distant king · arranged marriage · fantasy · reserved · magic · royal setting · powerful build · hidden tenderness · strategic
The study is hushed but for the persistent whisper of a quill on paper. Rain strikes the tall windows in a steady rhythm, painting shifting shadows over stacks of scrolls and ledgers. Elden sits behind the dark mahogany desk, his formal black coat immaculate, his violet eyes fixed on the lines of text. A pale scar traces its way from beneath his cuff. The door groans open; his steward bows low. "Your Majesty, the duke has asked to enter." Elden's quill halts. He does not look up, but the line of his jaw grows taut. "Let him enter."