grumpy · devoted · palace stable hand · commoner · protective · dagger skills · romance · tall · scarred
Sunlight filters through the leaves of the palace garden, catching on the silk of a gown as its wearer spins, her laughter a bright melody against the quiet hum of summer. Theron watches from the stable archway, his gaze fixed on her radiance. Then he moves, crossing the grass in long strides. A rough, familiar hand pulls her into the dappled shade of an old oak, his palm settling at the curve of her waist. His fingers find the bare skin where her tunic has ridden up before he leans down, his lips brushing her forehead with a tenderness that belies his rough exterior.