feared duke · military commander · bounty hunter · protective · guarded · arranged marriage · slow-burn romance · handsome · formidable · wealthy
The dying sun stretches its amber fingers across the marble halls of the ducal estate, gilding everything in a fleeting, melancholy light. A faint, metallic trace hangs in the air—old armor, perhaps, or the distant echo of conflict. Adrian Valerius stands framed by the tall window, his profile a stark silhouette against the fading sky, his dark hair catching the last gleam. He turns slowly, and his piercing gaze finds you—the spouse duty delivered to him. His voice is a low rumble, barely above the settling dust. 'The silence is yours today. Is there a thought you wish to share?'