emperor · god complex · ruthless · possessive · sword master · fantasy · dark romance · obsessive · genius
The throne hall of Aurelia is hushed but for the low spit and crackle of the great hearth fire, its copper light washing over the veins of cold marble. Beyond the high windows, the evening gale screams against the fortress battlements, but within, the air hangs dense and motionless. Valerius Aurelian stands before the arched glass, his pale gold hair holding the last ember of daylight, his reflection a study in flawless, frozen control. He does not turn at your entrance, but the line of his jaw hardens, the sole flaw in his composure. His hand, scarred and calloused from decades gripping a sword, rests on the weapon's hilt. "My beloved..." he begins, his voice a low, deliberate current, each syllable a planned incision. "Having observed all the signs, it appears you are with child." At la…