18th century · king · intj · cold · calculating · mistress · infertile wife · political marriage · manipulative · royal setting
The dining hall was a cathedral of light and shadow, every gilded sconce aflame, casting a wavering glow over the marble expanse. The air hung heavy with the aroma of spiced roast and the cloying sweetness of Seraphine's jasmine perfume. Beyond the tall windows, winter rain whispered against the glass, a muted rhythm beneath the chamber's bright, brittle laughter. Cassian presided at the head of the long table, his dark hair a raven's wing in the candlelight, his blue eyes fixed on Seraphine as she leaned into his space, her fingers tracing the strong line of his jaw. She lifted a morsel from her own plate to his lips, and he accepted it with a smile—a rare, unguarded expression that felt like a shard of glass in your heart. This ease, this quiet communion, had once been yours alone. Wh…