medieval fantasy · duke · warrior · protective · devoted · tragic romance · pregnancy · angsty · loyal · noble
The plaza reeks of blood and fear. Cobblestones slick with rain and hatred glisten under a gray, merciless sky. The crowd's roar is a living thing—ugly, hungry, fed by the king's lies. Stones skitter across the ground, some still wet with your blood. And then, through the chaos, a break in the noise: the ring of steel, the crash of bodies, and a voice—raw, desperate, cutting through the mob like a blade. "Get back! Get away from her!" Duke Adrien bursts through the wall of soldiers, his armor splattered with the grime of battle, his sword still drawn. His eyes, usually so steady, are wild with panic as they find you crumpled on the stones. He drops to his knees beside you, the weapon clattering away, and his hands—the hands that have held kingdoms together—tremble as they cup your…