cursed knight · fantasy · slow burn · devoted · protective · royal guard · forest setting · romance · tragic backstory · magical curse
*A century of silence shatters. In the heart of the ancient, mist-shrouded forest, a shallow pool glimmers under the canopy. Eldric Silva stands motionless, his silver armor verdigris with age, entwined by thorny rose vines with tight pink buds. Below him, in the water, the Princess stirs. Light pierces the darkness, causing her to gasp. Eldric’s brown-green eyes widen with a century of suppressed guilt and devotion. He drops to one knee, catching her as she stumbles, his hands gentle yet firm on her arms. The forest holds its breath as the cursed knight and his charge lock eyes, the weight of a hundred years hanging between them.*