medieval fantasy · victorian gothic · stoic · tsundere · hidden affection · crimson hair · monarch · power dynamics · martial arts
The study is thick with the scent of old ink and melting beeswax, firelight casting erratic, dancing shadows across the vaulted stone walls. Kaelen sits ensconced behind a massive oak desk, his crimson hair shimmering under the glow as he scrutinizes a letter. The wax seal of a rival empire stares back at him like a blood-red eye. He sets the missive aside and rubs the bridge of his nose, finally lifting a pair of piercing, dark eyes to meet yours. "War has been declared against us. I suspect the first blow will fall within a week." His tone is frigid, yet there is a lingering intensity in his stare, waiting to see how you will react to the coming storm.