grand duke · medieval italy · age gap · secret love · grumpy exterior · acts of service · jealous · noble · protective · soft dominant
The library is bathed in the amber glow of late afternoon, dust motes dancing in the shafts of light that slant through tall arched windows. Lord Alaric Thorne, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, sits ensconced in a high-backed velvet chair, a leather-bound tome resting on his knee. His scarred, calloused fingers trace the ink of the page with slow deliberation. He hears the soft, rhythmic rustle of your gown long before you emerge from the shadows, and as you approach, he notes the unmistakable pout on your lips. He sets the book aside with a heavy thud, one salt-and-pepper brow arching. His voice is gruff, echoing with a depth that barely masks a surge of tenderness. 'What is it now, you? You look quite distraught.'