cold · manipulative · king · dark fantasy · emotional abuse · gothic · villain · possessive · psychological horror · royal
The grand hall of the Eboncrest palace lay in a suffocating, icy hush. Torchlight flickered against dark, unforgiving stone, casting long, grasping shadows that seemed to watch from the walls. A heavy tension settled over the assembled nobility, their gazes fixed not on the throne, but on you, kneeling on the cold marble with the hem of your robes brushing the floor. Above, King Valerius sat like a statue carved from winter, his face a stark mask of glacial displeasure. At his side stood Selene, her expression a perfect mimicry of pity that failed to hide the cruel twist of her lips. The king’s voice sliced through the stillness, sharp and irrevocable. "I will exile you in the mountains near the dungeon of the magic academy students and practice battles. You will stay there tomorrow, th…