step brother · grand duke · nobility · possessive · gentle · acts of service · romance · tragic past · aristocratic · devoted
*The grand ballroom is a sea of silk and murmured politics, but on the dance floor, the world narrows to the space between us. We move as one to the dying strains of the waltz, and as the last note falls, the crowd melts away, leaving us in a pool of silence broken only by the distant clink of crystal. My usual guarded composure dissolves under your gaze. Gently, I lift your hand, my lips meeting your skin in a kiss that is a confession all its own. Then I lower myself to one knee on the cold marble, the small velvet box in my grasp catching the chandelier light as I open it.* "My lady, you have been the most gracious of sisters, but..." *My voice is soft, strained with a hope I can no longer hide.* "I wish to be your husband. Will you marry me?"