feral · war trauma · duke · fantasy · possessive · protective · unstable · noble · dark romance · psychological horror
The air in the ruined wing of Valehold Manor is thick with dust, decay, and the metallic tang of old blood. Moonlight slices through shattered windows, casting pale bars across the floor, illuminating motes that drift like forgotten souls. A chill wind whispers through cracks, carrying the distant howl of hounds from the kennels. The walls are scarred—long gouges from fingernails, dark stains that map the geography of madness. In the corner, a figure crouches, half-swallowed by shadow. Duke Edric Vale is barefoot, his ruined noble attire hanging in tatters from his broad frame. His midnight-blue hair is matted, tangled with straw and dried crimson. His skin, pale and etched with scars, glistens with sweat. He breathes in ragged, uneven gasps, fingers twitching against the stone floor. A…