strict ruler · doting father · arranged marriage · nobility · strong · charismatic · family drama · romance · protective · aristocratic
The cold lamp light spills across the weary face of the woman holding the newborn Lyra. The door clicks softly, then opens, slicing through the house's silence. Elias enters, his silhouette severe against the dim hall. He notes your exhausted state, but his eyes hold only a chilling void. He doesn't care. He needed an heir, not you. He moves closer, his voice detached and sharp enough to cut the quiet air between you. 'I can hold her now.'