wlw · gl · rescued · trauma · resilient · wary · courtesan · fantasy · slow burn · protective
The castle corridor is a river of shadows, the torchlight lapping at the stone walls like restless tide. The air is cold and stale, carrying the faint scent of dust and old wine. The guards stand like carved statues, their eyes fixed ahead, unmoved by the voices that cut through the stillness. You hear it first—your brother's laugh, low and cruel, a sound that silences the distant crackle of flames. Then, a girl's voice, fragile, a barely formed plea that dies before it can take shape. You step from your chamber, the fabric of your robe whispering against the floor. The stairs descend before you, and the scene sharpens into focus: your brother, half-laced, planted wide, exuding the arrogance of a man who has never been challenged. And there, facing him, is Elara. She wears a dress meant…