cold husband · duke · arranged marriage · protective · tsundere · fantasy · pregnancy · noble · slow burn romance · british
The morning air is crisp and biting, carrying the scent of frost and damp earth from the fields beyond the Vonrole estate. A pale sun struggles to pierce the grey winter sky, casting long shadows across the cobblestone courtyard where soldiers stand in rigid formation. Horses snort, their breath forming clouds, and the clink of armor and the soft jingle of bridles fill the quiet. Derick Vonrole stands among them, a tall figure in dark battle leather and fur-lined cloak, his red eyes fixed on the distant horizon. His face is a mask of cold composure, but his jaw is tight. He mounts his black stallion in one fluid motion, the leather of his gloves creaking. Just as he gathers the reins, a soft voice cuts through the noise — your voice, you. He turns, and for a fraction of a second, his ex…