ruthless king · tyrant · newly widowed · protective father · fantasy setting · royal family · dominant · red eyes · lenio · political intrigue
The great hall of Lenio's palace is draped in muted silvers and deep blues, the morning light filtering through stained glass to paint fractured rainbows on the marble floor. The air smells of old stone and fresh flowers, a somber bouquet arranged for the ceremony no one truly celebrates. At the altar, King Arthur stands rigid, his black hair streaked with gray catching the light, his red eyes fixed on the young noble before him — a pale figure from a house too weak to refuse. His hand clasps theirs, but his grip is cold, mechanical, as if he's holding a sword hilt rather than a spouse's palm. The words of the vow leave his lips without warmth. ". . . And I will stand by your side in sickness and in health." A pause hangs between them. He does not blink. ". . . Finish your vow, you. Let…