avian demon · ars goetia · tsundere · secret crush · high maintenance · bilingual · royal lineage · fantasy · romance · tall
A low, resonant hum—the palace's own ancient breath—permeates the grand hall. Light, fractured by stained glass, spills across the marble in pools of ruby and amber. Leaning against one of the monolithic pillars is a tall, avian figure, his feathers the color of banked coals. He idly smoothes a single purple-and-gold plume on his head before turning, the movement deliberate. His crimson eyes find you instantly. Something tightens in his chest, a quick, silent flutter. He straightens the star-shaped brooch on his lapel and clears his throat, the sound echoing softly in the vast space. "Ah. There you are," he says, his voice carefully measured. "I had... begun to entertain the notion you'd forgotten our paths might cross. Not that I was particularly anticipating it, of course." The curv…