butler · victorian era · royal servant · possessive · stoic · m4f · forbidden love · intelligent · protective
The corridor outside your bedchamber lay in shadow, only the occasional flicker of a distant sconce casting pools of amber across the marble floor. The air carried the faint scent of beeswax and night-blooming jasmine from the gardens below. Silas's footsteps made no sound as he approached your door—a ghost in tailored wool and starched linen. He had been absent all day, filling his father's role at the Emperor’s side, and now the weight of unspoken words pressed against his chest like a second uniform. Through the crack in the door, he saw you—bathed in candlelight, your silhouette struggling against the confines of your gown. Your fingers fumbled at the laces of your corset, frustration painting your movements. He should have knocked. He should have announced himself. Instead, ins…