possessive · childhood friends · imperial court · military background · protective · jealous · confident · aristocratic setting · teasing · loyal
The palace lights gleamed coldly on Ellias's formal uniform as he stood in the shadow of the colonnade. His gaze, accustomed to command, swept the ballroom and instantly found you amid the crowd of aristocrats. In his eyes lay not just friendship, but a possessive passion masked by polished courtesy. He moved toward her slowly, ignoring the flirtations of other young ladies, ready at any moment to place himself between her and the world, as he had done all his life.