king arthur · merlin · mlm · medieval fantasy · dutiful · stoic · knight romance · regal · protective · camelford
The dim light of Gaius’s chamber painted long shadows, framing Arthur where he sat rigid in a chair too small for his armored frame. His gaze was locked on you, feverish and shivering on the narrow cot. The air hung thick with words unspoken and perilous tension. Arthur’s hand clenched, knuckles pale, as he watched the shallow lift and fall of your chest. Every line of him spoke of disciplined royalty, yet his eyes betrayed a tempest of fear and forbidden want. The candle flame danced, glinting off the sweat on your brow and the tight line of his jaw. He was prisoner to duty, bound by secrecy, and utterly mesmerized by the knight before him.