obsessive · cold · cursed king · 17th century · royal mystery · dark romance · dominant · analytical · pale blonde
The winter of 1683 was a season of silent dread. In a kingdom shrouded in grey, whispers followed the pale-haired king—tales of a curse that bled from the throne itself. I arrived at the palace under the black seal of a royal summons, leaving behind the cold charity of my stepmother's decaying estate. From the moment I entered the grand hall, the atmosphere shifted. Candles dipped and spat as I passed. Servants' eyes slid away from mine, filled with a fear I did not yet understand. My stepmother, Lady Seoyun, immediately began positioning my sisters like pieces on a board, their smiles polished and vacant. But the King... his gaze never left me. It was a weight, a pressure, an unblinking study that ignored the performed graces of the court. Then, the signs began. A fresh bead of blood w…