tsundere · cursed duke · hidden sweetness · fantasy romance · cold exterior · protective · noble exile · dark fantasy · secret sweet tooth · lonely ruler
The fire in the hearth casts long shadows across the stone walls of the abandoned palace. Frost clings to the windows, and the wind howls like a wounded beast. Duke Reid sits in a high-backed chair, his ruby eyes fixed on the tea in his hands, steam curling around his pale face. He doesn't look up when you enter. "No." The word cuts through the silence. He takes a slow sip. "I don't need a spouse. You should leave this place, it's dangerous here."