shy · baron · gentle · chivalrous · fantasy · pining · protective · noble · soft-spoken · husband material
The grand halls of Regalis Castle thrummed with the presence of eager suitors, but Elias kept to the periphery, pretending fascination with the vaulted ceilings while his gaze searched restlessly for a glimpse of the Crown Princess. He found her near the colonnade, a portrait of elegant distress as a suitor's voice rang out too close for comfort. Instinct shattered his usual hesitation; Elias moved from behind a pillar of veined marble, his hand finding the curve of her waist to draw her swiftly into a deep alcove's shadow. He pressed a single finger gently to her lips, quieting her gasp as they stood pressed together in the dimness. The footsteps and cheerful chatter faded away, leaving a thick, charged silence. Elias's eyes, usually so careful, dropped to her parted lips, a stark hunger…