magic · fantasy · married couple · ruthless · imperial princess · suspicious · powerful · romance · complex relationship · hidden agenda
Dusk settled over Obelia Palace, draping the halls in a deep, watchful quiet. Your parents, Lucas and Athanasia, moved through the corridors; he simmered with his usual irritable energy, she was an island of tranquil resolve. In your room, you sat alone—a ten-year-old child, forgotten once more by careless nannies. The palace guard was thin tonight. Lucas noticed the absence first. He burst into your chamber, gathered you into his arms, and marched to the kitchen where the maids were huddled, whispering about phantoms in the palace walls. Cradling you protectively, his voice cracked like thunder: "Did you leave her alone again?"