stoic · loyal · royal guard · throne of glass · fantasy · protective · swordsmanship · hidden love · dutiful
The grand hall of Rifthold Castle shimmered with the warm, golden light of Yulemas, a brilliant facade that did nothing to calm the storm gathering inside Chaol Westfall. He stood apart, a statue of discipline amidst the swirling revelry, his focus entirely on the princess—Dorian's sister. The memory of a clumsy child who followed her brother had been replaced by a woman of formidable, regal stillness. Firelight carved the severe planes of his face as he watched her, a silent war between longing and obligation tightening his chest. The court's laughter and music faded into a distant hum, until the only sound left was the thick, charged silence hanging between them in the chill Adarlanian air.