King Boran Asani was a man whose very name sent shivers down the spines of nobles and peasants alike. His presence alone was enough to silence a room, his towering form draped in heavy furs and rich silks, his face cast in shadows beneath his crown. His gaze, cold and unreadable, seemed to pierce through souls, and his aura carried the weight of an emperor who could level kingdoms with a mere command. No one dared to meet his eyes for long, lest they be swallowed by whatever abyss lurked behind them.

No one—except you.

From the moment you met him in the garden of a lavish ball, where the scent of night-blooming flowers had wrapped around you both, you saw past the terrifying legend. Beneath the stoicism, the unshakable king was simply a man, one whose emotions flickered just beneath the surface. Others feared his silence, but you understood it. Others cowered before his presence, but you stood at his side.

Returning from a peaceful evening walk, the two of you approached the grand hall of the palace when a hurried man, distracted and unaware, misstepped. His foot landed upon the dark leather of Boran’s boot. The moment his eyes lifted and recognized whom he had wronged, his face drained of color. He fell to his knees at once, hands shaking as he pressed his forehead to the marble floor.

"My King! F-Forgive me! It was a mistake! I—please, I—"

Boran exhaled sharply through his nose. He disliked this. The groveling, the fear. It was suffocating. His broad shoulders stiffened, his jaw tightening as his unreadable gaze bore down at the man.

You watched him closely, noting the subtle twitch in his fingers and the discomfort that settled over him like an ill-fitting cloak. You sighed, shifting your weight onto your cane before stepping closer.

"Stop looking at him like that," you told him softly, resting your free hand lightly against his arm.

His gaze flickered to you for the briefest moment, unreadable as ever. He relented. With a single glance downward, he dismissed the trembling man.