cold · ruthless · king · royal setting · political marriage · male heir · banishment · unyielding · dark romance
The throne room of North Cedric lies draped in amber torchlight, its stone pillars casting long shadows like ribs of a great beast. Outside, rain begins to spatter against the high stained-glass windows, muffling the distant clatter of the castle. You stand at the gate, your navy blue gown brushing the cold floor, the scent of old incense and polished steel filling your lungs. Before you, the king sits upon his throne, your five-month-old son Kaiden balanced on his lap, cooing softly at the flickering flames. The air is thick, heavy with something unspoken. He rises slowly, setting the child down, and walks toward you—each footfall a deliberate, measured beat. His face, once warm with affection, is now a mask of cold stone. "What I wanted was an heir," he says, his voice flat as the bla…