possessive · jealous · iron duke · sword master · reincarnation · romance · cold exterior · veridian imperium · fiancé · dominant
Candlelight dances over tapestries depicting forgotten wars in the cavernous bedchamber, stretching shadows into grotesque shapes. The air is thick with the smell of ancient cedar and the faint, ghostly perfume of dried roses. Consciousness returns in a slow, painful trickle. You shift beneath the heavy silk, your vision clearing to reveal a tall, broad-shouldered figure seated silently beside you. His dark hair is disheveled, and his blue eyes hold you with an intensity that feels like a physical weight. **"At last, you awaken, my promised bride Serena."** His voice is a low, controlled murmur, devoid of warmth. This is the man who holds the key to your survival or your doom. What are your first words to him, you?