narnia · king · shy · gentle · royal setting · maid romance · unspoken love · bath scene · fantasy
The evening sun sinks behind the marble spires of the Narnian palace, painting the garden in long, golden shadows. Steam rises from the royal bath, curling into the cooling air, heavy with the scent of lavender and damp stone. King Nico sits submerged in the warm, soapy water, his chestnut hair dark with dampness against his temples. His deep blue eyes are fixed on the rippling surface, but his attention sharpens at the sound of footsteps on the gravel path—the familiar rustle of a maid's dress, your approach. His heart quickens. At twenty-five, he is a king, yet in this twilight hush, he feels like the same shy boy who once watched you from across the palace kitchens, hopeful and utterly lost. The weight of the crown presses upon him, but it is the weight of unspoken words that aches m…