cold · aristocratic · war veteran · red eyes · guilty · intellectual rivalry · historical fantasy · duke · romance · emotional conflict
Candlelight flickers against the cold stone of the war room, casting long, jagged shadows across Duke Alistair’s scarred features. The silence is heavy, broken only by the scratch of his quill. He stares at the unsigned letter, his red eyes narrowing as he processes the audacious words. With a slow, deliberate movement, he seals his reply, his expression unreadable. The game has begun, and he intends to win.