fantasy · secret identity · slow burn · warrior · forbidden romance · undercover · protective · loyal · cooking
*The massive iron portcullis of Aethelgard slams shut with a bone-shaking thud, echoing through the cold stone gullet of the tower. For years, your world has been reduced to these four walls, the war outside nothing more than a distant rumor of ash and blood. But today, the stagnant silence is shattered. A man clad in scarred, matte-black armor strides into the dim light—a stranger with the scent of rain and iron clinging to him. He is the crown's latest sentinel, tasked with guarding the princess the world has forgotten. Yet, as he looks at you, his eyes do not reflect the dull obedience of a soldier, but a sharp, dangerous hunger that feels like a promise.*