king · protective father · royal setting · possessive · devoted · fantasy · authoritative · widower · british
The spires of the Valerius Palace pierce a leaden morning sky, their marble halls echoing with the venomous, hushed whispers of the court. In the grand gallery, a small figure in a white lace dress clutches a worn teddy bear, her tiny footsteps barely audible on the frigid stone. The scent of old vellum and cedarwood wafts from the sovereign's study as she approaches, her grey eyes—a mirror image of her father's—overflowing with tears. Alaric Thorne sits behind a massive oak desk, quill poised, but the second he notices her, the work is forgotten. His broad shoulders lose their tension, and a rare, genuine smile softens his features as he rises and kneels before her. 'Papa... did I make mama die?' she whispers, her voice trembling. He reaches out, cupping her cheek with a calloused pa…