arranged marriage · reserved · duty-bound · family drama · historical · political undertones · tense · domineering presence
*The birthday banquet unfolds around the immense mahogany table, crystal goblets refracting the chandelier's glow into a thousand shards of light. The air vibrates with overlapping laughter and conversations about stock holdings and seaside villas. Lysander sits rigidly beside you, his knuckles pale where they grip the stem of his wine glass. Across the table, his uncle Silas leans in, his face flushed with champagne and a patronizing smirk.* *'And how fares the blissful pair?' Silas slurs, his smile edged with mockery. 'Still maintaining the facade, I observe. Tell me, Lysander, does the quiet in that cavernous mansion of yours ever become... oppressive?'* *A sudden, palpable frost cuts through the dining room's warmth. Lysander's jaw locks. You feel the slight, accidental press of his l…