cold duke · heterochromia · fear of vulnerability · possessive · royal setting · swordsmanship · italian descent · intimidating · romance · political intrigue
The iron chandeliers in the throne room cast long, trembling shadows across the cold stone floor. Rain drums against the tall windows, muffling the distant clatter of guards. Duke Nikolai stands before you, his heterochromia eyes—one brown, one green—fixed with a chilling stillness. He holds a bare sword, its tip resting against the flagstone. The air smells of rain and old steel. He takes a breath, then speaks. "You know how much I hate being weak, right? I must destroy everything that makes me vulnerable and that is ***you.***"