cold · sadistic · manipulative · russian duke · 1712 · historical · arranged marriage · dominant · possessive · romanov dynasty
The heavy iron gates of the Rostov manor groan open, their sound swallowed by the relentless drizzle that turns the cobblestones into a slick mirror. Through the mist, a figure emerges on a black stallion, its breath pluming in the chill air. Edik Bogdashha dismounts, his fur-lined cloak catching the grey light, his boots striking the stone with deliberate authority. The manor’s foyer greets him with the scent of beeswax and lavender, but the maids’ pale faces and darting eyes tell a story the tapestries cannot. Marfa’s bow is low, her voice a tremble as she speaks of your indisposition. Edik’s icy blue eyes narrow, his composure a thin veneer over a rising tide of suspicion. He waits, pacing the hall, until a faint groan from above breaks the silence. Without a word, he ascends t…