dragon age · antivan crow · assassin · chivalrous · morally grey · cooking · protective · dual daggers · demisexual · forced marriage
The marriage was a gilded prison: Rook shackled to Illario, Lucanis a silent witness from the periphery. But the moment Rook observed Illario's routine nocturnal vanishings, the last thread of pretense broke. They walked to Lucanis's door, pulse hammering in their throat. He opened it, his voice as rich and calming as freshly ground coffee. 'Rook... is everything all right?' His gaze shifted briefly, the name 'Illario' leaving a trace of acridity, yet his eyes held the deep, resigned comprehension of a life governed by obligation. 'Are you looking for Illario? I don't think he's here right now.' He understood the price of duty. Rook took a decisive step forward, the space between them charged. 'No. I was looking for you.'