#Arden Canamorra

[queer-book-character-tournament]

Characters, book, and author names under the cut

Tommy Flowers/David Pearson - Flower of Iowa by Lance Ringel

Kelly Bennett/Robbie Fontaine - Green Creek series by T J Klune

Arden Canamorra/Mil/Mattin - A Suitable Consort (For the King and His Husband) by R. Cooper

Stevie/Nora - Forget Me Not by Alyson Derrick 

[sweetfirebird]

The Warlord King, heir to the very first king of this country, the son of executed traitors, Outguard and Kingslayer, Arden of the Canamorra sat in the seat reserved for the ruler when with their council.

[sweetfirebird]

Mattin lifted his gaze from the sign of the king’s anger to sweep it over the robe of blue so dark it was nearly black, and the collar of fur meant to shield the king from the bitter cold of the capital around the time of the winter solstice, and the hint of mail the king often wore. The king’s beard was dark, short, and neatly trimmed, yet did nothing to conceal the old, faded scar that slashed across and up his cheek, nearly reaching his eye.

The injury had occurred decades ago, but it seemed to remind many of the other wounds concealed beneath the king’s furs and armor, the wounds that had nearly killed him, yet put him on the throne. Sometimes, Mattin wondered if the king knew that, and used it. Then he realized that of course he did. Arden Canamorra might not have asked to be king, but he was no fool.

Mattin followed the thin line of scar tissue until it stopped. The king’s eyes were dark also, as dark as his thick, frowning brows and the rest of his hair, except for the strands of silver. Mattin spent another moment staring, then glanced away, although he was far across the room and unlikely to be noticed.

King Arden turned his head, displaying the cuff of gold along the shell of one ear as well as the unusually short length of his curls—short, how those in the Outguard wore their hair, as if he was one still in his heart. He did not wear a crown, not in the council chamber and rarely anywhere else. Neither did he have to wear a traditional fighting weapon, but Mattin suspected the king’s other hand was on or near his belt, where he often kept the practical knife of an outguard, and sometimes a sword as well.

Then the king smiled, white teeth flashing for a moment as if something had amused him terribly.

The guard next to Mattin made a disappointed sound. Someone at the table sighed in relief.

Mattin did not make either sound, though he understood both. Arden of the Canamorra was inclined to overthink decisions on things like import tariffs and palace repairs, but had no patience for the sort of posturing that had led to years of bloodshed. In the beginning of his reign, recovering from his injuries, he had nonetheless roared at council members and loomed over them with his great height and his body thick with muscle and added armor, and called himself the Traitor King before they could dare, and the council members had learned to moderate their tones when it came to demands and, importantly, to never, ever, speak ill of the king’s husband.

A Suitable Consort (For the King and His Husband)

July 26th

[sweetfirebird]

A Suitable Consort (For the King and His Husband) an m/m/m fantasy romance

Everyone expects the king to rage at the suggestion that he find a new spouse to stand alongside--or better yet, replace--his beloved husband. Some might be planning on it, hoping to incite another conflict like what has plagued the country since the death of the last legitimate ruler. But to everyone’s surprise, the infamous Traitor King, Arden Canamorra, reacts to the suggestion with amusement, perhaps even interest.

Decades of chaos ended with Arden’s ascension to the throne. But many in the oldest noble families want more influence over the crown--noble influence, that is. Not from the king’s lower-rank and somewhat rough palace guard husband, Mil. They don’t care that Mil is a hero who helped secure peace at Arden’s side, and that, at least among the common people, Arden and Mil’s love story is legendary.

Mattin, however, is outraged. A librarian at the royal library and advisor to the king despite his relatively young age, Mattin deeply admires the royal couple. That they happen to also be incredibly attractive is something he very determinedly ignores. If Arden and Mil are going to marry again for political purposes--since Mattin is sure no new love could ever match their great passion for each other--he will at least find someone perfect for them. If thinking about it makes Mattin miserable, well, he ignores that, too.

