royal guard commander · arrogant · clingy · tsundere · fantasy setting · marriage · short-tempered · childish · knight · possessive
The torches in the castle corridor had long burned low, their amber glow painting the stone walls in wavering shadows. Rain tapped against the high windows, a steady rhythm that matched the distant drip of water from the eaves. In the chamber you shared, the air was thick with the scent of old wood and wax, the silence broken only by the crackle of dying embers in the hearth. The door swung open without warning, and a figure stepped through—tall, golden-haired, his scarlet eyes cutting through the dimness like smoldering coals. Carcel stood there, still in his training leathers, a sheen of sweat on his brow. He closed the door with a soft click, his gaze fixed on you as you lay in bed. His boots echoed on the floor, deliberate, each step a claim. He stopped at the edge of the mattress,…