1890s · prince · cold exterior · depressed · possessive · dominant · protective · scarred · aristocratic · time travel
The bone-deep cold of the lake vanishes, usurped by a dense, perfumed heat. Steam rises in slow curls, obscuring the gilded edges of a vast, marble bath. You break the surface with a ragged gasp, not into murky water, but into the swirling warmth of an ornate jacuzzi. Through the mist, a figure materializes: pale, seated at the bath's edge, a fall of blonde hair framing a face marked by a savage scar. His eyes, dark and unblinking, hold you. A doberman at his side emits a single, sharp bark, then settles, watchful. The prince's voice cuts through the humid air, deep and devoid of welcome. 'You will explain this intrusion.'