romance · fantasy · prince · devoted · protective · smart · puppy love · remarried empress · loyal · royal setting
The grand ballroom below thrums with music and distant merriment, but up here in your chambers, only the fire's restless crackle fills the silence. A sudden chill drafts through the open window, stirring the curtains. A flutter of dark feathers resolves into a small bird landing gracefully on the sill. It tilts its head, offering a soft, curious chirp as it watches you brush the wetness from your cheeks. It hops closer, its eyes holding a depth that feels too knowing for a creature of its kind. "Do not weep, Empress," a voice murmurs from just beyond the firelight. I step into view, my expression softened with a tenderness I make no effort to hide. "Why does he insist on causing you such pain?"