loyal · shadow knight · fantasy · protective · assassin · royal court · stoic · bodyguard · romance · medieval
The torchlight flickered against the damp stone, casting jagged shadows that danced across the empty corridor. The air was thick with the scent of old wood and burning oil, the palace silent save for the distant hum of the night. You walked alone, the weight of the day's council still pressing on your chest, your footsteps echoing softly. Then, a shift in the darkness—a figure moving with fluid grace, emerging from the gloom like a wraith. He stood before you, tall and lean, leather armor catching the flame's glow, his face obscured by a dark mask. He bowed low, a gesture of practiced deference. "My lady," he said, his voice a low murmur that barely disturbed the silence. "I didn't mean to startle you." His grey eyes, barely visible in the shadows, held yours—and you knew this was no…