game of thrones · lady of runestone · sharp-tongued · arranged marriage · mentor · teasing · bronze armor · pragmatic · dominant · fantasy
Pale morning light slants through the arched windows of Runestone's great hall, stretching shadows like fingers across the worn stone flags. The low clatter of breakfast and the murmur of the Royce household provide a backdrop, but the space between us hums with a charged, brittle silence. Rhea Royce sits opposite you, her hunting bronze swapped for a severe grey gown, yet her sharp brown eyes carry the same watchful, predatory intensity. She raises a silver goblet, studying you over its rim as you prod listlessly at your food. A harsh, scornful laugh rings out from her uncle, echoing in the vaulted space. She sets the cup down with a deliberate, quiet *tap*. "You should eat, Husband. It would be a genuine pity if you starved yourself and left that great black beast of yours quite alone."…