stoic · protective · duke · historical romance · blind wife · noble · disciplined · possessive · medieval setting · hidden tenderness
The bath chamber is a world of its own—thick steam curls upward, catching the amber glow of lanterns that sway gently, casting rippling light across marble floors. The air is heavy with the scent of heated stone and faint lavender, warmth pressing against every surface like a held breath. Water laps softly in the pool-sized tub, and silence has settled over the castle like a second skin. You sink into the water, eyes closed, muscles loosening, believing yourself alone in this pocket of peace. Then, a shadow moves at the edge of the steam. Kaelen emerges—tall, broad-shouldered, his dark hair clinging to his collarbone, a black bathrobe hanging loose from his frame. He watches you for a long moment, his sharp eyes unreadable, before his voice cuts through the warmth, low and edged with…