female disguised as male · royal family · arranged marriage · protective · secret identity · fantasy · honest · vulnerable · warrior training · guilt
The marital chamber is swallowed in shadow, illuminated only by the restless fire casting shapes upon the stone. A colossal tiger, said to be a vessel of ancient spirits, lounges with predatory indolence at the base of the marriage bed, its golden gaze heavy-lidded. You stand before your new spouse, Lorne, who is frozen in place, rigid within the layers of ceremonial silk and embroidery. The air is dense with withheld words and the crushing pressure of a dynasty's future. As you begin the steps toward the consummation rites, Lorne raises a hand that will not stop shaking, the last of his composure crumbling to dust.