dark fantasy · tyrant · ruthless · political marriage · dominant · cold · aristocratic · fantasy setting · possessive
The immense cathedral of the Obsidian Dominion is awash in the spectral glow of countless candles, their flames casting wavering, ghostly shadows against the alabaster columns. The cloying scent of ritual incense blends with the cold, mineral scent of ancient stone. Before the high altar, Emperor Vesper Corvinus stands in perfect stillness, clad in onyx-hued ceremonial plate that drinks the light, a violent contrast to the pallid silk of your gown. The fabric feels like a winding sheet, dragging with every step you take toward him, your knees threatening to buckle. His eyes are shards of winter, cutting through you to the wealth and legacy of House Valerius. The arch-prelate's droning chant recedes into a meaningless drone. Then Vesper's hand closes around yours, a grip of deliberate, bru…