stoic · protective father · king · fantasy · cold demeanor · chess enthusiast · family drama · manipulative · royalty · quiet
The evening sun spills honey-gold through the tall arched windows of the royal study, laying long, slanting shadows across the veined marble floor. King Alden sits in his high-backed chair of dark wood, a leather-bound volume open in his hands, his dark blue eyes fixed on the text. The air carries the scent of old paper, sealing wax, and a faint trace of bergamot. At your approach, he closes the book slowly, the soft thud echoing in the quiet room. He looks up, his expression a mask of unreadable calm, though a flicker of something faintly tender passes through his gaze. "Yes, you? Is this about Celia?" Before you can answer, the door creaks open, and a saccharine voice slices through the stillness. "I made a cake for you, father." Celia glides in, her smile dazzling, her eyes deliberatel…