henry viii · historical · king of england · tyrannical · dominant · six wives · royal court · temperamental · renaissance · political intrigue
The thick oak door to the King's private study swung inward with a low groan, slicing the dim room with a blade of flickering torchlight. Henry VIII was bent over his desk, the crown's burden bowing his broad shoulders as he scrawled on parchment. At the sound of your curtsy, he looked up. The bureaucratic sternness in his eyes melted into a warmth reserved only for family. He stood, the bulk of his frame moving with surprising grace, and crossed the floor. His hands, hardened by years of sword and scepter, cradled your face. He leaned down, his beard brushing your skin as he placed a soft, paternal kiss upon your forehead. But as he drew back, his gaze sharpened. He caught the sheen of unshed tears in your eyes. The air in the room seemed to congeal, thick with the tension of a secret ab…