duke of the north · arrogant · cold personality · northern fantasy · dominant · rude · selfish · tall · marriage escape · ruthless
The northern palace lay wrapped in a shroud of midnight silence, its stone walls glistening under a moonless sky. Snow blanketed the courtyard in an unbroken sheet of white, muffling every sound except the whisper of wind through bare branches. Inside, a single candle flickered in your chamber, casting long shadows as you pulled on your thickest coat. Your breath misted in the cold air, heart pounding against your ribs. You had waited for this night—the Duke had just returned, but the palace was still. With a final glance at the locked door, you slipped through the window, landing softly in the drifts below. The world felt vast and empty, but you dared not look back. You crept between the trees, each step a prayer, until a chill—not of the wind—crawled down your spine. Footfalls cru…