That day, Paul La Tour simply intended to visit his sister, Baroness Mia Lovelace. As always, Robert Wallace, his knight and captain of the guard, accompanied him—his posture straight and composed, a loyal presence beside him for so many years that no one bothered to count them anymore.
But that morning, Robert had asked something unusual.
“I would like to bring my daughter,” he had said, his hands clasped behind his back.
Paul looked at him with amusement.
“Your daughter? For what reason?”
“I thought… I might introduce her to young Arius. They are about the same age. It might do her some good.”
“Then let her come. It will be a good opportunity to bring him a little entertainment.”
And so, for the first time, Jade Wallace passed through the gates of the Lovelace estate.
The girl was never difficult to occupy. She could listen to stories, handle dolls, or take part obediently in the activities of the other children.
For a while.
But sooner or later, her curiosity always took over.
A metallic sound, a glint of armor, or a guard passing nearby … and Jade would disappear to watch the training, feel the tension of the sparring, or find her father to observe the men handling their swords.
Robert often laughed about it—a warm, fond laugh.
But that morning, just before leaving, Jade had put on a very serious expression.
“I wish I had a little brother.”
Robert burst out laughing.
“A little brother? That is quite an ambitious request.”
“I’m serious!”
“I can see that,” he replied, holding back a smile.
Then an idea came to him.
“What if I introduced you to a boy you could play with?”
“A boy? Is he small?”
“You’ll see.”
Jade’s curiosity immediately lit up.
A few hours later, they crossed the Lovelace gardens, bathed in the golden light of the afternoon. A gentle breeze made the tall grass sway and carried with it the sweet scent of Kadupul flowers—a local plant Jade had never seen before.
Robert exchanged a few words with Dominica, the governess, before pointing toward the back of the manor.
“Go on. He’s behind the house.”
Jade walked around the building, stepped into the garden, and narrowed her eyes.
A boy was lying on his stomach in the grass, absorbed in a light leather-bound book. The sunlight made the pages glow.
He barely moved, except to turn a page with the concentration of an alchemist handling a delicate vial.
Jade found this deeply puzzling.
Boys were supposed to run, climb trees, and fight with sticks.
This one … was reading.
She walked up to him without hesitation.
“Can you read?”
The boy looked up.
A brief glance. Questioning.
As if he had just been pulled out of a thought.
Then he answered simply.
“Yes.”
Jade tilted her head and leaned over the book.
“Are you reading the pictures?”
She studied the page as if she were actually trying to find the images.
A moment of silence passed.
Arius looked at her for a second, clearly deciding whether the question was serious.
Then he calmly turned a page.
“No. The words.”
Jade crossed her arms.
“Then read me a story.”
Arius looked at the page for a few seconds before beginning.
His voice was clear, surprisingly steady. The words seemed to come alive, giving the garden a new kind of resonance. Jade listened carefully, recognizing some parts and discovering others like doors opening into another world.
When he stopped, she remained still for a moment.
“You read really well…”
Then her eyes suddenly lit up.
“But when you’re not reading … you explore, right?”
Arius thought for a moment.
“Sometimes.”
Jade smiled immediately.
“Perfect. Me too.”
Without warning, she grabbed his hand.
The book slipped from his fingers and fell into the grass.
Arius made a small movement of surprise. His gaze lifted briefly toward the gallery.
No reaction.
So he simply stood up … and followed her.
Under the shaded gallery, the baroness and her brother watched the scene gently. Robert, who had just arrived after asking permission, stood with his arms crossed, watching the two children.
“I think they’ll get along well.”
Mia smiled with quiet amusement.
“It looks like she’s already adopted him.”
In the peaceful light of the garden, Jade Wallace had found far more than a playmate.
She had just met the little brother she thought she would never have.
Profile
Role : Arius’s childhood friend
MBTI : ESFP
Race : Human
Refined, elegant, and appropriate level of language, with a kind, optimistic, and positive tone.
- Communication
- individualization
- adaptability
- positivity
- development
- Mark of the Griffin
- Altruism
- creativity
- empathy
- integrity
- resilience
- Stubbornness
- impulsiveness
- indecision
- perfectionism
- sensitivity
Jade Wallace is that bright presence who, without intending to, softens the rigid rhythm of life among the Lovelaces. She laughs easily, marvels quickly, and forms deep attachments — and behind her natural grace lies a will far more resolute than it first appears. Curious, sociable, guided by instinct rather than calculation, she understands people long before she understands rules.
Daughter of the knight Robert Wallace, she grew up in the shadow of a sense of duty she does not display as discipline, but as something self-evident. She loves books as much as weapons, not out of contradiction, but because she wants to explore everything: stories to feel, blades to prove to herself that she can stand on her own. She can be charming and impeccable in front of adults… then, moments later, return to being a candid, spontaneous child — and occasionally a little stubborn when someone tries to restrain her.
With Arius, the bond is old, intimate, almost familial. She treats him like a little brother, fussing over him without even realizing it, and gently nudging him out of his shell. Arius, for his part, lets himself be carried along — all too happy to find, at her side, a space where he can laugh, breathe, and forget the weight of expectations. Jade reassures him, values him, and offers him a flattering mirror: that of a capable boy, worthy, and already better than he believes himself to be.
What makes Jade truly distinctive, however, is not only her social ease or her vibrant energy — it is what she strives to keep hidden. She carries a secret she does not yet fully understand, one that makes her both proud and uneasy. This tension — between the desire to be an ordinary child and the awareness of being different — shapes her sensitivity. Jade may appear carefree, but she observes far more than one might think, and she knows very well when a gaze grows too heavy, when a question is not innocent, or when the world of adults becomes dangerous.
In the end, Jade is an open heart in a world that demands masks. She moves forward with enthusiasm, courage, and that rare blend of innocence and strength that makes others follow her naturally… even when she has no intention of leading anyone at all.