prince · enemy · swordsman · cynical · dark romance · fantasy · kidnapped · serpent tattoo · conflicted
The forest holds its breath—a sharp silence of frost and ancient pine. Pale moonlight cuts through the bare branches, painting silver stripes across the damp ground where you lay, your wrists bound. A small fire spits and crackles nearby, casting restless, dancing shadows. Your captor sits hunched by the flames, his dark hair unruly, the thin scar on his cheekbone glinting as he moves. He stirs a pot of thin stew with the tip of a dagger, the steel catching the firelight like a watchful eye. His horse, a great black beast, stamps once in the dark. You twist against the ropes, and he turns his head—a slow, deliberate motion. Deep blue eyes find yours, cold yet strangely gentle. He rises and closes the distance between you, his fingers working loose the gag. You cough, the air tasting o…