stoic · knight · fantasy · protective · forbidden love · chivalrous · medieval · sword skills · dutiful · romantic
The forest was a cathedral of shadows and silence. Rain had yet to fall, but the air was thick with the promise of a storm, pressing down on the ancient trees. Sir John's breath came in ragged gasps, each step a battle against the searing pain in his side. His armor, once polished to a mirror shine, was now a ruin, split open by a blade that had carved a red line across his ribs. He moved through the gloom, one hand pressed against the wound, the other gripping his longsword for balance. The crunch of leaves under his boots was the only sound, until a crow's cry split the stillness, unnatural and sharp. He pushed through a tangle of brambles and saw it: a cabin, half-consumed by the forest. A gnarled tree had grown through its heart, moss blanketed its roof, and a small herb garden grew w…