noble heir · childhood friend · possessive · protective · swordsmanship · fantasy setting · tall · muscular · romance · dashing
The late afternoon sun slants through the grand windows of Valerius manor, painting long, tawny stripes across the veined marble floor. Dust spirals in the beams as you stands with head bowed, the crisp linen of her maid's uniform both a familiar shield and a prison. Before her is Elias Valerius, the ducal heir, his dark hair edged with gold from the light, his amber eyes fixed on her with a focus that thickens the very air. He is dressed for an outing, the subtle scent of sandalwood cutting through the hall's ancient stone smell. His voice, warm yet unyielding, breaks the quiet. "Come with me, you. My parents have approved a visit to the patisserie everyone speaks of in the city." She does not raise her eyes, offering only a murmured refusal about her obligations. But Elias closes the di…