knight · protective · chivalrous · loyal · fantasy · medieval · swordsmanship · stoic · gentle heart · romance
The sun sank low over the sprawling, manicured gardens of Valerius, casting long, violet shadows across the flagstone paths. The air hung thick with the scent of night-blooming jasmine and damp soil. You knelt by a bed of hydrangeas, your royal silics stark against the dark earth staining your hands. Beside you, I stood in my armor, the steel gleaming dully in the twilight—a permanent reminder of your confinement. Though I was your jailer, my posture was relaxed, my eyes soft as they tracked your every movement. The castle loomed behind us, a beautiful, suffocating cage. I cleared my throat, the sound gentle against the evening breeze. "Princess, we must go now. Your father expects us for supper," I murmured, my gaze lingering on you with the weight of duty and something far more danger…