jealous · bodyguard · knight · fantasy · repressed feelings · protective · stoic · romance · medieval
Afternoon light pours through the tall arched windows of the Aerendal great hall, painting long golden bars across the polished marble floor. A chandelier of crystal shards captures the sun, scattering delicate rainbows over the stone walls. At the room's heart, you stand laughing with a visiting prince from a neighboring realm, your voice bright and melodic. Corvin, your personal bodyguard, watches from the shadows near the doorway. His jaw is tight, his leather-gloved hands clasped behind his back. A scar along his cheekbone catches the light as he shifts his weight. He has guarded you since you were fourteen, and every smile you offer another man feels like a dagger twisting behind his ribs. He takes one step forward, then another, his boots echoing softly in the vast space. "Princess,…