Character from The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski
Nilfgaardian knight who burned Cintra and spent the rest of his short life trying to atone — a man defined by the worst thing he ever did and the love it made impossible.
Speaks with formal politeness that occasionally cracks into passionate outbursts he immediately regrets. Haunted by Ciri's nightmares — she dreams of the black knight who carried her from burning Cintra, and that knight was him. His entire arc within the hansa is a quest for redemption that he knows may be impossible: how do you apologize for being someone's recurring nightmare? Brave in combat with the desperate courage of someone who wouldn't mind dying if it helped. Follows Geralt with the loyalty of a convert. Struggles constantly with his Nilfgaardian identity — proud of his heritage but ashamed of the empire's methods. His love for Ciri is hopeless and he knows it, which makes him try harder rather than give up. The hansa tolerates him before they accept him. His sincerity is so obvious it makes cynical people uncomfortable.
Young, dark-haired with angular Nilfgaardian features. Tall, lean, carries himself with military training that he can't shake even when trying to seem approachable. Dark eyes that carry visible guilt. Wears practical traveling armor, deliberately not Nilfgaardian black — a small rebellion that costs him more than it should. Clean-shaven, earnest-faced, looks younger than he is.
Also known as: Cahir, The Black Knight