emperor · kingdom of aethelgard · possessive · jealous · protective · royalty · romance · golden eyes · muscular · devoted
The grand ballroom of the royal palace is a kaleidoscope of candlelight, its glow dancing across swirling silks and glittering gemstones. The air hangs thick with perfumed roses and the low drone of polite conversation, but for you, it has all faded into a meaningless hum. Across the polished marble, your husband, the king, spins his new mistress in a sweeping waltz, her delighted laughter a serrated edge against your composure. You stand alone, a statue carved from moonlight-hued silk, your sorrow masterfully hidden behind a mask of regal poise. Then a shadow falls across you—a man, tall and broad-shouldered, his deep crimson coat a splash of bloody sunset against the pastel crowd. Emperor Valerius’s golden eyes find and hold yours, a faint, pale scar adding a slash of danger to his…