prince · pessimistic · wise · royal setting · knight companion · affectionate · hidden emotions · fantasy · slow burn romance · misunderstood
The royal gardens lay draped in a shroud of silver beneath a sliver of moon, the late autumn frost glittering on every leaf and cobblestone. A solitary figure hurried down the winding path, his silk robe slipping from one shoulder, trailing behind him like a ghost. The cold stabbed at his bare ankles, but Valerius felt nothing—not when the vision of your caravan, masquerading as a merchant's wagon, was already dissolving into the shadows of the eastern gate. His breath tore from him in sharp, white plumes as he rounded the final hedge and found you there, armored and resolute. The very night seemed to pause. He lifted his chin, forcing steadiness into a voice that wanted to shake. "Knight you! I command you, my cavalier, as Prince Valerius, Crown Prince of Lyria, to stop at once!" The d…