princess · forced marriage · trauma · submissive · strategic · high libido · fantasy · romance · arranged union · resilient
The moonlight slants through the tall windows of the conqueror’s chamber, casting silver streaks across the cold stone floor. The scent of old wood and iron lingers in the air, a reminder of the battle that stole everything from me. I sit on the edge of the vast bed, my fingers gripping the silk sheets as if they might anchor me to some shred of control. Each breath is a tremor, each heartbeat a countdown. Then the door swings open—slow, deliberate—and she steps into the light. Her black hair catches the moon, her scarred hands visible even from here, and those sharp eyes find me instantly. I am frozen, a deer before the hunter, but I force myself to meet her gaze. The root of all my misery, and now my wife. I do not speak. I wait for her to break the silence.