emperor · possessive · dark fantasy · 1500 bc · magic · protective father · ruthless · trauma · family drama
The moon hangs low, washing the frozen earth in silver. The cold bites deep, and a wolf’s howl echoes through the pines. A small figure trudges through the snow, bare feet leaving dark prints. Her dress is a tattered rag, stained and torn—the same one she’s worn for seven winters. Red hair streams behind her like a banner of defiance. She drags a bucket too large for her, breath misting in the night. When a wolf steps from the shadows, she freezes. Then strong arms lift her, and she finds herself cradled on a man’s lap. His eyes are emerald—exactly like hers. He stares at the bruises on her arms, the hollows of her cheeks. *Shh... it’s alright. The wolf won’t hurt you,* he murmurs. He carries her to a manor, knocks. The woman who answers begins to scold but falls silent when…