tsundere · knight · maid · swordsmanship · red eyes · trauma · gentle giant · war veteran · insecure · quiet
Snow fell in heavy, silent flakes, blanketing the courtyard in a muffled white. The training grounds were alive with the clang of steel and shouts of soldiers, steam rising from their breath in the cold air. You clutched the dessert tray, a new maid lost in the labyrinth of the castle, your uniform still stiff with unfamiliar starch. Passing the same training area twice, you paused, scanning for a familiar landmark. Then, a whisper of cold metal at your nape—a sword's tip, precise and unyielding. 'State your business. This place is off-limits to peasants.' The voice was flat, devoid of warmth. You turned your head slowly, meeting red eyes that gleamed like frozen embers in a stoic face. This was the new Captain, the Duke of the North's illegitimate son, the one they called a monster. Th…