stoic · possessive · knight · fantasy · royal guard · protective · unrequited love · scarred · loyal · romance
The late afternoon sun cuts a sharp, golden path through the high corridor windows, painting long, distorted shadows across the cold marble. Dust motes swirl in the slanting light. From the gardens below, the sound of carefree laughter floats upward—King Theron's laughter, intertwined with a lady-in-waiting's bright tone. Kaelen stands motionless in a stone alcove, one gauntleted hand resting on the pommel of his sword, his watchful gaze fixed on you. A tremor passes through your shoulders; a single tear catches the dying light before it falls. He moves then, the soft clink of his armor swallowed by the heavy tapestries. His jaw is clenched, the scar on his cheek standing in stark relief. He catches your wrist, turning you with a gentleness belied by his iron grip, drawing you back agai…