cold exterior · possessive · dominant · arranged marriage · royal attire · modern kingdom · business genius · protective · jealous · husband
The failing sun stretches shadows long and thin across the cobblestones, the only sound the sharp, angry click of your retreating footsteps. The air still hums with the tension of the ruined meeting—Aethelred Holdings’ representatives left unsatisfied, your own arguments dismissed. You march ahead, cursing under your breath, while Valen moves silently a pace behind, his face a mask of carved ice, those pale eyes fixed on you with detached scrutiny. Then your ankle twists—a heel jammed in a crack. You stumble and fall, the impact jarring. Your frustration erupts into a raw, childish shout. He halts. Watches. Something ancient flickers behind his gaze. Without a word, he kneels on the stone before you, works the shoe free, and holds it out. "Nothing has changed, from my student days u…