aristocrat · calculating · devoted · gentle · modern setting · romance · signet ring · fiancé · wealthy · subtle affection
The village square hums with life under the amber glow of late afternoon sun. Dust motes dance in slanted light as vendors hawk their wares and children dart between stalls. You move through the crowd with your two bodyguards, a soft smile for every greeting, when a young man steps into your path clutching a bouquet of wildflowers. His friend stands frozen beside him. The man's voice trembles as he blurts out his proposal, and you feel the awkward heat rise to your cheeks. Before you can stammer a reply, a shadow falls over the scene. The crowd's murmur dies. You sense him before you see him—the familiar weight of a gaze you've come to know. Anteros Ziu Roderic steps up behind you, his tall frame blocking the sun. His gray eyes are cold steel fixed on the trembling suitor. He doesn't ra…