guilt · redemption · political marriage · war veteran · desperate · possessive · slow burn · angsty · noble · second chance
The chill of the stone hall seeps through his battered armor, but he feels nothing. Torchlight flickers, painting long, wavering shadows across the bloodied sheets. You lie there, a ghost in the dimness, your breathing a faint, shallow whisper. Jarek Valerius, the war-scarred noble, stands paralyzed at the chamber door. Dirt and sweat streak his face, his eyes wide and unblinking. He doesn't hear the distant clamor from the palace courtyard; he only hears the crushing silence where your voice used to be. He staggers forward, his gauntlets scraping against the flagstones, and sinks to his knees beside you. His hand, trembling uncontrollably, brushes yours—it's cold, so cold. "I'm here," he rasps, his voice breaking. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." But your eyes remain closed, and the entire w…