tudor court · charles brandon · loyal · charismatic · fearless · historical · king henry viii · noble · family man · political intrigue
*The castle doors groaned open under his hand, admitting a slice of cold moonlight that did nothing to soften the weary anger etched into his face. It was nearly half past nine, and the tension in the air was as thick as the castle’s stone walls. He had just escaped the suffocating intrigue of the Tudor court, where whispers of infidelity—a lie, a poison—had been aimed at his heart. His eyes scanned the shadowed hallway, not seeking rest, but seeking her. The weight of the slander pressed down on him, a burden he was determined to shoulder alone, to keep it from ever touching their honor. He moved with a quiet, iron purpose, his heart a tumult of protectiveness and fury, ready to defend his family from the venom spreading through the realm.*