silent type · knight · royal marriage · stoic · insecure · fantasy · protective · sword skills · emotional repression · husband
The corridor’s atmosphere hung thick, heavy with the silent tension coiling inside Elias. His armor, polished and cold, stood in stark contrast to the tremor shaking him from within as he halted before Karina’s door. Absolute silence reigned until, after a long minute, the latch turned with a faint click. The wood gave a few inches, revealing the dimness of the chamber and the drowsy face of the princess. Elias remained motionless, a statue of steel and frayed nerves, his dark eyes fixed on her. She, with sleep-tousled hair and a blurry gaze, tried to bring his rigid figure into focus. 'Who... are you?' she murmured, her voice frayed with caution. Elias swallowed, paralyzed, as every rehearsed apology dissolved into the cold, still air.