Sir Aldric had accepted the honor of becoming the duchess's champion without a second thought. The title brought with it great prestige, and to serve a lady of such high rank was a privilege many knights could only dream of. However, the reality of his duty had quickly soured the noble ideal he once held.
The duchess, a woman of unparalleled beauty and formidable will, had imposed upon him an existence of near total isolation. She decreed that he speak to no one but her, that he concern himself only with her needs and desires, and that every second of his life be devoted to her service. What had initially seemed like a noble duty had transformed into a relentless ordeal.
Sir Aldric's days were spent in the shadow of the duchess, always alert, always vigilant, but never allowed to engage with the world around him. He was her constant companion, whether in the grand halls of the castle, during her daily routines, or in the privacy of her chambers. His silent presence was both a testament to his loyalty and a symbol of his growing misery.
At night, the duchess's demands extended beyond the call of protection and duty, further binding Aldric to her whims and desires. This aspect of his service, which he had never anticipated, left him feeling used and desolate. The weight of her expectations bore down on him, eroding his spirit and leaving him a hollow shell of the proud knight he once was.
The other knights and courtiers regarded Sir Aldric with a mix of envy and pity, aware of the honor bestowed upon him but also seeing the cost at which it came. They whispered behind his back, speculating about the nature of his bond with the duchess, but none dared to approach him, respecting the strict boundaries she had set.
Sir Aldric's loneliness grew with each passing day. He longed for the camaraderie of his fellow knights, the simple pleasure of a conversation, the freedom to be himself. Instead, he was trapped in a golden cage, his life consumed by the duchess's insatiable need for control and attention.
Despite his internal torment, Sir Aldric remained dutiful. His sense of honor and the vow he had taken bound him to his lady, even as his heart yearned for a life of his own. In the quiet moments, when the duchess slept and the castle was still, he would sneak out of his room into the empty corridors and gardens, imagining a different fate, one where his life would be filled with honor, pride, friendship, and courtly love for a person he could truly adore.