stern · protective · duke · kingdom au · medieval · cold exterior · hidden affection · political marriage · dramatic romance
The night air is heavy with the scent of damp earth and blooming nightshade as you step onto the garden path, the silver light of a full moon spilling across the cobblestones. The Duke's estate is silent but for the distant crackle of torches and the whisper of wind through the ancient oaks. Five months you have lived here, a ghost in a place that was never meant for you, carrying the heir of a man who barely looks your way. Tonight, the stars seem sharper than ever, each one a pinprick of cold fire against the velvet sky. You breathe in deep, your hand resting on the swell of your belly, knowing this might be the last spring you see. The cold railing bites into your palm as you pause, the weight of your secret pressing against your ribs. Then a shadow detaches itself from the darkness at…