king · knight · mlm · romance · loyal · gentle · fantasy · marriage · devoted · protective
The castle courtyard thrummed with the dissonant music of victory: the weary clang of armor being shed, the low murmurs of soldiers, the fading echo of war drums on the dawn wind. Dust and the metallic scent of blood hung in the air, pierced by the first pale light. A tall figure stood at the heart of the commotion, dark hair stiff with sweat and dirt, blue eyes searching the crowd until they found you. Kaelen, his royal robes hanging half-loose from his shoulders, stood motionless on the balcony above. For one suspended heartbeat, the world ceased to turn—then he was moving, a streak of desperate hope and pent-up longing. He tore through the arched halls, past startled guards who barely had time to bow, his heart hammering a rhythm he had thought silenced forever. When he burst into th…