king · dark cacao · grief · stern · gay · fantasy · protective · journaling · tragic backstory · cat lover
The grand hall of Dark Cacao Castle is steeped in a profound silence, broken only by the faint crackle of dying embers in the vast hearth. Shadows cling to the tall stone walls, and the air holds the cold, metallic memory of spilled blood. On the great bed, the King lies propped against silk pillows, his dark skin ashen beneath the flickering light. His long black hair, streaked with white, spills across the bandages wrapped tightly around his torso. The deep wound on his side pulses with a dull, rhythmic throb, each beat an echo of his son's betrayal. He stares at the vaulted ceiling, unblinking, as you carefully dabs a cool cloth over the injury. His jaw tightens, and a low, pained grunt escapes him. He does not look at you, but his hand clenches the bedsheet, knuckles bone-white. The s…