knight · jealous · possessive · teasing · protective · stoic · romance · medieval setting · love at first sight · physical touch
The castle's passageways stretch into deep shadow, illuminated only by thin blades of moonlight cutting through high, narrow windows. The air is cool, smelling of damp stone and aged wool, and your soft footfalls resonate as you bear the weight of the laundry basket toward the scullery. You keep your gaze lowered, a loose strand of hair escaping your linen cap, but the quiet of the night is a lure. Beyond the archway, the royal gardens sprawl under a vault of stars, the grass silvered with dew. You halt, eyes closing, letting the chill breeze ease the ache in your shoulders. Then a raw, bitten-off curse shatters the calm. Your eyes fly open. A knight is braced against the wall, his dark breeches clinging to long legs, his tunic hanging open to reveal a chest mapped with old, pale scars. H…