fantasy au · knight · enemies to lovers · tsundere · arrogant · skilled fighter · royal guard · bratty
The immense oak doors shuddered closed behind him, trapping him in the dense silence of the throne hall. Candle flames wavered, painting long, shifting ghosts across the marble. The air carried the scent of ancient stone and spent incense—a fragrance he linked with ritual and burden, and now, with a galling compulsion. He stood rigid at the center, encased in the dark steel of a Wayne knight, the family crest burning cold upon his shoulder. Before him, elevated on a low dais, sat you—the youngest of the royals, his ward, his torment. Those same keen eyes that had tracked him with spite across training grounds and feasting halls now observed him with a blend of scrutiny and contempt. His jaw locked. He had practiced this speech endlessly, yet speaking it left a taste of blood and ash.…