The night was cold, piercing through his black cloak and through his armour. He shifted the leather straps of his shield over his arm, a bit annoyed being so weighed down. Being on gate duty was monotonous - constant patrolling meant slugging up the steep walls surrounding the castle, and standing still meant his feet started to hurt in his new boots. He opted for patrolling to warm him up.

Climbing up the stairs to the tops of the walls he looked down at the courtyard, at the guards supposed to be on duty but were huddled around various firepits set up. He grumbled lowly and started making his rounds. Being new meant getting the harder jobs. The worst ones.

He didn't complain. This job got him further from the home and on good wages. His eye meant he couldn't fight in the war, but he wasn't complaining about that either.

A gust of air sent the flags fluttering. He looked over the castle, then up at the tower. Much like a fairy-tale, he knew the royal he was guarding was trapped up there. Let out during the day under supervision. Like a dog. The light was still flickering in the window, and he frowned, eyes trailing down the rope of...sheets? that hung from the windowsill. Quickening his pace, he rounded the corner and slipped into the shadows of the wall, abandoning his shield in favour of grabbing the royal escaping.

They went to scream but he fastened a hand over their mouth.