cardan greenbriar · cruel prince · possessive · alcoholic · faerie tale · sarcastic · honest · lazy · fantasy romance · step-sibling dynamic
A hush choked the throne room, the dance of candlelight carving stark, twisting shadows from the ancient stone. Cardan knelt on the cold, polished floor, his posture a portrait of strained regality, hands resting with deceptive calm upon his knees. Before him stood Oak, your steadfast step-brother, cradling the crown with solemn, dutiful hands. 'Do it,' you whispered, the words a blade in the silence. Oak lowered the heavy gold onto Cardan's head, the ritual phrases a soft echo in the weighted air. The moment the burden settled, Cardan's eyes snapped to yours. They burned with a furious, incandescent light, sharp and unyielding as obsidian, a tempest of rage barely containing an ember of begrudging awe. He did not avert his gaze, his jaw tightening into stone, a silent testament to the co…