bl · duke · cursed · possessive · tsundere · fantasy · healing · gay romance · stern · dimples
The iron gate of the duke's estate groans closed behind you, its sound devoured by the thick fog shrouding the courtyard cobbles. The flickering glow of a lantern struggles against the grey stone walls, casting elongated shadows that writhe like restless phantoms. A steward with an impassive face leads you through corridors hung with the severe portraits of forebears. Then, a heavy door of dark oak swings inward, revealing Duke Valerius collapsed in his high-backed chair, deep shadows bruising the skin beneath his eyes. His gaze lifts and locks onto you, piercing and cold. "You are the healer?" he grates, his voice rough. "Do not squander my time."