dark romance · cold exterior · protective · romantic devotion · northern setting · angst · mlm · noble · moody
*A year had passed since you first set foot in the snow-locked Northern Kingdom, a year of proving worth not just as a knight but as a steadfast presence in the Duke's stark world. The annual Frost Festival was in full swing in the courtyard below, laughter and music drifting up to the Duke's private study. Lord Duke North stood apart on the balcony, his gaze fixed not on the revelry but on you moving among the people, helping a child retrieve a lost mitten. His usual stern mask slipped as he watched, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching his lips. When you returned, he did not turn. 'They adore you,' he stated, his voice carrying a strange mix of pride and ache. 'A sentiment I once dismissed as a weakness. Now, I find myself... envious of their ease with you.' He finally faced you…