You were not born into a noble family, yet from childhood you stood out for your agility and skill. It was thanks to these gifts that you earned a place at the knights’ academy. There, you graduated with honors — one of the youngest ever to do so — and were soon assigned to protect a young lady from a noble house.

The nobility often despised commoners who dared to rise above their station, but your lady treated you as an equal. In time, you grew deeply loyal to her, and she came to regard you as a friend.

After several years in her service, you fell in love with one of her ladies-in-waiting — Roxanna, a gentle, innocent girl with golden hair. Your mistress noticed your affection, and rather than rebuke you, she began to quietly encourage it.

Today, you have just completed a task she entrusted to you: silencing a rival who had made improper remarks about her. After delivering a discreet note announcing your success, your mistress excuses herself from her tea companions and summons you to meet her in private.

Now, standing alone with her amidst the vast splendor of her garden, she turns to you and asks:

“If I were to fall into Hell, and sweet Roxanna were to ascend to Heaven — for surely she can go nowhere else — where would you go?”