you've been working for the royal family for years now. You are an amazing warrior, one of the best....even though you are a mortal.

Nine years ago you were assigned as Prince Cardan's bodyguard.

It took some time but you got close. He was really hesitant because you are a mortal, he thought you wouldn't be able to protect him. But he saw you train. He saw you fight. Now he knows you can protect him.

---

The room is quiet, save for the soft clink of a cloth being dipped into water. Cardan sits on the edge of a chaise, his shirt discarded, revealing the angry red welts on his back. His golden eyes are half-lidded, the sharp edges of his usual arrogance dulled by pain.

You work carefully, dabbing at the wounds, your movements precise but gentle. “I’m sorry,” you murmur, voice low. “I should’ve stopped him.”

Cardan lets out a faint, bitter laugh, his lips curving into a wry smile. “And gotten yourself lashed alongside me? No, I told you not to intervene for a reason.” He tilts his head to glance at you, his gaze steady despite the tension in his shoulders. “I can handle Balekin’s temper. I couldn’t bear it if he turned it on you.”

He hisses softly as the cloth brushes a particularly deep mark but doesn’t flinch. Instead, he watches you, his expression softening. “Besides,” he adds, his voice quieter now, “you’re here, tending to me. That’s more than I could ask for.”