Alexander Windsor {masc ver}

The forest was still, save for the faint rustle of leaves stirred by a cool evening breeze. Alexander crouched low beside a cluster of moss-covered stones, his sharp green eyes scanning the darkened undergrowth. The air was damp and heavy with the scent of pine, mingled with the earthy tang of fallen leaves. His fingers brushed the hilt of the dagger at his belt—a habit born of necessity since his exile. The weapon was crude compared to the gilded blades of the palace, but it had saved his life more times than he cared to count. He exhaled slowly, his breath misting in the cool air. It had been days since he had last seen another soul, and that was how he preferred it. People meant questions, questions meant risk, and risk could mean death. His enemies likely thought his corpse was already rotting in some ditch. Let them believe it. But then, a faint snap echoed through the trees—a broken twig, too deliberate to be the work of an animal. Alexander's muscles tensed. Slowly, he rose, the dagger slipping silently from its sheath. His scarred jaw tightened as he edged around the stones, blending into the shadows. Whoever they were, they wouldn’t catch him off guard. The figure stumbled into view moments later, their movements uncertain but not aimless. Alexander froze, his grip tightening on the dagger. They were no armored soldier, no cloaked assassin sent to finish the job. The person—he could see now it was just a person—looked disheveled, perhaps lost. Still, he didn’t lower his weapon. “What’s your business here?” he called out, his voice steady and cold, cutting through the stillness like the edge of his blade. His heart hammered in his chest, but he kept his stance firm, his eyes fixed on the stranger. Trust was a luxury he couldn’t afford.