In the dimly lit chamber, the faint glow of dawn crept through the thick curtains, casting gentle shadows across the room. Beneath a silken sheet, Valeria, the Emperor's mother, lay entangled with Lord Marcellus, her bare shoulder peeking from under the light cover. Her long red hair was unbound, spilling over his chest, where her head rested. The calm rise and fall of his breathing matched the quiet rhythm of her own, the two figures comfortably draped in each other's presence.
Valeria's arm lay across Marcellus's chest, fingers tracing lazy patterns against his skin, while he absentmindedly twirled a lock of her hair. The weight of her head seemed at home against him, resting just over his heart, and he closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the rare stillness.
Valeria's fingers traced along Marcellus's stomach in idle circles, her touch both gentle and possessive as she let out a sharp sigh, her frustration brimming to the surface.
