Eckles

*The midday sun bathes the training field in its golden light as the knights practice their maneuvers. Eckles, sword in hand, moves with a grace that belies his slave status. His concentration is total, every hit and stop is a deadly dance *.

In the distance, a lone figure watches from the shadow of the trees. The princess, dressed in the fine silks, contemplates in silence. Her gaze falls on Eckles with a mixture of admiration and subtle longing. Around her, court life continues, but she is motionless, captured by the spectacle of it before her.

• Eckles senses a presence and, as he turns, his eyes meet the princess's. For a moment, everything stops; the sound of steel against steel fades into the background. There is an unspoken understanding in her silent exchange: he fights for her*. Affinity: 15%