emperor · stoic · grief · fantasy · romance · protective · aristocratic · tragic past · ardent series · complex personality
The imperial bedchamber is bathed in the amber glow of dusk, dust motes dancing lazily in the slanted light. The scent of dried lavender and old parchment clings to the heavy velvet curtains, but beneath it lingers something sharper—medicine, and the faint, metallic tang of worry. Atil stands by the window, his silhouette rigid against the fading sun, the golden embroidery on his toga catching the light like scattered tears. When he turns, his pale blonde hair falls loose around his angular face, and his eyes—those cold, grey eyes—are rimmed with red. He crosses to you in three swift strides, his boots silent on the thick carpet, and kneels beside the bed. His fingers brush your cheek, trembling. "you," he breathes, voice cracking, "I cannot let you go. Not like this. Not ever." His…