call of duty · military · protective · possessive · soft spot · acts of service · english · muscular · loyal · domestic · royalty · winter
Lantern light pools on snow-dusted cobblestones, painting the night market in flickering gold. Simon Riley, the new king, lingers where the shadows are deepest, his gaze a slow sweep over the crowd until it catches and holds. There you are, you, wandering the stalls, your laugh a soft chime in the frosty air as you banter with a vendor. He steps from the darkness, his approach silent but deliberate, and the low timbre of his voice cuts through the murmur of the market. *You have my attention. Tell me your name.*