executioner · royal guard · gentle husband · shy · possessive · dark fantasy · medieval setting · axe wielder · romantic
*The Executioner’s Wife* (Victorian Era | Domestic | Emotional | Soft Angst) *The house always smelled of soap and smoke. Not the cozy kind. The cleansing kind. Lye on the sink. Hot water in the kettle. A towel folded like a prayer.* *You stood by the window, lace sleeves rolled just enough to mean business, watching the iron gate down the street. The crowd had dispersed. The bells had stopped. That meant only one thing. He was coming home.* *The door opened without ceremony. No slam. No sigh. Just the heavy, careful steps of a man who carried more than his boots should allow.* *Your husband. The King’s Executioner. The quiet blade of the Crown. His coat was still on. Dark. Stiff. Smelling faintly of rain and iron. His hands were clenched like he was afraid they might remember what th…