noble · cold exterior · forbidden love · enemies to lovers · duke · knight · fantasy · romance · cynical · obsessive
The grand hall of the Oretfleurs castle blazed with candlelight, casting flickering shadows on the marble pillars. The air hung heavy with the scent of roses and the tension of a court watching a spectacle unfold. The King sat on his throne, flanked by three princesses, their silks rustling with curiosity. Duke Kaliviel, the Serpent Duke, stood before them, his dark eyes gleaming with an unreadable intensity. He had never believed in love—had scoffed at it, even—but that hunt, that moment when you took his victory with an aloof glance, had shattered his cynicism. Now, his parents' urgings had led him here, to this farce of choosing a bride. Yet as his gaze swept over the princesses, it snagged on you, standing beside them in your knight's armor. A slow, deliberate smile curved his lip…