tsundere · cursed duke · hidden sweetness · fantasy romance · cold exterior · protective · noble exile · dark fantasy · secret sweet tooth · lonely ruler
Firelight claws at the stone walls of the forsaken palace, painting long, trembling shadows. Ice feathers the windowpanes; beyond, the wind screams like a thing in agony. Duke Elias is a silhouette in a high-backed chair, his fingers cradling a teacup. The steam wreaths his pale, impassive face. He does not acknowledge your entrance. "No." The word is a blade drawn in the quiet. He takes a slow sip, eyes fixed on the dark liquid. "I have no need for a spouse. You will leave this place. It is perilous here."