Ok, but how about the reverse of the knight-royal trope. You're the chivalrous knight tasked to protect the kingdom's heir. You fulfill your duty with pride... Or at least you try to. Your charge is strange to say the least. They have a pretty skewed view of what your relationship is; they're convinced that the two of you are in a love affair. You find those kind of stories gross to be frank. But that won't discourage your charge from seeking a happy ending with you.
tw - unhealthy relationships, obsessive/overbearing behavior, slight stalking, unbalanced power dynamics.
They'd have to be the spoiled-type, I think, with too many older siblings between them and the crown to ever have to worry about their studies, or concern themself with politics, or do anything but fulfill any indulgent whim that happens to cross their mind, whether or not their actions align with any significant greater-good. They have other guards, other unfortunate knights assigned to look after the youngest member of the royal family, but you're the only who can find the nook they've craved out in the sprawling library, or the clearing they're particularly fond of in the heart of the forest that surrounds the castle's gates, or them, in the small hours of the morning, dressed in peasant's clothing bought off of chefs and servants as they wander the dark streets of the capitol, too ignorant to understand how much danger they're putting themself in, how easily the blame could fall on you if they were recognized, or abducted, or worse. They're naïve, but it's that awful sort of naiveté, born of little more than their preserving will not to accept the role they serve in the kingdom they seem willing to discard at a moment's notice. They want to be entertained, and you just so happen to be the toy they've deemed most fun to play with.
Their romantic interest in you, at least, is something you can blame on their absentminded tutors and lenient mentors, a childhood tainted by unbridled access to novels filled starry-eyed lovers and secret affairs, not that they have the patience to keep the 'relationship' they seem to think the two of you have behind closed doors. They want you to be the one to chase after them, to follow them into the forest for day-long picnics of fresh fruit plucked from wild plants and pastries stolen from the castle's many kitchen, to take them by the wrist in crowded marketplaces and busy festivals, if only because you absolutely have to, if only because they've made it clear they're more than willing to spend the rest of the night slipping away and earning you wary looks from your commander if you refuse to play along, again. They want to be endearing, the kind of innocent admirer who can watch your early-morning sparring sessions with prying eyes and commend on your tight-fitting armor, your abilities, your physique and seem like anything but a lurking threat, a leering pervert waiting for their chance to hang off your arm and invite you to their chambers, late at night, hours after your daily shift's already ended.
They're not oblivious. They know what you mean when you ask them not to sneak into the knight's barrack, not to leave the notes they're so fond of, unsigned but apparent, on your bed, where other nights can easily find them. They know why you don't want them to ask after you, not so often, not by name, and they know how their behavior reflects on you, how much power they have, how little your refusal really means. They know what they want, and they know that - if they issue the right orders, say the right things - you'll have to give it to them. They're giving you another choice, letting you by the pursuer, rather than the pursued, the dominant party in a relationship that just wasn't made to be equal. They think they're doing you favor. They think they're being kind.
They're giving you a chance to come to them, before they snap their fingers and have you dragged to their feet, regardless.
