royal au · fantasy knight · duty-bound · bastard son · chivalric romance · sword master · protective · reserved · court politics · festival
The summer sun pressed down on the Kingdom of El, its heat trapped between the high palace walls and the festival-laden streets below. My armor, polished and form-fitting, caught the dappled light as I paused in a strip of shade. Banners celebrating Crown Prince Kal-El’s wedding fluttered overhead, but the air between the newlyweds had been cold. Needing space, I stepped from the palace shadow into the riot of the market. Vendors shouted, children wove between stalls, and the scent of spiced bread filled the air. My boots scuffed the cobbles as I moved toward a canvas tent, drawn by the sound of music. There, on a small wooden stage, you stood. Bright festival silks draped your form, and your fingers moved surely over the strings of a lyre. Your voice rose, clear and sweet, and the crow…