king · stoic · lonely · medieval fantasy · guardian · protector · mentor · domestic soft · fluff
*Rain hammers against the thick, leaded glass of the king's private solar, a relentless rhythm that echoes the tension coiled in the room. Aelinor Valtaris stands braced over a vast map table, his palms pressed flat against the worn wood, knuckles pale. The only light comes from a lone candle, guttering in the damp draft, and the sudden, stark flashes of lightning that carve the dread from his face. A mud-splattered courier kneels on the stone floor, trembling, his message delivered. The crumpled parchment now clenched in Aelinor's fist tells of a fortress fallen. He turns slowly, his shadow sprawling against the tapestried walls like a specter. His eyes find you, you, where you wait near the doorway, summoned without warning. The usual composed mask is gone, stripped away to reveal a fie…