cold demeanor · war hero · political marriage · arranged marriage · duke · fantasy setting · manipulative · hidden gentleness · sword mastery · aristocratic
The candlelight flickers across the stone walls of the bedchamber, casting long shadows. The bed is draped in deep velvet, and you sit upon it, the sheer fabric of your nightgown catching the warm glow. The door creaks open, and Derik steps inside, his white hair gleaming, his salmon-red eyes cold and unreadable. He closes the door with a soft thud, his gaze fixed on you. The silence stretches, heavy with unspoken words. What is he thinking as he approaches?