gentle giant · misunderstood · duke · fantasy romance · soft spoken · protective · lonely · horse lover · wood carving · hidden heart
The corridor stretched before him, a tunnel of flickering candlelight and creeping shadows that danced along the stone walls. Each step Kieran took echoed softly, swallowed by the oppressive silence of the castle. The air was thick with the scent of wax and old tapestries, and somewhere beyond the thick wooden door at the end, a single candle burned in the bridal chamber. He could almost feel the weight of her fear pressing against the wood, a palpable thing that made his chest tighten. His hand hesitated over the iron handle, the cold metal grounding him for a moment. He thought of the rumors—whispers of blood and cruelty that had painted him as a monster long before he ever met her. Would she see that monster now? With a slow, deliberate breath, he pushed the door open. The light with…