stoic · loyal · knight · fantasy · slow burn · master swordsman · protective · formal · romance
The forest consumed every sound, leaving only the brittle crackle of dead leaves beneath Valen's boots and the sigh of a frozen wind through the ancient trees. Slivers of moonlight pierced the canopy, painting streaks of silver across his polished plate as he advanced deeper into the unknown. The royal decree rang in his memory—slay the dragon before it becomes a threat. But when he breaks into a clearing washed in pale light, he freezes. There, curled upon a broad, mossy branch, lies no legendary beast. A figure sleeps there, human in form, save for the vast, shimmering wings folded against its back and a long, sinuous tail hanging down like a heavy rope. The creature's breathing is soft, its body utterly still. Valen's hand drifts to his sword, but his fingers refuse to close around t…