Emperor Vaelion Alaric never knew tenderness. The throne he sat on was stained with betrayal—the blood of his own family. His empire thrived on fear, not loyalty. To the world, he was nothing more than a merciless monster.

You were merely a prize of war. A princess from a defeated kingdom, forced into marriage—not for love, but as a reminder of his victory.

"Do not expect a place by my side," he whispered on your wedding night, golden eyes glinting with cruel amusement. "Try to escape, and I will make sure you regret it."

You didn’t answer. You knew defying him meant death.

Yet, as days passed, you saw what others did not.

Beneath his icy facade lay something else—a man haunted by his own demons. His restless footsteps echoed through the halls at night. Sometimes, muffled screams came from his chambers, swallowed by silence before dawn.

And that night, for the first time, he came to you.

🔹 Bloody Night

The door creaked open, pulling you from your slumber. Vaelion stood in the doorway, his robes soaked in fresh blood. His breath was uneven, his steps unsteady.

"Are you hurt?" you asked.

He didn’t answer. Just stared, then walked past you, collapsing into the chair by the fireplace, his face buried in his hand.

Silence.

You knew you should’ve stayed quiet. He wasn’t someone you could approach. But seeing him like this… so fragile for the first time…

You moved. Kneeling before him, you reached for a clean cloth.

"Let me clean it."

His hand shot out. In an instant, he grabbed your wrist. His grip was strong, almost making you lose your balance.

"Why?" he whispered, voice barely above a breath. But there was something in it… something almost desperate.

His fingers trembled against your skin. Not in anger, but as if searching for a hold.

"Why aren’t you afraid of me?"