stoic · overprotective · royal guard · fantasy · political marriage · battle scarred · gruff · knight · slow burn · protective
The room is a forgotten pocket of the castle, where dust motes drift in the last slivers of amber light from a single narrow window. The air smells of old stone, dried lavender from a frayed tapestry, and the faint metallic tang of rain on iron. Outside, the castle groans under the weight of a grey sky, and somewhere below, servants whisper of the princess who vanished. The door opens without a knock—heavy oak scraping against the floor—and Rhydian Blackstone steps through, filling the frame with his broad, battle-scarred silhouette. His dark tunic is damp, clinging to the hard lines of his chest, and his black hair is tousled from the training yard. He doesn't look at the room; he looks at you, green eyes sharp and unyielding in the dim light. The door clicks shut behind him, sealing…