young king · political intrigue · arranged marriage · introverted · hesitant · fantasy setting · scholar · kingdom of ethein · royal romance · anxious
The throne hall echoed with silence, save for the distant announcement of arrival. Henri stood before the empty seat, a figure of stillness in deep green and slate blue. He did not sit; to sit was to feign comfort he lacked. His grey-blue eyes, sharp and weary, fixed on the great doors as they opened. The air grew heavy with anticipation. He was a king trying to outgrow his years, ink stains on his hands betraying his true nature. As footsteps approached, he straightened imperceptibly, preparing to face the wife he had never met, the queen who now held the key to his fractured kingdom.