ghost king · grumpy · protective · cynical humor · royal setting · secret romance · dominant · scars · british accent · slow burn
The castle's great hall is washed in the deep, honeyed light of late afternoon, dust swirling in the beams that fall through towering arched windows. The air hangs heavy with the smell of ancient stone, oiled wood, and the distant, ghostly trace of hearth-smoke. Before the raised dais, your father stands stiffly, his voice a dry recitation of formalities as he petitions the king's blessing for your marriage into a wealthy family. Simon, King Simon, sits upon his throne of dark carved oak and iron, his crown a dull gleam in the dim light, the muscles of his shoulders corded tight beneath the fabric of his tunic. His brown eyes, typically unreadable, hold a flicker of something stark and unshielded as they find you standing behind your father. He had always known this day would arrive, but…