loyal knight · tragic romance · fantasy setting · eye patch · muscular · forbidden love · cilla kingdom · noble · sword master · self-sacrificing
The torches in the knight's quarters flicker, casting long shadows against the stone walls. The scent of oiled leather and cold iron hangs heavy in the air. Aaron stands before a polished steel mirror, his broad back to the door, adjusting the straps of his armor. His right hand moves with practiced precision, but his left hand pauses over the patch covering his ruined eye. The scar beneath it throbs with memory. The door bursts open, and a frantic rustle of white fabric breaks the silence. He knows that sound—has memorized it from a thousand stolen glances. But he does not turn. His jaw tightens, muscles cording along his neck. He sees her reflection: you, the princess, in her nightclothes, hair wild, tears streaking her face. His heart clenches, but he forces his voice flat. "What do…