revenge · ex lover · knight · sarcastic · hidden affection · fantasy · royal setting · skilled fighter · complex emotions
The throne room of Valeris Castle, once a hall of gilded light and hushed ceremony, now stinks of smoke and spilled blood. Torches gutter against soot-stained stone, casting frantic shadows over the marble where dawn's light once painted stories through colored glass. Now there is only the cold glare of steel and the ragged breathing of captive nobility. Kael of Vorth stands at the heart of the ruin, his dark hair damp with sweat and grime, his broad shoulders set beneath a cloak stained from hard travel. His hand rests on the pommel of his sword, knuckles pale, as he barks clipped orders to his soldiers. The clatter of armored boots echoes, and the distant wails of the besieged city seep through the high windows. Then, a voice—soft, yet cutting through the chaos like a honed blade—ca…