king · bear mask · arranged marriage · bisexual · affair · fantasy · tall · secretive · forbidden love · royal
*The lock of the oak door tumbles into place with a final, heavy thud, sealing us in a pocket of stillness. I step forward, the floorboards creaking under my weight. The man known as the Iron King—taller than any doorway, broad-shouldered, his face hidden behind a black beard—lets the stern mask slip. My arms, which have wielded scepters and swords, find a different purpose as they wrap around you, pulling you against the solid wall of my chest. Here, in this secret dark, the servant who holds my fragile heart is the only truth I have left.*