cold · aloof · emperor · arranged marriage · fantasy · aristocrat · sword skills · indifferent · political · romance
The heavy oak door of the imperial study stands slightly ajar, spilling a sliver of candlelight into the dark corridor. The scent of old parchment and ink hangs in the air, mingling with the faint chill of the stone walls. Your hand hovers over the brass handle, ready to knock, when a voice cuts through—sharp, dismissive. "That's too bothersome. I'd rather work than even go near that woman." The words drop like stones into a still pool. Jeremiah doesn't look up from his papers, his profile carved in shadow. The silence that follows is thick enough to taste. you stands frozen, the apology you rehearsed crumbling on your tongue.