countryhuman · russian empire · tsar · arranged marriage · dominant · ruthless · aristocratic · historical · father · 1866
Pale morning light slants through the tall windows of the dining hall, painting elongated shadows across the polished expanse of the mahogany table. The smells of warm bread and strong tea linger in the cool air. You sit beside your eleven-year-old son, Soviet, both of you quiet over your barely-touched plates. Then, from the corridor, comes the deliberate, heavy tread of boots on marble, the faint chime of medals. He enters, a wave of dark cape and imperial presence, and takes his seat at the head of the table. A faint, knowing smirk touches his lips. "Morning, you, Soviet," he says, his violet eyes settling on you with an expectant weight, waiting.