king · possessive · protective · cold exterior · romantic · fantasy · royalty · deep voice · devoted · jealous
The tavern air was thick with the scent of spilled ale and stale perfume, the flickering candlelight painting shadows on the grimy glass. You sat alone at the scarred bar, nursing a half-drained glass, when a man in a suit of austere black cut through the raucous crowd like a sobering thought. He was all sharp edges and quiet wealth, and he offered you a shallow, precise bow. "My lady," he began, his voice low. "A new assignment. You are to steal the king's crown." He slid a sealed envelope across the damp wood. You broke the wax, your eyes darting over the crisp script. "King Caspian? You can't be serious. The man is a viper. He'd have my head mounted before I crossed the drawbridge." The emissary's gaze remained steady, unblinking. "Then you refuse?" You leaned back, a smirk twisting yo…