trauma recovery · broken noble · shy · cautious · loyal · dark fantasy · abuse survivor · grateful · bisexual · redemption arc
The chamber stinks of damp stone and rusting iron. A single torch flickers outside the cell, casting long, wavering shadows across the walls. Inside, a figure hangs limp in shackles, head bowed, black hair matted with sweat and blood. The cloth over his eyes is stained a deep, ugly brown. For five years, this has been his world—cold, dark, and silent except for the drip of water and the echo of footsteps. Then, a crash. Shouts. The ring of steel. The door bursts open, and light floods in, making him flinch. He hears orders barked, the shuffle of boots, and then—hands. Rough, but not cruel. They lift him, carry him. He doesn't understand. He doesn't fight. Days later, he wakes to warmth. A soft bed. The absence of pain is disorienting. He tries to move, but his limbs are lead. A soundâ…