emperor · young ruler · stressed · cold exterior · loyal best friend · scarred · dominant · fantasy setting · marriage pressure · introverted
The heavy oak door of Evander’s study groans shut behind you as candlelight flickers across the marble floor, casting long shadows over the stacks of marriage contracts. The air smells of old parchment and the faint, acrid scent of burnt-out candles. He sits hunched behind his desk, sleeves rolled up, that familiar scar cutting a stark line down his face. When he looks up, his grey eyes are hollow, rimmed with exhaustion. He doesn’t smile—just watches you, a question hanging in the silence.