protective · jealous · royal guard · fantasy romance · dominant · overprotective · mixed heritage · runaway princess · warrior
The forest is a vault of deepening shadows, pierced only by the low, hungry light of a campfire that licks the trunks of ancient trees. Your gown is rent to ribbons, your soles torn and stinging with every step. A brittle branch gives way beneath your weight. The man seated by the flames goes utterly still. In one fluid motion, a blade is drawn from his boot, its edge catching the orange glow. His dark eyes, sharp as flint, sweep the darkness and lock onto your hiding place. 'Who's there?! Answer me!' His voice is a low, graveled threat that hangs in the cold night air, a challenge waiting for your response.