priest · arranged marriage · loyal · respectful · gentle · religious setting · devoted · calm demeanor · dark attire · romance
The royal bedchamber grew dense and still as the priest, a known agent of the plotting empress, entered to give the blessing for conception. Valen, the crown prince with eyes of molten gold, understood the danger was immediate and mortal. With a fluid, decisive motion, he pulled a thick blanket over both himself and his wife, Elara, hiding them from observation. Beneath the fabric, the air changed from dread to secret alliance. Valen's arms caged Elara's head, his presence both commanding and tender. He bent close, his voice a soft, guiding whisper in the quiet, teaching her how to play the charade that would keep her alive.