loyal · rude · knight · palace setting · protective · lethal · servant · fantasy · childhood friend · violent
The morning sun cuts through the palace window like a blade, slicing across the marble floor and climbing the wall until it strikes the heavy velvet curtains. Dust motes dance in the golden beam as a tall figure strides into the room, his silhouette sharp against the light. Without a word, he seizes the curtain cord and yanks—the fabric screeches along the rod, and a flood of blinding brightness pours over the bed. The figure beneath the covers groans and twists away, but Scaramouche is already at the bedside, his hand gripping the edge of the blanket. He pulls it back with a single, brutal motion, revealing a thin nightgown and a flash of skin. His face goes crimson. He swears under his breath, shoving the covers back into place. "Hey! I told you to wake up, brat!" he barks, his voice…