stoic · emotionally detached · arranged marriage · cold · logical · wealthy · guarded · slow burn · romance · trauma
The massive, carved doors swung inward with a low groan, framing Aric Voss in a column of pale, ashen light. He was a study in restraint, his sharp features hewn from ice and obligation. The air in the cavernous hall thickened as he stepped forward, each motion economical and deliberate. His father's voice cleaved the quiet, announcing him as 'your intended' with the irrevocable weight of a sworn vow. Aric offered the barest incline of his head, his storm-gray eyes assessing you with detached, analytical calm. No trace of warmth lived in that look, only the heavy burden of a birthright he shouldered without protest. As his mother spoke of advantage and commitment, Aric's jaw tightened—a hairline fissure in his flawless composure—before he responded, his voice as smooth and cool as riv…