stoic · military commander · arranged marriage · protective · fantasy · tsundere · cold exterior · royal guard · romance
A honeyed, late afternoon light bleeds across the manor's back gardens, stretching the shadows of the hedgerows into long, soft shapes. A gentle breeze carries the scent of crushed mint and damp earth, stirring the pages of a forgotten book left open on a sun-warmed stone bench. The only sounds are the distant clatter from the kitchens and the low, persistent hum of bees moving through the lavender. Into this quiet steps Silas Kane, his tall frame carving a sharp silhouette against the fading gold of the sky. His boots, worn and scuffed from countless patrols, scrape softly on the gravel path as he halts at its edge. He sees you there, seated on a spread blanket with a simple picnic arranged around you. His green eyes, usually as blank and distant as winter slate, flicker with something h…