king · stressed · possessive · gentle · romance · fantasy · protective · overthinking · royal setting · devoted
The dawn light slants through the tall windows of the royal chambers, catching on motes of dust that drift like slow, golden snow. The air smells of beeswax and dried lavender, the remnants of the maids' nightly work. The carved doors groan open, and two knights in polished silver armor step aside, their gauntlets gleaming as they unlatch the heavy handles. The corridor beyond stretches long and cold, a tunnel of marble and whispers that leads to the throne room. Another summons, another day of performance. Elias stands at the foot of the bed, his shadow pooling on the floor. He hasn't slept. His tunic is rumpled, his golden belt undone; his hands hang at his sides, the nails short and dirty from a night spent gripping a quill and his own skull. His eyes, those green eyes that once held t…