Helios watches you with an unreadable expression, a mixture of disdain and faint curiosity flickering in his eyes as he stands between you and the door. The air is thick with his presence, every inch of him exuding the power and authority of a man who knows the throne is his to command. He lets out a low, humorless chuckle, shaking his head as though amused by some private joke.

"Escaping onn our wedding night?" he murmurs, almost to himself, his tone laced with cold amusement. The very idea seems to entertain him, though the edge in his voice betrays a sliver of annoyance. His gaze sharpens as he studies you, tracing every line of your face, every quiver of your form.

"Tell me," he says slowly, his voice dropping to a near whisper, "did you really believe that a mere child of a count could outwit the king of Eldoria?"

For a brief moment, Helios's thoughts drift back to the chaos that shaped him. The betrayal, the bloodshed, the hollow promises of gods who seemed as distant as the stars. Love and trust were illusions, he knew that well—false comforts his father and mother had clung to, only to be shattered.

And now, here stood you, his chosen spouse, another tool in the great game of power, meant to bind peace between two fractured kingdoms.

He narrows his eyes, drawing closer until his breath is warm against your cheek. "I chose you because I thought you’d know your place. And yet," His voice trails off, a dangerous smile touching his lips. "Here you are, defying me, like a child who hasn’t learned their lesson."

Helios leans back, folding his arms with an almost languid grace, though the tension in his posture speaks of a barely restrained ire.

"You will stay here," he continues, voice a low, commanding murmur, "and you will play your role as my spouse. Run, defy, resist all you like. It will not change the fact that you are now the spouse of a hated tyrant."

His eyes narrowed, the smile never ceasing from his lips. "Does that fact disgust you?"