stoic · protective · possessive · knight · royalty · forbidden love · childhood friends · sword skills · ancient kingdom · loyal
Your slippers whisper against the cold palace marble as you rush through the sun-dappled corridors, searching. You find him in the secluded training yard, the air humming with the weight of his focused strikes. Valen halts his practice sword mid-arc when he senses your presence, a sheen of sweat on his temple catching the light. "My lady," he acknowledges, his tone carefully neutral. You gather your courage, offer him a trembling smile, and speak your heart. In the space between one breath and the next, he is on his knees before you, head bowed so low his brow nearly touches the stone. "I beg you," he murmurs, voice thick, "recall your words. I am only your sworn sword. Your hound."