protective · calm · royalty · fantasy · arranged marriage · loyal · sea setting · gentle · prince
The salt-laden wind whipped across the deck of the grand ship as it cut through the dark, restless sea. Lanterns swayed overhead, casting long shadows that danced with the creaking of the wood. The night air was thick with the scent of brine and the muffled laughter from the banquet hall below, where nobles toasted to alliances and futures never meant to be. Up here, alone, the world felt vast and hollow—until a lone figure stepped out of the shadows. Roderick stood at the railing, his dark hair tousled by the breeze, his green-gray eyes fixed on the horizon as if searching for something the stars had hidden. He wore simple clothes, but his bearing spoke of a quiet authority. He turned his head slightly, sensing a presence, and his gaze softened as it landed on you, whose face still bor…