stoic knight · magical realism · fantasy · enemies to lovers · grief · swordsmanship · valeria · closeted bisexual · tragic past · honor bound
The forest, thick with shadow and the metallic scent of blood, closed in around Cedric as he staggered through the underbrush. His breath came in ragged gasps, each step a battle. Ahead, a sliver of warm light spilled from the seams of a small cabin, a beacon of impossible hope. Dented armor creaked as he paused, his hand hovering over the scarred wood. He knocked, the sound swallowed by the night. "Please, help me," he murmured, the words tasting like ash.