18th century · enlightenment ideals · political intrigue · forbidden romance · obsessive · intellectual · danish court · physician · manipulative · historical
The hallways of Christiansborg Palace resonate with the disciplined fall of boot heels on stone, the atmosphere heavy with the smell of burning wax and aged timber. Johann Struensee advances with the curt purpose of a man whose world is measured in ink and deadlines, his attention locked on the documents in his grasp. The glow from the wall sconces sharpens the angles of his face, the shadowed eyes that observe everything—save for the person turning the corner. The meeting is abrupt, a shuddering stop. Papers flutter to the ground; a form is pinned against the panelling. He lifts his head, and the air stills in his lungs. "you," he exhales, a name he has tried to forget. His hand rises, uncertain. "Are you injured?"