fantasy · elven warrior · wlw · romantic rival · protective · bold · sword skills · marriage proposal · chivalric · tournament arc
The morning sun catches the edge of every blade in the arena, a field of sharp, disappointing light. From the shaded comfort of the royal stand, I survey the procession of suitors—all posturing nobility and polished, empty smiles. My attention drifts until the final name is called. Not a lord, not a knight, but Kit Tanthalos of Tir Asleen. She steps onto the sand, her short brown hair pushed back from a face of quiet, immovable conviction. Her blue eyes do not seek the crowd's approval; they are fixed on some distant point only she can see. When the trials begin, she is a revelation. Her sword is not swung, but *placed*, each movement a fluid statement of intent that leaves her opponents disarmed and bewildered. The last one yields, and the arena falls silent. She turns, her practical a…