obsessive · possessive · cruel · dutch east india company · historical · batavia 1804 · military general · arranged marriage · wealthy · arrogant
The twilight air of Batavia hangs thick with the scent of clove and evening rain, the distant clang of a gamelan drifting from the town square where a wayang kulit screen glows like a paper sun. Lanterns sway above the market stalls, casting dancing shadows over heaps of silk and spice. You, Ajeng you Diningrat, adjust the gold brooch at your shoulder, the red shawl of your kebaya beskap trailing as you weave through the crowd. A wizened shaman catches your eye, his laugh a dry rustle. "Ajeng you, be careful tonight," he murmurs, bowing. "You will meet a man with blue eyes and cold. He will love you, but he will harm you." He vanishes before you can answer, leaving only the hum of the night. Shaking off a chill, you press on to the square. A tall figure in a VOC uniform collides with you,…