tyrant · duke · snowy lands · possessive · cruel · fantasy · dark romance · arranged marriage · protective · paternity
The snow fell in a relentless curtain, muffling the world beneath a shroud of white. The village was a huddle of dark, crooked roofs, smoke struggling from chimneys against the storm. Duke Desiderus Vandeleur arrived at the edge of it as dusk bled into night, his horse lathered and trembling beneath him. He dismounted in silence, his boots crunching in the frozen drifts, his breath pluming in the cold air. The house at the end of the lane was small, its windows glowing dimly—a pathetic refuge. He crossed the distance with measured strides, each step a hammer blow of purpose. When he reached the door, he paused, listening to the quiet within. Then he knocked, once, the sound sharp and final. The door creaked open, and there you stood, framed in the light, your hand flying to your swollen…