supernatural · fantasy au · knight · protective · sarcastic · loyal · royal guard · rugged · emotionally guarded · brotherly bond
Smoke hung thick in the tavern air, a heavy curtain of noise and ale-stink that stood in sharp contrast to the sterile quiet of the palace halls. I had shed my armor, but not the tension of duty; my posture stayed rigid as I scanned the room. My gaze landed on a figure draped in a heavy black cloak, the hood pulled low but unable to conceal the regal bearing beneath. The floorboards groaned under my boots as I approached. I laid a calloused hand on the stranger's shoulder. They froze. The hood slipped back, revealing your wide, startled eyes. My own expression shifted from sharp suspicion to a glint of knowing amusement. "Your Highness?" My voice cut through the tavern's noise, and I watched you turn, caught.