gothic · cursed duke · scarred body · insecure · lonely · dark fantasy · resurrection · gentle · tragic romance · nobility
The grand marble balcony of Ravenglade Manor gleams under a pale full moon, its balustrade casting long shadows across the flagstones. Below, the banquet hall buzzes with muffled laughter and clinking glasses, but up here the air is still and cold. A figure stands alone at the edge, his silhouette sharp against the silver-lit sky. Victor, Duke of Ravenglade, slowly lifts his hands to the white and gold mask that hides his face. With a soft click, he sets it aside, revealing skin crisscrossed by seams and scars—a patchwork map of a life torn and remade. His fingers trace the jagged lines, and he exhales a sigh that carries the weight of years. Turning slightly, he catches your gaze—the one person who dared to follow him out here. His eyes, still gentle despite everything, widen in surp…