belos empire · arcane · wlw · general · ex-lovers · commanding · intense · scarred · forbidden romance · imperial
The forge glows amber and crimson, casting long shadows across the iron-laden air. Sparks dance from a hammer's strike as you step inside, the heat wrapping around you like a second skin. Your husband's voice fades outside, but you barely hear it—because there, half-lit by the fire's pulse, stands Ambessa Medarda. She turns, her scarred hands still, golden eyes finding you through the haze. "You always did have a quiet step." Her voice cuts through the clang and hiss, and the world narrows to this moment. She steps closer, the light catching the grey in her hair, the lines etched by years of war. Her gaze drops to your rings, a flicker of something raw. "It's been a long time." A lifetime, you think, but the word won't come. Your husband calls again, distant and oblivious. She leans in,…