But the king and his husband seem less interested in meeting appropriate nobles and more interested in fussing over Mattin while making plans of their own. It’s a more complicated matter than an innocent librarian could have realized, with more at risk than just his heart. The most suitable consort might not be enough to appease certain nobles, but the most beloved might win over the entire country.

July 26th!

[sweetfirebird]

There was little about Arden or his husband that might be described as soft, but Mattin did not think he imagined the fondness in the king’s eyes as he looked over his chosen spouse and accidental royal consort.

Far from inscrutable, the Captain of the Guard had fixed Per Tyrabalith with the interested stare of an eagle, or perhaps a wolf, like his name would suggest. Mil, surname Wulfa, a palace guard from a family of palace guards, who had run away with the disgraced and far too young Head of the Canamorra when they were barely more than children, to serve as outguards together.

It was while in the Outguard, patrolling far reaches of the country and ensuring the will of the current ruler as those in the Outguard were sworn to do, that they had married—hand-fasted, in the manner of the countryside, but nonetheless binding.

Mattin often wondered if Arden and Mil had been bearded then, if they had fallen in love before they had left together, or afterward, and if they would have made the same choice to marry if they had known they would be drawn back to the capital and the palace years later. He hoped they would have.

Mil, with a beard of dark red-brown, and hair the same but for a streak of white at one temple, wore no jewelry at his ears, and had permitted his hair to grow slightly longer than the average guard either in the palace or outside of it. He often kept it up in a small tail at the back of his head, but today it was down, making him look neither outguard nor noble. He was protected from neck to foot in the plain, dull-colored clothes and armor of the Outguard, save his vambraces, which were finely made, and, if Mattin was not mistaken, a gift from his husband. Though simply dressed, Arden was a lord and a king. Mil could have stepped back into the Outguard at that moment and no one would have known he was the reason the capital had not drowned in its own blood.

Arden tipped his head to one side and Mil’s attention came back to him. The king’s smile returned. It was reserved and yet still a smile like dawn breaking.

“I don’t believe another hand-fasting was mentioned in today’s agenda when we discussed it this morning,” Arden remarked, voice low and faintly husky, as well as entirely calm. “Do you remember that, my love?” he asked Mil, almost teasing.

Whatever Mattin had expected Arden to finally say, it had not been that.

Mattin released a puff of air in surprise, then hid a smile at the sudden burst of fidgety energy from many of those at the table.

Mil hummed thoughtfully, then shook his head. “Sass would’ve mentioned it,” he answered in his usual, somewhat gruff tone.

A Suitable Consort (For the King and His Husband)

July 26th

[sweetfirebird]

A Suitable Consort (for the King and his Husband)

Everyone expects the king to rage at the suggestion that he find a new spouse to stand alongside--or better yet, replace--his beloved husband. Some might be planning on it, hoping to incite another conflict like what has plagued the country since the death of the last legitimate ruler. But to everyone’s surprise, the infamous Traitor King, Arden Canamorra, reacts to the suggestion with amusement, perhaps even interest.

Decades of chaos ended with Arden’s ascension to the throne. But many in the oldest noble families want more influence over the crown--noble influence, that is. Not from the king’s lower-rank and somewhat rough palace guard husband, Mil. They don’t care that Mil is a hero who helped secure peace at Arden’s side, and that, at least among the common people, Arden and Mil’s love story is legendary.

Mattin, however, is outraged. A librarian at the royal library and advisor to the king despite his relatively young age, Mattin deeply admires the royal couple. That they happen to also be incredibly attractive is something he very determinedly ignores. If Arden and Mil are going to marry again for political purposes--since Mattin is sure no new love could ever match their great passion for each other--he will at least find someone perfect for them. If thinking about it makes Mattin miserable, well, he ignores that, too.

But the king and his husband seem less interested in meeting appropriate nobles and more interested in fussing over Mattin while making plans of their own. It’s a more complicated matter than an innocent librarian could have realized, with more at risk than just his heart. The most suitable consort might not be enough to appease certain nobles, but the most beloved might win over the entire country.

[sweetfirebird]

Arden "acts of service" Canamorra and Mil "I would die for you" Wulfa.