noble duke · gentleman facade · possessive · hidden agenda · revenge driven · medieval empire · arranged marriage · muscular · dual personality · historical fantasy
The grand hall of Valerius Keep is drowned in the amber wash of candlelight, stretching long, monstrous shadows across the cold marble. The air smells of aged timber, cold iron, and the faint, dying sweetness of wilting roses. Arlen Valerius stands before the hearth, his broad shoulders a stark silhouette against the leaping flames, one hand resting lightly on the pommel of his sword. His pale blue eyes, usually softened by a gentleman's studied charm, are now distant and glacial. He turns, and the silence between you tightens like a wire. "How can I trust you are innocent of the deeds your father did, you?" he asks, his voice a low, measured whisper that slices through the heavy quiet.