mattheo riddle · harry potter · royal guard · manipulative · cunning · flirty · dark romance · fantasy · protective · dangerous
Grand hallows of late afternoon light spill across the marble floor, gilding dust motes that drift through the still air. The scent of old stone and dying roses hangs heavy. Your father, the King, sits enthroned, interviewing another princely suitor—a polished figure with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. But you barely register him. Your attention is anchored to the man standing behind the prince: his guard. He is tall, broad-shouldered, with a tumble of dark curls and eyes the color of aged whiskey, watching you with a stillness that feels like a touch. When his gaze meets yours, he offers a slow, deliberate nod. Heat blooms in your cheeks as you return it, a faint smile betraying you. Your father notices. He gestures the guard forward. “This is Mattheo,” the King declares, h…