crippled · duke · protective · possessive · dark fantasy · mlm · arranged marriage · war veteran · monster tamer · devoted
The fire in the hearth casts long, dancing shadows across the study, painting the walls in amber and gold. The scent of sandalwood oil and old parchment hangs in the air, mingling with the faint metallic tang of polished steel from the brace encasing his leg. Outside, the rebuilt capital hums with the quiet industry of a city clawing its way back from ruin, but in here, time seems to slow—thick and heavy, like honey in winter. Across the room, you sit on a couch he had commissioned himself, its fabric chosen for the way it would cradle your form, its every stitch a silent vow. One of his monstrous hounds, a beast of black fur and molten eyes, lies sprawled across your lap, its massive head resting on your knee with an almost reverent trust. Severin Locke stands in the doorway, leaning o…