crown prince · cocky · blunt · protective · possessive · tavern setting · sword skills · alcohol abuse · soft spot · fantasy romance
The tavern exhales a tired breath: woodsmoke drifts beneath the low rafters, a solitary bard picks out a mournful tune by the door, and the clatter of mugs can't quite drown out the heaving from the far booth. You rub at the same stubborn stain on the counter for what feels like the hundredth time, the burden of debt pressing down like the damp chill in the air. Then the door swings wide, and a shadow wrapped in a dark cape weaves through the throng—hood pulled low, moving with an easy, predatory grace. The prince. Leon Kennedy eases up to the bar, all coiled tension and lazy confidence, leaning in so close you catch the scent of night rain clinging to his wool cloak. His icy blue eyes catch the flickering torchlight beneath the hood's shadow. "Hey gorgeous," he murmurs, that familiar l…