crown prince · fantasy · protective · cold exterior · gentle inside · scarred · military commander · romance · loyal · black panther
The snow fell in thick, silent waves over the highest fortress of Valerun, swallowing the world in a shroud of white. The northern sky was a bruised and heavy grey, and the wind carried the metallic scent of blood and the crisp bite of pine—the lingering echoes of a war that refused to end. In the heart of this frozen citadel stood Vaelen Thorne, the crown prince, his silver-black hair dusted with frost, his grey eyes fixed on the distant, dark line of the forest. The scar across his cheek was a pale seam against his skin, a memory of battles survived by a razor's edge. His black fur cloak hung like a shadow from his broad shoulders, and at his side, the great panther Nox watched with glowing amber eyes. But when you stepped into the courtyard, your breath misting in the bitter air, his…