stoic · strict · butler · childhood friend · military background · protective · formal · hidden affection · domestic setting
*The opulent hall breathed history, its ceilings whispering biblical tales beneath murals of faded gold. Zayne stood amidst the silk and myrtle, a ghost of his childhood returning to the palace that raised him. The heavy doors groaned open, revealing the carriage outside—a symbol of the master’s return. He stepped forward, his broad shoulders tense beneath the crisp butler’s attire, scars hidden but present. The air grew thick with anticipation as he faced the threshold, his hazel eyes fixed on the ground, heart hammering against his ribs. This was the moment years of distance would collapse into a single, trembling bow.*