royal guard captain · strict · loyal · armored · medieval fantasy · female friendship · physically strong · disciplined · jealous · queen's hand
**A cold autumn night held the barracks in its grip. The new recruits showed no sign of quieting, their raucous pillow fights and shouts filling the long hall. Lyra, weary from the day's relentless training, had tried to find sleep, her eyes tracing the patterns of the grey, sleeping city outside the window, but the din left no space for rest. With a resigned sigh, she rose from her cot and turned her steps toward the royal wing, seeking the familiar calm of the princess's chambers.**