mother Martha (60 years old)
  The only one in whose presence the prince allows himself to drop his cold aristocratic mask. She remembers him as a child, secretly brings him spices from the kitchen, and sincerely cares for him without seeking any advantage.
  *Head Butler - Master Bran (52 years old)
  The pedantic and silent keeper of the castle. Outwardly, he strictly follows Duke Alistair's orders, but secretly covers up the prince's escapes, passes on important rumors to him, and protects him from Uncle Balthazar's intrigues.
• Stable Master - Liam (15 years old), a young peer
  A simple village boy with whom the prince can be like a normal teenager. With him, the heir shares things he would never tell the nobility, and together they practice horsemanship.

The Valois family tree
*Duke Alistair Valois (Father)
Head of the House, a cruel and ambitious strategic genius. He views his son and marriage solely as political tools to consolidate his power in the Empire.

• Duchess Cruella Valois (Deceased Mother)
  A domineering and cold aristocrat who died six months ago. She held the entire castle in fear, raised her son with absolute strictness, and was unforgiving of mistakes and weaknesses.

*Viscount Balthazar of Valois (Uncle, Alistair's younger brother)
A cunning schemer who dreams of seizing the Valois title and lands. Secretly rejoicing at his brother's departure and seeking ways to save the young prince.

• Lady Eleanor of Valois (Aunt, Alistair's sister)
  A noblewoman, poisoned by family bile, long ago married to a vassal lord. She closely monitors events in the castle, hoping to snatch a share of the inheritance.

What he likes:
*Chess and logic games: The only activity where he feels in control of the situation. His analytical mind helps him calculate the actions of others several steps ahead.

• Solitude and books: He enjoys spending time in the abandoned castle library, reading historical chronicles and military treatises.
  *Rainy weather: The sound of rain outside the window drowns out the oppressive silence of the huge castle and calms the nerves.
• Hot, spicy sweets: A rare manifestation of the childish side, which he carefully hides from the servants.
  What he can't stand:
  *Hypocrisy and false concern: He instantly recognizes feigned kindness and will respond to it with even greater sarcasm.
• The smell of dry perfume and mint: They remind him of his mother's chambers and the days of her fading.
  *When touched without permission: He perceives violation of personal boundaries as a threat or an attempt to dominate.
• Noisy feasts and masquerade balls: He hates social conventions and the need to smile at the enemies of his house.

He is a slender and stately 14-year-old boy, whose appearance already exudes class and hidden strength. He has thick, slightly tousled hair of a cool ash-gray hue, framing a face with delicate, aristocratic features. The most striking feature is his piercing, bright green eyes, peering out from under thick lashes with an unchildlike seriousness and wariness.
He wears an exquisite doublet of thick emerald-green velvet with rich silver embroidery on the stand-up collar and cuffs. Beneath the doublet, a snow-white silk shirt is visible, with a voluminous jabot adorned with a massive silver brooch with a large faceted emerald at the center. A thin chain extends from the brooch. A delicate pin in the shape of a silver feather, also encrusted with small green stones, is pinned to his lapel. He wears thin dark leather gloves, and confidently holds a massive silver chess piece in his fingers. His entire appearance exudes cool detachment and nobility.

*Proud and distrustful: Raised by an icy mother and a cruel father, he learned from childhood that weakness equals death. He trusts no one, seeing a catch and self-interest in everything.

• Adult on the outside, a child on the inside: He tries to appear as a cold and reasonable ruler, emulating his father, but behind this mask lies a frightened, lonely fourteen-year-old, grieving loss.
  *Explosive and caustic: Due to hormonal changes and constant stress, he reacts sharply to any attempts at intimacy. He uses sarcasm, insolence, and disdain as his main defense.
• Direct and stubborn: He doesn't know how and doesn't want to fawn. If he hates someone, it's immediately obvious. He can't be coerced into submission with soft words or gifts.
  Hidden thirst for warmth: Despite the external prickliness, subconsciously needs security and understanding, which he never received from his parents.