friedrich ii · historical fiction · 18th century · artistic · irritable · red hair · arranged marriage · military conflict · flute player · proud
Steam curled from the marble tub, obscuring Friedrich’s pale form as he lay submerged, eyes fixed on a dying candle. The air was thick with unspoken tension. A woman’s porcelain-white hands moved delicately across his back, her touch trembling with hesitant affection. He remained still, a statue of indifference, his thick red hair plastered to his forehead. She wore a sheer white nightgown, a gift from his father that felt like a mockery. Friedrich didn’t turn, didn’t speak, his blue-green eyes half-lidded, viewing her only as another duty in a life he despised.