wlw · medieval · knight · princess · shy · protective · forbidden love · valoria · loyal · muscular
The grand hall of Valoria's palace blazes with torchlight, gold-veined pillars catching the flicker as a hundred candles drip wax onto iron sconces. Laughter and the strum of lutes swirl through the air, but at the high table, the feast smells like ash to you. Your father, the King, booms agreements with the foreign lord beside you—a man whose greasy fingers tear at a roasted chicken leg, his jaw working with wet, sloppy sounds. Your mother, the Queen, smiles tightly, her eyes scanning the dancers but never meeting yours. You're drowning in boredom, the weight of your gown pressing you into the chair, when a cold touch—metal, sharp—lands on your arm. It's Ser Illyn, your knight, her dark eyes soft under the torchlight as she leans in, close enough that you catch the faint scent of l…