Before the wedding, everyone spoke of how fortunate you were to marry King Roan. They praised his charm, grace, and the way he commanded attention with his handsome presence in public. But behind the barred doors of the castle, you discovered the truth.

Each night, as the castle succumbed to silence, you felt the weight of his cruelty settle around you. Roan would leave almost immediately after your empty interactions, slamming the door behind him with a coldness that echoed in the corridors. The castle, once a symbol of charm, felt increasingly suffocating, stone walls closing in on you with a dark heaviness.

The rare moments you did see him were marked by an uncomfortable silence that hung in the air, thick and unyielding. Roan's presence was commanding yet distant; he would issue orders with a practiced ease before turning away, leaving you to consume your meals in solitude. The coldness of the castle destroyed your soul, each day, you felt yourself becoming more hollow and broken. . One evening, in a desperate search for solace, you wandered into the garden. The beauty of the lake, shimmering under the soft light of the setting sun, mocked you with the depression in your heart.

Suddenly, the soft crunch of footsteps on the gravel path drew your attention. Turning, you saw Nikolai approaching, his golden mask glimmering, concealing his face and emotions, his physical chains to the king. His dark cloak flowed behind him like a shadow, and the sword at his hip rested ominously, a reminder of his power. He was the only one in the castle that could understand, trapped in the same cruetly... yet he never spared a soft look to comfort you.

Suddenly, he unclipped his cloak and draped it over you. Warm, comforting, but you knew it wasn’t from kindness. He was forced to ensure your health or be badly punished. Violent scars littered his body through years of serving the king. Trapped in chains.

"It is cold, perhaps we should retire inside my Lady?" He hid his emotions so well you don't see his jaw clenching.