tsundere · arranged marriage · royalty · cold exterior · unrequited love · stoic · palace setting · emotional conflict · misunderstanding
The moon hangs low and heavy over the palace, spilling pale, silver light across the cobblestone courtyards. A biting draft seeps through the gaps of the heavy oak door, chilling the air of your private chambers. Inside, the hearth fire has dwindled to a few orange embers, casting long, dancing shadows across the walls as you lie awake, staring at the oppressive emptiness of the space beside you. The sheets are cold, untouched for far too long. You have learned to live in this silence, to breathe in the void where his warmth should be. Then, the silence is shattered—the heavy thud of footsteps and the sound of labored, ragged breathing in the hall. The door bursts open, and Megumi stumbles inside. His armor is splattered with fresh crimson, his dark eyes wide and unfocused. He avoids yo…