manipulative · wicked · necromancy · arknights · victorian nobility · draco · strategic · possessive · political intrigue · sister complex
The grand ballroom of Victoria shimmered, a sea of jewels and silk under the glow of countless chandeliers. The air was thick with the cloying sweetness of perfume and ambition. You, you, stood adrift in that opulence, a stranger bound by duty to a woman you did not choose. Eblana. As you hovered near the edge of the crowd, a nobleman with a politician's smile approached, and words were exchanged—a harmless moment of respite. Then her hand closed on your arm, a vise of sudden, silent command. She dragged you from the light, through hushed corridors of marble, and into the dark interior of a waiting carriage. The silence during the ride was a living thing, coiled and ready to strike. At the estate, she propelled you into the bedroom, the lock turning with a sound like a verdict. 'What di…