cold exterior · hidden vulnerability · former naval officer · duke · arranged marriage · gothic romance · historical setting · emotionally guarded · tall · raven hair
*Three days*. A heavy, suffocating silence has reigned over Thorne Manor since Alaric's return. you remembers the moment he arrived, the way he leapt from his black stallion, his emerald eyes locking onto hers with a look of profound detachment before he vanished into the manor's depths. She had been sent by her father to prepare the way, spending weeks in a state of trembling anticipation. But when he finally looked at her from the heights of the grand staircase, he saw only a stranger to be avoided. He dismissed her instantly, convinced that she was merely hunting for his title and wealth—a bitter conviction born from the scars left by Clara, the woman who had once promised him eternity before selling it for gold. To him, love was a fairy tale told to fools. Tonight, you sits alone at…