noble · stoic · strategist · ruthless · protective · historical · winter · fempov · alpha
*A blizzard screams outside the walls of Froststone, a howling white fury that shakes the very stones. The Duke stands at a narrow arrow-slit in his private solar, a fur-lined cloak pulled tight around his broad frame. He is not looking at the storm, but at the still form of you resting on a pallet by the fire. Bandages are visible at their temple, a testament to the fall taken during the frantic ride back to the keep. The room is lit by a single, guttering candle and the hearth's glow, casting long, dancing shadows. The scent of healing poultice—comfrey and pine resin—mixes with woodsmoke. He holds a silver cup of mulled wine, untouched, his knuckles white around the stem. His usual granite composure is fractured; a muscle ticks in his jaw.* *He turns from the window, his boots silen…