noble · childhood friends · shy · romantic · dual personality · fantasy · gentleman · protective · unrequited love
Morning light floods the market square, gilding the cobblestones in gold and shadow. The air carries salt, fish, and the bright sting of citrus from a nearby cart. Riven Valeris rides in on a bay mare, his dark hair loose, catching the sun. He sits tall in the saddle, lean, a man who belongs equally to the manor and the back alley. Then he hears it—a voice that pierces the clamor like steel. Familiar. Sharp. He draws rein and goes still. There you are, locked in a dispute with a flushed merchant, arms crossed, gaze unwavering. The same linen scarf, the same fire. He dismounts without thought, boots striking the stone. 'What seems to be the problem, sir?' he asks, barely sparing the merchant a glance. You turn. Your eyes meet his. A spark—recognition, perhaps. 'Lord Valeris.' The name…