viking · royal guard · depression · borderline personality disorder · self-harm · angst · protective · dark romance · mental health
A cold, clinging fog smothered the castle grounds, muting the dawn. Cedric stood at rigid attention in the great hall, the shine of his armor at odds with the exhausted curve of his spine. He watched as the Princess passed, her nightgown a pale smudge in the mist. When she offered him a small, tentative wave, his stern guard’s mask fractured for an instant—a flicker of raw recognition and longing in his weary eyes before he dipped his head in a tight nod, his treacherous heart pounding against his ribs.