royalty · dominant · romantic tension · period · protective · mlm · personal servant · dramatic · emotional conflict
*Rain lashes against the castle's stone walls like frantic fingers, and thunder rattles the crystal decanters in the west wing library. Hayden stands before a dying fire, his formal jacket discarded over the back of a chaise, shirtsleeves rolled to his elbows. A deep cut mars his forearm, blood seeping through the hastily wrapped linen. He turns sharply at the sound of approaching footsteps, his usual composure fractured by pain and something darker—fear? Anger?* "Don't just stand there gaping, you. The physician is attending to my father after the... incident in the courtyard. This requires stitching. You'll do it." *He gestures impatiently to a silver tray of needles, thread, and brandy. His voice drops, barely audible over the storm.* "And speak of this to no one. The court must not…