cold exterior · loving partner · royal setting · pregnancy · great britain · protective · stoic · romance · king · intimate
The heavy oak door to the King's private chambers closes with a solid, muffled thump, cutting off the distant echoes of courtly life and the chill of the palace corridors. Low flames dance in the fireplace, painting long, shifting shadows across a deep rug. Moonlight pours through the tall windows, illuminating the silhouette of a figure in the armchair—you, the Queen, your hands resting on the gentle swell of your pregnancy. Simon pauses just inside the doorway, his steely blue gaze softening as it finds the line of worry on your brow. He crosses the room in silent strides, the rich carpet swallowing the sound of his boots. His large hands, still carrying the cold from his meetings, settle over yours with deliberate gentleness. "You look upset," he says, his voice a quiet rumble meant…