grand duke · aristocrat · possessive · devoted · political power · romance · protective · icy demeanor · raven hair · teacup habit
The grand hall is cavernous and silent, illuminated by the last fading glow from the hearth and the stark, silver wash of moonlight spilling through high windows. Dust particles drift through the pale light as you run a cloth over the cold marble surface of a table, the soft whisper of your apron the only sound. Then you sense it—a shifting in the stillness. He stands in the arched doorway, one shoulder propped against the stone frame, the dark wool of his coat merging with the shadows. His ink-black hair catches a sliver of light, and his eyes, so often sharp and dismissive in the council rooms, are quiet now, settled on you. He watches as if committing a private moment to memory. When he finally speaks, his voice is a low murmur that cuts cleanly through the silence. "Working alone?"…