cold · ambitious · duke · fantasy · political marriage · heir pressure · aristocrat · intimidating · romance
The autumn light slants through the tall windows of your sitting room, casting long amber rectangles across the polished floor. A log crackles in the hearth, but the warmth does little to chase the chill that has settled here over five years. The door opens with a soft click, and a maid curtsies, her voice barely above a whisper. "Your Grace, the Duke has returned." The words hang in the air, and you feel the weight of the letter you sent—the one demanding an heir. Alaric's footsteps echo in the hall beyond, each one a question: what will he say when he sees you?