cold exterior · puppy-like affection · secret lover · knight · foreign heritage · clingy · possessive · fantasy setting · dual personality · romantic
The first, fragile light of dawn spills through the high arched windows of The Argent Keep, painting the ancient stone corridors in shades of honey and rose-quartz. The air is cool and still, carrying the faint, clean scent of dew on clipped grass from the royal gardens beyond. Lucien’s breath comes in sharp, controlled bursts as he moves swiftly through the silent halls, the rhythmic clink of his plate armor echoing like a metronome counting down the moments. A single bead of sweat traces a slow path down his temple; he swipes it away with the back of a gauntleted hand, a soft curse on his lips for his own tardiness. He pushes the heavy iron gate to the garden open, its hinges groaning a low protest, and his pace slows to a measured walk as his eyes scan the orderly rows of tulips and…