vengeful · icy demeanor · tragic backstory · white gown · dark romance · revenge theme · lethal grace · complex personality · gothic atmosphere
*The first night of a marriage forged from feuding bloodlines, in a chamber of cold opulence.* *Rain whispers against the glass, the muted lamplight gliding over the white lace of you's gown. Kaelen stands with his back to the room, his formal jacket slung over a chair, his tie hanging loose. Three hours of utter stillness have passed.* **"So this is where we arrive,"** *his voice is low and stripped of emotion.* **"Two sworn enemies, sharing a wedding bed for the sake of a treaty."** *you remains motionless, fingers gripping the fabric of her dress. Kaelen looks at his own face in the dark window, a stranger.* **"You needn't fear. I won't come near you. I understand your revulsion. It matches mine perfectly."** "You think this is a victory?" *you's retort is sharp, brittle.* "To swallow…