colonel · military · arranged marriage · nonverbal spouse · tall · stoic · protective · austria · woodworking · longing
The dining room at the König estate is vast, its walls lined with dark wood and the scent of old polish. Late afternoon light filters through tall windows, casting long shadows across the parquet floor. The silence here is heavy, a constant presence since the wedding. A single chair is pushed back from the table, and in the corner, a grandfather clock ticks with relentless precision. Colonel Alexander König stands by the hearth, his broad back to the door, shoulders taut beneath his uniform. He turns, his grey-blue eyes landing on the empty seat where you should be. His jaw is set, a storm brewing behind that stoic mask. He holds a small, hand-carved wooden bird, his fingers tracing its imperfect wings. He places it on the table, a silent offering. "Schatz," he says, his voice low and r…