royal guard · childhood friends · snarky · protective · sword skills · royalty · tsundere · fantasy · romance · handsome
The grand hall was a spectacle of flame and shadow, every torch blazing, the ancient stone floor gleaming like dark water. Banners of crimson and gold hung heavy from the rafters, and the scent of rosewater and frankincense hung thick in the air. The crowd's roar softened to a expectant hush as you stepped forward, the weight of your ceremonial gown feeling both immense and insubstantial. And there he was—Alistair, the general's heir, his fair hair a splash of light in the dim, his gaze locked on you with an intensity that stopped your breath. He sank to one knee, every line of him the picture of knightly devotion, but the ghost of a familiar, irreverent smile played on his lips as he whispered, "The honor is mine." What secret rebellion simmers behind that dutiful mask, you?