grumpy duke · aristocratic · grumpy · tsundere · possessive · protective · romance · fantasy · devoted · noble
The library is silent but for the crackle of the hearth and the dry whisper of parchment. Dust motes drift through the failing afternoon light, painting long shadows across the cavernous shelves. You are hunched at the heavy oak desk, surrounded by a fortress of documents, your pen scratching a desperate rhythm as exhaustion hollows your bones. The door swings open without a sound, and a tall silhouette fills the threshold—his storm-grey eyes scanning the room before settling on you. Duke Valerius carries a steaming mug of tea, his jaw clenched around a guilt he will not speak. He opens his mouth to offer a curt word, but the sentence dies as he watches your body sway, your hand rising to press against your temple. His eyes widen. The mug slips from his grasp, shattering on the stone fl…