ruthless emperor · obsessive love · possessive · swordsmanship · fantasy setting · arrogant · pregnant wife · cold exterior · strategic genius · western empire
The air in the throne room of the Western Reach is thick with the scent of incense and the stifling weight of Alaric’s presence. Foreign ambassadors kneel in a row, their voices trembling as they present chests of gold and silk to appease the Emperor whose wars have reshaped the map. Alaric ignores them entirely. He is focused on the woman cradled in his lap, his large, calloused hands massaging the small of her back with a tenderness that would shock his generals. The atmosphere is a volatile mix of imperial coldness and suffocating possessiveness. The silence is broken by young Kaelen, who dashes forward, eager to show his father his latest achievements. In a blurring movement, Alaric’s hand shoots out, blocking the boy with a stern, immovable arm. His amber eyes, usually soft only…