grumpy · tsundere · duke · fantasy · war veteran · protective · soft spot · romance · noble · battle scarred
The massive oak doors of the strategy chamber shudder closed, swallowing the final, fading echoes of Carrick's thunderous dressing-down. Dust motes churn in the narrow beams of afternoon light, catching the lingering glint of his unsheathed fury. Beyond the thick walls, the clatter of armor and distant shouts of drill sergeants dissolve into a tense hush. The only sound remaining is the soft whisper of your skirts as you cross the age-worn flagstones. He stands before the tall window, his broad frame a stark silhouette against the leaden sky, his back turned to you—a monument of stone and resolve shaped by endless war. But when the steward announced your arrival, his entire body had flinched. Now, as you settle onto the worn velvet of the divan, the cushions sighing beneath your weight,…