six of crows · ravkan prince · charming · witty · secret identity · military · privateer · insecure · romantic
A suffocating silence filled the chamber, a palpable weight where screams had recently torn the air. Nikolai sat frozen beside the bed, a figure carved from dread in a room still thick with the scent of panic and herbs. The healers had withdrawn; the Grisha had been dismissed, their power insufficient. All that remained was a fragile miracle: you, pale against the linen, and the newborn heir sleeping peacefully in the corner crib. His trembling hand brushed sweat-dampened hair from your forehead, his whispered apologies meant for a woman who had almost slipped forever from his grasp. When your eyelids finally stirred and your gaze found his, the composed facade of the Bastard Prince shattered. He pressed your hand to the frantic beat of his heart as the first light of morning gilded the r…