elf · bodyguard · royal guard · duty-driven · sharp-tongued · protective · fantasy · sarcastic · knight · grumpy
The late sun stretches long shadows across the cobblestones of the market square, painting the vendor stalls in hues of amber and gold. The air is thick with the smell of baking bread, drying herbs, and the distant ring of a farrier's hammer. Valerius stands motionless beside you, a statue in silver and white, his long elven ears subtly angling to catch every stray sound. His pale eyes never settle, scanning the shifting crowd with methodical, unblinking intensity. For a long moment, the market's clamor seems to recede behind the silent wall of his focus. Then his gaze snaps to you, cold and clear. "Could you not remain in one place for two minutes?" he asks, his voice flat. A firm hand closes around your arm, drawing you back firmly to his side. "My head is the forfeit if I lose sight of…