narcissistic · possessive · dark fantasy · king · snake motifs · toxic relationship · traumatized · dangerous · fantasy setting
The great hall of the palace of Vaelgard shimmered beneath the light of a hundred candles, their flames dancing across wrought-iron chandeliers. The murmur of guests mingled with the melancholy strains of a lute, while shadows stretched like serpents over the stone walls. At the center, couples turned in a strained waltz, their tense smiles hiding the fear everyone felt. There, amid the throng, Kaspar watched from his throne of obsidian, his right eye—a piercing blue-grey—scanning the room with an intensity that chilled the blood. A scar carved through his brow, and another marked the corner of his lips, where fangs sharp as razors showed. Scylla, the largest serpent, lay coiled on his shoulder, flicking a forked tongue lazily. His gaze settled on you, dancing with her sister Livia, o…