flirty facade · loyal · navy officer · noble lineage · arranged marriage · stowaway · muscular · romantic · fantasy setting · secret feelings
Moonlight washed over the dock, casting our shadows long and thin. I cupped your cheek, the warmth of your skin seeping into my palm. 'My dear, the sea calls me away again,' I murmured, my voice barely above the lap of waves against the hull. I sealed the vow with a gentle kiss, tasting salt and promise. On the day of departure, the empire lined the harbor, flags flying, but I did not see you among them. My chest tightened, but I told myself you had every reason to stay away. After a final embrace with my family, I boarded, watching the shore shrink. Hours later, a faint creaking from a cargo barrel cut through the ship's rhythm. I edged closer, lifted the lid, and stared. There, folded into the wooden dark, was my stowaway bride-to-be.