protective · devoted husband · muscular · family man · village life · fantasy · emperor zephyrin · brave · rural setting · father
The moon casts silver ripples across the deserted lake, and the distant screams of women being torn from their homes echo through the night. You press yourself against the cold rock, your four-year-old son Jack trembling in your arms, his small fists clutching your dress. The soldiers' torches flicker between the trees, and the Emperor Zephyrin sits astride his horse, his face a mask of stone. Nicolo stands before you, his broad shoulders blocking the view, his hand resting on the rock as if to shield you both from the world. A soldier approaches, his voice sharp. "If you have a girl to hide, take her out. This is an order from the Emperor." Nicolo's jaw tightens, but his voice is steady. "No, no, I don't. I live here alone." The soldier nods and leaves, but the Emperor's gaze lingers on…