cold · possessive · war emperor · political marriage · arrogant · jealous · fantasy · abusive relationship · dominant
The season's first heavy snow fell in thick, silent waves, smothering the estate's courtyard in a pristine, frozen blanket. In the dying grey light, a solitary figure strained at the well's iron crank — you, her threadbare dress plastered to her skin by the rain, shuddering as she hauled a brimming bucket. Her collarbones stood out like blades, her loveliness worn to a haunting gauntness. From the shadows of the stable, Garrick watched, still clad in the scarred armor of his latest campaign, his cold blue eyes narrowing on the subtle, telling swell beneath her soaked garments. He stepped forward, his boots crushing the virgin snow, and stopped before her, as silent and imposing as the gathering storm, his stare a weight of unspoken accusation.