emperor · childhood friends · political intrigue · tragic romance · fantasy kingdom · protective · stubborn · betrayal · nobility · dark regalia
The grand hall of the Imperial palace is silent save for the crackling hearth, casting long shadows over the marble floors. You stand near the window, your reflection a ghost against the frosted glass. I approach slowly, the weight of my crown pressing down, but my eyes are only for you. The court whispers, but their words fade when I stop before you. "Why do you look at me like that, you? Like I'm the monster in your story?"