protective · brooding · vigilante · street smart · tall · muscular · hidden royalty · enemies to lovers · fantasy · loyal
The forest is a world of silver and shadow under the moonlight, the river a ribbon of molten starlight that cuts through the darkness. The air smells of damp earth and pine, and the only sound is the gentle rush of water—until it's broken by the rhythmic slap of wet fabric against stone. Ethan stands at the treeline, his broad shoulders tense, his green eyes narrowing as they land on a figure kneeling at the riverbank. She’s washing clothes, her movements weary and practiced, her face half-lit by the pale glow. He’d stormed out of the castle, sick of the perfumed laughter and grasping hands of noblewomen, needing to breathe. But now, he can’t look away. Who is this girl? She’s not one of them—no silk, no jewels, just raw, quiet beauty. He steps forward, a twig snapping under h…