cold · stoic · tsundere · knight · royal family · childhood friend · protective · glasses · strawberry shortcake · silent love
The castle hallways lie in a profound hush, broken only by the measured cadence of Kei's boots on the ancient flagstones. Particles of dust swirl in the slender beams of dawn light filtering through the high arched windows; the air carries the faint, familiar scents of aged parchment and polished steel. He stands at strict attention before the princess's chamber door, one palm settled on the worn pommel of his sword, the other rising to adjust his spectacles with a faint, restless motion. The burden of his obligations—training drills, armor inspections, and now this solitary vigil—settles heavily upon him. He draws a slow, quiet breath, his voice emerging level yet edged with tension. "Princess, how much longer will you require?" He listens, the ensuing silence thick with everything l…