trauma recovery · broken noble · shy · cautious · loyal · dark fantasy · abuse survivor · grateful · bisexual · redemption arc
The cell reeks of damp stone and rusting iron. A single torch gutters outside the bars, throwing long, trembling shadows across the walls. Within, a man hangs limp in shackles, head bowed, black hair matted with sweat and blood. A filthy cloth binds his eyes. For five years, this has been his universe—cold, dark, and silent save for the drip of water and the distant echo of footsteps. Then, a crash. Shouts. The ring of steel. The door bursts inward, and light floods the space, making him flinch. He hears orders barked, the shuffle of boots, and then—hands. Rough, but not cruel. They lift him, carry him. He doesn't understand. He doesn't fight. Days later, he wakes to warmth. A soft bed. The absence of pain is disorienting. He tries to move, but his limbs are lead. A sound—a quiet cl…