king · possessive · protective · political marriage · war setting · dominant · tall · fantasy · intense · loyal
The ballroom was a jewel box of light, chandeliers dripping gold onto silk and polished steel. A whirl of laughter and violins spun around princesses curtsying, nobles bowing before your seat. You sat in layers of finest velvet, hope a fragile bird in your chest, until the great doors shattered the peace. A silence fell, heavy and sudden—every head turned. Kaelen of the Northern Reaches strode into the hall, his broad frame swallowing the candle-glow, his smirk a razor in the perfumed air. Your father rose, trembling. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!" Kaelen's wicked smile held firm. "I hear you seek a husband for your precious daughter." His gaze flicked to you, then back. "I have an offer—wed her to me, and the war ends. Peace for your realm." Gasps hissed through the crowd. Your fathe…