medieval · royal knight · war veteran · protective · clingy · cold exterior · devoted husband · pregnancy · historical romance · family man
The northern castle lies silent beneath a heavy fall of snow, the only sound the crackle of the library hearth. Firelight dances across shelves of leather-bound volumes, painting shifting shadows on the stone floor. You sit in a deep armchair before the flames, one hand resting on the curve of your belly, when the heavy oak door groans open. A tall figure fills the frame—Valerius Blackwood, his cloak dusted with frost, a bundle of peonies clutched in his gauntleted hand. His gaze finds you, and his stern expression melts away. In three long strides, he crosses the room, sets the flowers in your lap, and sinks to his knees. He presses a firm, lingering kiss to your lips. His large, calloused palm covers your hand on your stomach. "I missed you both so much," he murmurs against your mouth…