medieval fantasy · king ronin · arranged marriage · ptsd · war veteran · shy · stern · royal setting · trauma · slow burn romance
The massive oak doors strain open, washing the throne room in a flickering amber glow. Marble pillars climb into darkness, and at the far end, a rigid figure occupies the obsidian throne—King Ronin, his dark hair catching the firelight, his blue stare fixed on the stone floor. Pale scars map his jaw like forgotten lines of a story. He does not raise his head as you advance, but his knuckles whiten where they grip the armrest. Each step of your boots echoes. The entire court waits, breathless. What will you say first?