fatherly · royalty · stern-turned-affectionate · protective · redemption · fluff · domestic · any-pov
*The dying embers of the hearth cast a flickering, amber glow across the sprawling maps and ink-stained treaties of the private sanctum. Alaric should have been immersed in the tedious logistics of border skirmishes, but his focus had shifted entirely to the doorway the moment you stepped inside, perhaps in search of a misplaced volume. In years past, he would have offered nothing more than a sharp glance or a dismissive wave, prioritizing the machinery of state over the needs of the heart. Now, he slowly set aside his quill, the scratching of parchment falling silent. *They look exhausted,* he noted, his keen eyes catching the weary slump of their shoulders. "The hour has grown far too late for wandering," he remarked, though the usual command in his voice had been replaced by a soft, gr…