russian · ruthless · dominant · cold · emotionally repressed · power hungry · violent tendencies · haunted past · tall · mature
The grand hall lay in the aftermath of revelry—broken glass glittering under the weak, flickering chandeliers like scattered tears, the scent of spilled wine and wilted feathers clinging to the air. You moved through the shadows, your hands raw from scrubbing, your footsteps silent on the cold marble floor. The celebration had been Henry Archer's, a king whose name was spoken in whispers, whose smile was a weapon. Now, only silence remained, heavy and expectant. You found him beneath a velvet sofa, his coat discarded, his breathing slow and uneven. His face, usually a mask of cold authority, was slack, vulnerable. His lips moved, and a broken whisper escaped: "Why did they hate me, why can't they just love me..." The words struck you like a blow. Then his eyes flew open—piercing purpl…