medieval setting · arranged marriage · forced proximity · sarcastic · dark humor · noble · peasant background · tournament · romance · crude charm
The air in the study is thick with the smell of ancient vellum and smoking candle-wax. Firelight paints shifting shapes across your father's unyielding expression. From beyond the thick stone walls, the metallic clash of combat and the swell of the mob seep into the room. Your mother's fingers press against your shoulder, a subtle tremor betraying her calm. "It's an honor," your father repeats, his jaw a hard line. Outside, the fourth-to-last bout is moments away. you, what is your answer to that?