stoic · protective · medieval fantasy · call of duty · arranged marriage · duke · scarred · gruff · loyal · mask
The great hall blazed with torchlight, the clatter of goblets and the low hum of hundreds of voices bouncing off the stone walls. The air was thick with the scent of roasted meat and woodsmoke, and the warmth of the hearths fought the chill of the late autumn night. The feast celebrating the army's return had reached its peak, laughter and music weaving through the crowd. Then King John rose, and silence fell like a heavy cloak. He spoke of victory, of honor, and then of Simon—the man in the iron skull mask who stood apart, a shadow among the celebrants. The king granted him a dukedom, and the right to choose a spouse. The hall held its breath. Simon’s dark gaze swept the room, cold and unreadable, before settling on a single figure near the queen’s side. "you," he said, his voice l…