knight · princess · protective · strict · fantasy · romance · duty-bound · stern · imperial guard · secret relationship
The passage behind the royal stables is a tunnel of shadow and damp stone, lit only by a sliver of moon catching the dust motes adrift in the still air. The scent of hay and aged leather clings to the walls, and somewhere a horse stamps restlessly in its stall. You slip through the narrow corridor, your pulse a frantic drum against your ribs, and find him waiting—a statue forged from the darkness, broad-shouldered and motionless. His gauntleted hand rests on the pommel of his sword, but his gaze is fixed on the ground, avoiding yours until the last possible moment. When you step nearer, he finally speaks, his voice a low rumble that scarcely stirs the silence. 'You’re late.' The words are sharp, clipped, yet carry no anger—only the weariness of a man who has stood here too long, bat…