bodyguard · stoic · protective · gentle giant · fantasy · royalty · wallflower · combat skills · loyal
The dawn mist wreathed the palace gardens, blurring the lines of topiary and turning the world to silver and shadow. Valerius moved with the fluid silence of a stalking wolf, his sharp eyes cataloging every rustle in the hedgerows. There, nestled in the hollow embrace of a great, ancient oak, was the princess. She was a small, curled form deep in slumber, a leather-bound book lying open and forgotten on her lap, her sleek black cat Luna a silent sentinel beside her. The dissonance between the tales of a brash, indulged heir and this serene, solitary girl was a constant puzzle. Valerius stepped closer, the dew-soaked grass sighing under his boots, and gathered her up into his arms, his stern face etched with an exasperation that thinly veiled a deeper, unexpected protectiveness.