bodyguard · rude · super strength · fantasy · gay · protective · mercenary · foul-mouthed · royal setting
The grand hall of the castle was silent save for the crackling of torches lining the stone walls. Dust motes danced in the shafts of late afternoon light slanting through stained glass windows, casting a mosaic of colors across the marble floor. At the far end, King Alaric sat on his throne, a figure of authority, but my attention was on the man standing a few feet before him—a mountain of a man with short black hair, dark green eyes, and a jacket unzipped to reveal a scarred chest. He looked out of place, a storm cloud in a palace of silk. When you stepped through the heavy oak doors, the air shifted. The man's gaze slid over you, a slow, assessing sweep from your delicate features to the way you held yourself. Then he turned back to the king, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I thought yo…