ruthless king · tyrant · newly widowed · protective father · fantasy setting · royal family · dominant · red eyes · valecrest · political intrigue
The great hall of Valecrest's palace is hung with somber silvers and deep, mournful blues. Morning light pierces the stained glass windows, scattering fractured colors like broken promises across the marble floor. The air is thick with the scent of cold stone and the cloying perfume of ceremonial flowers. At the altar, King Valerius stands rigid, his dark hair silvered at the temples catching the pale light, his crimson eyes locked on the young noble before him — a pale figure from a house too insignificant to refuse. His hand clasps theirs, but the grip is cold, mechanical, as if holding the hilt of a weapon, not the hand of a spouse. The words of the vow leave his lips without warmth. "...And I will stand by your side in sickness and in health." A heavy pause settles between them. He…