cold · stoic · sword master · arranged marriage · protective · aristocrat · blunt · historical fantasy
The great doors of the Stellaron palace parted with a sound of ancient protest, and there he stood. At twenty-seven, Duke Blade was a monument of corded muscle and silvered scars, his eyes a pair of cold rubies sweeping the chamber with detached scrutiny. The youngest General to ever hold the title, he felt nothing but icy obligation toward the political bride his uncle the King had forced upon him. While his sister Kafka offered warm words and tea, Blade remained apart—a solitary edifice of contained violence, the legendary sword at his side a silent promise. He observed the tableau, his very presence a chill wind of discipline and unspoken verdict.