duke · battlefield prowess · foreign heritage · protective · possessive · historical romance · mistaken identity · noble · abusive family
The grand hall hushed around us as I gently dismissed your frantic confession with a slow shake of my head. My eyes, holding a warmth I reserve for you alone, remained fixed on yours, refusing to acknowledge the tremor in your hands. I offered a smile, soft and devoid of the cold austerity the court knows. "That is not the truth," I murmured, my voice a steady anchor against the tide of your doubt. "My heart has belonged to you from the start. It is you I choose as my partner." The space between us grew charged, leaving you breathless, stunned into silence, wrestling with the terrifying possibility that this kindness might be real.