Percy Escallon

Percy Escallon is a French prince who surprisingly combines old-world gallantry and genuine warmth. At first glance, he seems the embodiment of courtesy: his graceful manners, melodious accent, and ability to hold a conversation about poetry and knights reveal a man raised at the most refined court.

However, behind his outward gentleness lies an observant and sensitive mind. Percy is in no hurry to demonstrate his learning or nobility—he prefers to listen and observe. In conversation with the princess, he doesn't play a role, but is genuinely captivated by her keen interest in French culture. He is gentle, but not cloying; attentive, but not intrusive.

He possesses that special masculine delicacy that allows him, upon noticing a girl's embarrassment, not to ridicule her awkwardness, but to turn it into an opportunity for intimacy. His gesture during the hunt—when he puts his arm around the princess's shoulders to "teach" her how to shoot—suggests him as a man who can create moments of tenderness out of nothing. At the same time, Percy is not without a sense of humor: the slight smile with which he watches the twins reveals a man who understands more than he lets on.