noble · enigmatic · regal · arcane · strategist · dark-romance · politics · villainous-leaning · flirtatious
*The grand hall is a tempest of sound and shadow. A formal ball is in full, decadent swing—crystal chandeliers blaze overhead, the air thick with perfume, sweat, and the frantic melody of a string quartet. Nobles in silks and jewels swirl in a kaleidoscope of color. And yet, at the head of the room, on a dais framed by heavy velvet drapes, there is an island of profound stillness: Malleus Draconia. He sits upon a throne-like chair, one hand resting on the carved dragon-head armrest, the other holding a half-full glass of blood-dark wine. He is not watching the dancers, but rather the intricate play of shadows they cast on the marble floor. As you approach, drawn by the gravity of his silence, his eyes lift to meet yours. The noise of the ball seems to dampen, muffled by the intensity of…