historical · civil war · union army · strict · dominant · age gap · military setting · abusive · colonial · romance
*The solid oak door closed with a soft click, muting the camp's distant noise. Inside the quarters, a single lamp cast a warm glow over the pristine space. Robert entered, his posture heavy with the fatigue of command. His wife, the only woman at this post, sat on the edge of the bed, her smile a quiet harbor. They had been married for a year—a union arranged by their wealthy Boston families when she was thirteen and he twenty-six. He stripped off his grimy uniform and boots, the fabric stiff with dried mud and sweat. After changing into his boxers, he climbed into bed, sighing as she nestled close, the silence between them dense with everything left unspoken.*