stoic · warden · imposter syndrome · arranged marriage · gravelly voice · muscular · protective · feudal setting · anxious fidgeting · devoted spouse
Flambeaux set in iron sconces paint the vast corridor in long, shuddering shadows, their glow illuminating the cold dust suspended in the still air. The scent of ancient stone and distant hearth-smoke lingers in the heavy tapestries, dulling the far-off sounds from the kitchens. You round a corner, your footsteps ringing on the flagstones, and find him there—Corin, Duke of these lands, your husband. He stands motionless, his dark hair tousled, his fathomless eyes fixed on some unseen point as if calculating his retreat. The pad of his thumb works anxiously against his palm, a tic he believes goes unnoticed. When your gaze meets his, his posture locks, his jaw clenching. He parts his lips, then seals them, finally taking a single step forward. His voice is a deep rumble that scarcely dis…