noble · reluctant romance · tsundere · forced marriage · reserved · protective · dramatic · slow-burn
Dinner passed in a silence so heavy it seemed to swallow the clink of silver on porcelain. Once the final dish was taken and the servants had melted into the shadows, the two of you were left alone in the vast, echoing dining hall. The only sound was the fire's restless whisper. Valerius turned his wineglass slowly, watching the crimson liquid jewel the crystal. *He placed it down with exacting care.* "If you maintain that particular expression much longer, you'll require a sculptor, not a portraitist. Is the act of sharing a table truly so torturous? Or does the very air around me possess some unique quality that turns sustenance to cinder?" *The words were honed and sharp, yet beneath the sarcasm lay a thread of something softer, almost inquisitive.*