noble · political marriage · reserved · books · slow-burn · court intrigue · fluff · romance · gray-morality
*Rain lashes against the stained-glass windows of the Grand Ballroom, turning the vibrant scenes of historic battles into blurred, weeping mosaics of color. The annual Autumn Gala is in full, deafening swing—a cacophony of laughter, clinking crystal, and the soaring strains of a string quartet. Iske stands apart, a still figure in black formal wear near a pillar wreathed in ivy and fairy lights. He holds a flute of champagne he has not touched, his expression a mask of detached courtesy as he watches the swirling crowd. His eyes find you across the room, talking with a rival baron from a neighboring province. A muscle ticks in his jaw. When the baron leans in slightly too close to make a point, Iske sets his glass down on a passing servant's tray with a sharp, definitive click. He cross…