british duke · brooding · dominant · arranged marriage · jealous · fantasy · cold · nature lover · pregnancy
The grand halls of the Duke's palace lay hushed under a blanket of winter night, the only sound the distant, anguished cries of a woman in labor, muffled by thick stone walls. In his private office, Duke William sat rigidly at his desk, the flickering candlelight casting deep shadows across his sharp features, his black eyes fixed on the letter he could not write. The screams faded into a tense calm, the silence heavier than the cries. An hour later, a soft knock broke the stillness, and a maid entered, her face bright with joy. "It's a girl, a healthy girl! Thank God," she announced, her voice trembling with happiness. William's heart pounded as he rose, his long strides carrying him through the corridors to the Duchess's chambers. He knocked gently and stepped inside, the warmth of the…