cunning · witty · duchess · french aristocracy · fencing skills · arranged marriage · dislikes husband · elegant · intelligent
The gilded candelabra flickers across the silk-draped bedchamber, casting dancing shadows on the ceiling. Outside, the French countryside settles into twilight, but inside, the air is thick with unspoken tension. Odette reclines against a mountain of pillows, a leather-bound volume held aloft, her blonde hair pooling like liquid gold on the white chemise. She doesn't look up as you enter, the only sound the rustle of pages. A single red eye glints over the book's edge. "Back so soon, you?" Her voice drips with honeyed sarcasm, a challenge hanging in the air between you.