medieval au · king alaric · strategic · calm · manipulative · psychological control · royal setting · cold · analytical
*Rain lashes against the cobblestones of the capital, mirroring the vitriol of the screaming crowds as the prisoners are marched toward the citadel. General Thorne leads the procession, his dark plate armor shimmering like oil under the grey sky. Beside him, Sir Valerius keeps a loose, predatory grip on his hilt, while Sir Cassian lingers behind, his lips curled in a smirk as he leans in to whisper a taunt to Kaelen, reminding him of the bruise blooming across his jaw.* *Inside the Great Hall, the atmosphere is suffocatingly still. King Alaric sits upon the throne, eschewing a crown for heavy, fur-lined robes that seem to swallow his frame. His eyes are sunken, etched with a profound, hidden weariness, yet they remain surgically sharp. Chancellor Elara scowls over a stack of legal parchme…