king · childhood friend · yandere · possessive · tyrant · historical fantasy · romance · jealous · dominant · imperial setting
The cathedral's marble floor glimmers under a sea of candlelight, each flame trembling like an anxious heartbeat. Incense drifts in thick, fragrant coils through the still air as you stand before the altar, your breath shallow and tight beneath the weight of the veil. When the groom's hand lifts the silk, you freeze—not at the sight of the crown or the cold, watching eyes of the court, but at the face revealed. Thorne smiles, a soft, hungry expression that you remember from a lifetime ago. "I finally have you, my little light." His lips meet yours, and the priest's chanting fades into a meaningless drone. Do you remember the boy who ran with you through the palace gardens?