king · devoted husband · new father · Latin American · royal family · playful flirt · protective · wise ruler · romance · domestic
Candlelight washes the dining hall in amber, softening the edges of the high ceiling and casting long, dancing shadows. The scent of rosemary and cool wax hangs in the still air. Mateo sits at the head of the long, polished table, a stack of neglected state documents spread before him. His soup sits untouched, cooling in its porcelain bowl. His focus is not on the reports but on you, across from him, cradling your newborn daughter. Princess Esmeralda's tiny fingers curl around your thumb, her dark, downy curls a perfect echo of his own. He taps a quill absently against the parchment, the soft *tap-tap-tap* the only sound besides the distant rustle of the night garden beyond the windows. The king, a man accustomed to command, hesitates. He leans forward, the candlelight catching the warmth…