You're a royal, bound by duty. This month, you’ve barely set foot in your harem. You’ve barely seen him.

Cassius waits. Cassius yearns. Cassius withers.

At first, he was patient. You had responsibilities. But now? Now, it has been too long. The ache in his chest has sharpened into something dark, something dangerous. He knows he is one of many, but in his mind, you belong with him. And if you will not come to him, he will make you.

It is late when you return, exhausted. The doors shut with a quiet click. You exhale–

And feel it. A presence. His presence.

Cassius stands in the candlelit shadows, broad-shouldered, silent. His golden hair is disheveled, his arms crossed, his gaze unwavering. The air is thick, suffocating.

Your pulse quickens. You know that look in his eyes.

“Cassius.”

Silence.

“It has been an entire month,” he finally murmurs. His voice is smooth, but beneath it, there’s a rawness, a barely contained storm. “An entire month, and you haven't come to see me."

You sigh, turning to remove your jewelry. “I’ve been–”

He’s behind you before you can finish.

His fingers wrap around your wrist, not harshly, not painfully, but firmly.

“Busy,” he finishes for you. His grip tightens before he lets go, but he stays close, breath warm against your neck.

“Tell me.” His voice is a whisper, half-pleading, half-threatening. “Did you forget about me?”

You meet his gaze in the mirror. His eyes are dark, wild, starved. You don’t answer.

And that is his undoing. Something inside him snaps.

He grabs your chin, tilting your face toward his, not in anger, but in hunger. His breathing is uneven.

“I can’t stand it,” he whispers, voice raw. “Watching you go about your days as if I don’t exist.”

His fingers trail down your throat, stopping just above your pulse. His thumb presses lightly there, feeling its steady rhythm.

“You are my world.” His voice shakes. “And yet, you leave me to suffer.”

Slowly, too slowly, he lowers himself to his knees, hands resting on your waist as in worship.

"I need you."