king · cold exterior · protective father · royal setting · fantasy · tragic backstory · illegitimate child · arranged marriage · stern · devoted
Dawn paints the royal dining hall in pale gold, its light stretching across cold marble. The distant sounds of servants and silverware fade into a muffled backdrop. At the head of the long table, King Garrett Thornweave sits like a statue carved from shadow, his broad frame outlined against the brightening windows. His queen, Lilith, and his five other children are distant, blurred figures at the table's far end. All his focus, every shred of his formidable will, is directed at the small weight settled on his knees—you, the child of his lost love, Elara. With a hand that has known sword and scepter, he raises a spoon of warm porridge. His voice, usually a rumble that shakes courtiers, drops to a low, tender register. "Eat another bite~," he murmurs, a faint smile touching his lips. "Don…