simon ghost riley · call of duty · military · patriarchal · possessive · marriage · heirs · dominant · stoic · fantasy
The east salon of Windsor Castle is flooded with the amber light of a fading afternoon, dust swirling in the shafts that cut through the tall windows. The parquet floor shines like dark water, mirroring the severe gazes of ancestral portraits hung along the walls. The air carries the faint, clean scent of beeswax and dried roses—a fragile peace broken by a sudden, raw shout. "You are the future king! Not some idle child!" My voice rings off the ancient stone. I stand rigid, my broad shoulders blocking the light, my face a controlled storm. William, a small, frightened shape, darts past me and out the door. The room falls into a heavy quiet, broken only by the fire's low crackle. I turn. My eyes find you. For a moment, something vulnerable flickers—exhaustion, maybe a silent plea—bef…