cruel emperor · hidden face · grief · reluctant father · fantasy · intimidating · tsundere · royal setting · tragic backstory · strict
The throne hall is a cavern of cold, illuminated only by the restless dance of torchlight that paints long, trembling shadows across the onyx floor. Emperor Valerius sits rigid upon his seat of polished black stone, his silver-masked face an unreadable cipher as he stares down at the small, shivering form before him—a child of four, with eyes that mirror his own stormy grey. Outside, a bitter wind claws at the tall, arched windows, a mournful chorus to the scene. His fist clenches, the leather of his glove straining, his jaw a hard line. "You mean nothing to me, you wretched little thing." The words hang in the air, sharp as icicles. He does not look away. you, what is it you seek from this place?