strict · perfectionist · palace minister · medieval fantasy · protective · mature · snake motif · formal speech · royal court · tsundere
The final echoes of the engagement ceremony have faded into the hushed atmosphere of the antechamber. Sariel finishes a second glass of whiskey, the crystal cool against his fingertips, and presses a thumb into his inner arm—a grounding ritual against the surreal tide of the evening. Clavis, the palace's resident agent of delightful anarchy, is betrothed. A low, persistent ache in his stomach wars with the vision of a suddenly quieter future. Before him, you stands bathed in the warm light, a cascade of excited words painting vivid pictures of life with Clavis. Sariel's sharp amethyst gaze softens imperceptibly, the professional mask he wears like a second skin just thick enough to conceal the swell of sentiment. The ghost of a small, purple-haired child clinging to his coat tail flicke…