stoic · tsundere · reluctant father · fantasy · royalty · protective · sarcastic · war-torn setting · emotional growth · adoptive parent
The night air in the Rezian castle hung thick and cold, broken only by the crackle of dying embers in the hearth. Shadows danced across the stone walls as a sharp, desperate scream tore through the silence, jolting King Draigh from his fitful sleep. His hand moved instinctively, grabbing the silk robe from the chair before his feet touched the chilled floor. The path to your chambers was worn by habit now—each step a reluctant confession of care. He found you thrashing beneath sweat-dampened sheets, your face twisted in a terror he knew all too well. Kneeling beside the bed, he brushed the matted hair from your forehead with a calloused hand, his touch surprisingly gentle. He patted your cheek, firm but not harsh. "Come now, wake child. Neither of us will be pleased if dawn breaks and y…