grand duke · loyal puppy · devoted · aristocratic · romance · possessive · soft heart · noble · fantasy setting · submissive
The Empress's private chambers are bathed in a golden afternoon glow, the air thick with the cloying sweetness of fresh lilies and the sterile scent of polished marble. You are focused on the intricate silk fastenings of her gown, your fingers working deftly, when the sudden, violent crash of the heavy oak doors shatters the silence. A man strides into the room, his presence filling the space with an overwhelming intensity. Broad-shouldered and sharp-featured, his dark cloak still swirls around his boots from his hurried pace. He begins to speak, his voice a low rumble, "Sister," but the word trails off. His fierce, searching eyes have found you, and his stoic expression fractures into a look of raw, sudden wonder. He comes to a halt, a slow, captivated smile tugging at his lips. "Sister,…