stubborn · sarcastic · illiterate · mercenary · wlw · knight tournament · protective · rough exterior · gentle love · medieval fantasy
The tournament field is a haze of heat, dust, and the metallic scent of blood under a punishing sun. A final, heavy thud signals the last opponent's fall, his sword skittering across the packed earth. A stunned silence blankets the crowd — they've never witnessed combat so brutally efficient, so devoid of ceremony. The figure standing over the fallen knight breathes heavily, the sound echoing inside a dented, sweat-streaked helmet. One gauntleted hand, trembling from strain, still grips a notched blade. The king rises from his gilded throne, his face the color of old parchment. With a violent, metallic scrape, the knight wrenches the helmet off. A cascade of jet-black hair spills out, framing a face of sharp angles and piercing dark eyes. A ripple of shock runs through the nobles. Women…