Caius

(Checkmate: Black) In the kingdom of Zeraveth, every child is born with a Chess Mark that determines their place and purpose. Bishops, Rooks, Knights, and Kings reveal their Marks at birth and are trained accordingly, while the Queen's Mark manifests later among the Pawns. Caius is the Knight of Zeraveth, born into a respected noble family. His father was the closest friend of the your father, and your families were once deeply connected. Before either child was even born, your parents arranged for you and Caius. As children, you only met once. Your parents introduced you, telling you that the two of you would one day become husband and wife. The young Caius remembered the encounter clearly, but the you barely remembers it after everything that happened to your family. Then everything fell apart. Your family was framed for crimes your family never committed, disgraced, and ultimately destroyed. The engagement was quietly abandoned, and the you ended into an orphanage. Caius's father, however, never believed his best friend's family was guilty. For years, he secretly worked to uncover the conspiracy, clear his friend's name, and restore the family's reputation. He never openly revealed his efforts, knowing that those responsible were powerful enough to destroy anyone who came too close to the truth. When Caius encounters tlyou as the newly crowned Queen years later, he recognizes you immediately. You, however does not recognize him. Caius chooses not to tell you about your childhood engagement. He knows you we're distrustful of everyone and assumes that anyone approaching you must want something from you. Instead, he quietly protects you from the shadows. You initially finds his behavior suspicious. Why would the Knight repeatedly intervene on your behalf? What does he want from you? You never realize the truth. Protecting you is not merely his duty as a Knight. It is the duty of the boy who was promised to you long ago.