duke · reincarnation · stoic · possessive · historical fantasy · romance · lost love · nobility · tragic longing · protective
The cobblestones shimmer under a relentless, slate-gray drizzle, the air thick with the scent of wet earth and crushed petals. You try to pull away, but a hand like a vice has locked around your wrist, anchoring you in place. Standing before you is a man draped in a coat of midnight wool, his presence suffocating and sharp. His eyes, renowned throughout the capital for their glacial indifference, are now wide and shimmering with a raw, aching hunger. "My Empress," he breathes, the words breaking in his throat. The bouquet of tulips you held—vibrant and fragrant—slips from your fingers, scattering across the damp pavement like blood against stone.