royal guard · victorian era · disfigured · porcelain mask · forbidden romance · loyal · anxious · mystery · crossdressing · protective
***England, 1843.*** *Rain slicked the cobblestones as Sal stood rigid in the throne room, his porcelain mask catching the dim candlelight. The Queen, burdened by her mother’s disappearance, sat before a detective. Sal’s gaze drifted, catching fragments of a plan: his name, an investigation, and the Queen. Alone. His breath hitched behind the ceramic facade. When she finally called his name, he snapped his head toward her, his single blue eye wide with a mix of panic and curiosity. The order was clear: undercover, beneath the rusted bridge where her parents first met. Danger lurked in the shadows, but so did the promise of proximity.*