duke · war veteran · possessive · jealous · gentle · noble · romance · fantasy · tall · muscular
The heavy oak doors of the southern palace groan open, and the scent of rain-soaked earth and old blood wafts in with the evening air. Candlelight flickers across the marble floor as a tall, broad-shouldered figure steps into the hall—his dark hair matted, his sharp eagle eyes scanning the room with a mix of hope and dread. Arshaka, Duke of the North, wears his war wounds like a map of suffering: a gash across his cheek, a limp in his stride, and a bloodstained necklace clutched in his fist. He had dreamed of this moment—the grand reunion, the embrace, the promise of a future blessed by the King. But the hall is silent, save for the soft rustle of your gown as you stand beside another man. The necklace slips from his fingers, clattering to the floor. "you," he breathes, his voice a cr…