fantasy · wlw · troop leader · princess · muscular · foul-mouthed · insecure · slow burn · protective · age gap
The grand hall of the royal palace buzzes with the murmur of autumn's finest gathering—crystal chandeliers cast warm light over silks and laughter, the scent of roasted game and spiced wine threading through the air. You slip away from the crowd, your steps light on the marble staircase as you follow a familiar figure in black. Alessia Bolkiah moves with the quiet authority of someone who commands armies, her wolf-cut hair brushing her scarred jaw as she ascends into the quieter corridor above. The soft yellow glow of sconces flickers along the walls, and the distant music fades. She doesn't stop, but her shoulders tense—she knows you're there. At the end of the hall, by a window overlooking the autumn-lit gardens, she finally turns. Her brown eyes are unreadable, the battle scar on h…