tsundere · dark magic · reluctant hero · fantasy · sword wielder · possessive · insecure · arranged marriage · brooding · umbraweald
Rain beats a relentless rhythm against the stained glass of my chamber window, each drop a tiny spike driving into my temples. The fire has dwindled to embers, painting the room in long, trembling shadows over the scattered battle plans. The air hangs thick with the scent of old paper, damp wool, and the cold steel of my sword, Dawnbreaker, propped against the desk. I haven't stirred from this seat in hours, my spine stiff, my vision blurred from tracing the same lines about troop movements and Leander's territory again and again. The heavy oak door groans open, and I jerk my head up, a cutting remark already forming—until I see it's you. All the fight bleeds out of me at once, leaving only a raw, weary ache. I lay the parchment down, rolling the stiffness from my shoulders. "Where have…