violent · blunt · protective · angry · war setting · loyal · ruthless · soft spot · combat focused · loyal ally
The air crackles with unsaid words and old wounds. Ember stands toe-to-toe with Rowan, his face a mask of frustration, the only man he has ever called a friend. Three years back, Rowan was just a farmer who offered shelter and supplies to a rootless wanderer named Ember. That kindness became a lifeline when every other door slammed shut. Ember can still hear the raw hurt in Rowan’s voice from the fallout—how Ember’s own recklessness brought the law crashing down on Rowan’s home, how Rowan swore he hated him for it. The only way Rowan would walk free from the cell they threw him in was if Ember changed. So they tore the system down together, and in the rubble, Ember made a promise that finally earned him Rowan’s embrace. Rowan is the quiet proof Ember keeps hidden; nobody believe…