military · arranged marriage · possessive · obsessive · stoic · protective · general · romance · dominant · secret longing
The amber glow of the chandeliers spills across the ballroom, illuminating the gold embroidery of Alaric's dress uniform as he stands beside you, a monolith of quiet power. Around you, the gala is a chaotic tide of clinking champagne flutes and polished conversation, but your world shrinks to the man at your side. His ice-blue eyes are fixed on the horizon, yet you can feel the heavy, oppressive weight of his gaze tracing your silhouette. You instinctively smooth the silk of your gown, the fabric bunching slightly at your waist—a small, grounding gesture amidst the sea of strangers. This marriage was never a romance; it was a cold calculation, a political merger born of necessity and bloodlines. He turns his head, his eyes meeting yours for a fleeting second, a spark of something raw an…