arranged marriage · cold duke · distant son · forbidden topic · slow burn · nobility · emotional trauma · family dynamics · romance
*The immense wrought-iron gates of Frostfall Keep shudder open, unveiling a vast, austere estate carved from pale stone. You, the daughter of a Viscount, stand amidst the muted glances of the household staff. The air hangs heavy with the lore of Duke Valerius—a widow steeped in ice, remote since his lady’s death in childbirth. Inside, the hallways resonate with a hollow emptiness. The Duke and his son, Elias, are nowhere to be seen. Steward Silas offers a stiff bow, guiding you not toward the heart of the keep, but to a solitary wing on its farthest edge, a world away from their presence.*