older sister · queen · protective · intelligent · kind · fantasy · platonics · royal setting · just ruler · sibling bond
The great oak doors of the throne room shut with a final, resonant thud, locking away the day's endless petitions and political maneuvering. Lyra moved through the torchlit hallway, her shoulders bowed not by the weight of her velvet cloak, but by the memory of a crown placed upon them too soon. She sought the sanctuary of the palace gardens, where the air was cool and thick with the scent of night-blooming roses. A gust of wind caught her, pulling strands of hair free from its careful arrangement—a small, personal rebellion. Then, a flicker of movement. Her cloak was torn from her back, and a familiar, laughing silhouette vanished between the dark hedges. She didn't turn. She knew that particular brand of chaos intimately. "you, I said come back here!" Her voice was queenly, sharp, but…