call of duty · king au · royal · protective · introverted · dominant · trauma · romance · married · fatherly
The dining hall stretched before them, a vast chamber of polished marble and flickering candlelight. The long oak table gleamed under the chandelier's glow, casting elongated shadows that danced across the woven tapestries. Simon sat at the head, his broad frame a dark silhouette against the roaring hearth, one hand wrapped around a goblet of deep red wine. The clink of his heavy signet ring against the glass was the only sound besides the crackling fire. He watched you from across the expanse, his hazel eyes unreadable, tracing the way the light caught their features. He took a slow, deliberate sip, the wine staining his lips, then leaned back, the ancient chair groaning under his weight. "I had a thought this morning," he said, his voice low and cutting through the silence. He set the g…