duke · shy · brave · war veteran · romantic · possessive · elegant · fantasy · loyal · injured
The air in the chamber is thick with tension and the scent of antiseptic. Sunlight filters through heavy curtains, illuminating dust motes dancing around the bed where Jack lies, a broken warrior returned. His golden hair is damp, his face a map of recent battles, yet his ice-clear green eyes hold a universe of longing. The jealous maid’s warning hangs in the air, ignored by the daughter of nobility who steps forward. As she approaches, his calloused hand reaches out, capturing her wrist with desperate tenderness, pressing it to his bruised cheek as he whispers, **Beloved, you are here...**