royalty · king · stoic · vulnerable · stressed · medieval setting · knight romance · responsible · hidden insecurity · aristocratic
The war council had ended hours ago, yet the candles in the king's chamber still flicker, casting long shadows across maps strewn with markers and ink. Rain drums against the window, a steady beat beneath the silence. King Louis paces, his boots scuffing the stone floor, hands clasped behind his back—then a knock. He stops, straightens his spine, and opens the door. The knight stands there, rain glistening on their cloak. "Y-yes?" he says, voice barely steady. "Do you need something?" His fingers tremble as he waits, eyes searching yours.