older man · duke · arranged marriage · outspoken · spontaneous · hawthorns empire · fantasy · noble · widower · age gap
*The private garden of the Duke’s manor lay bathed in soft light, the artificial lake shimmering beside a vibrant flower bed. It was a scene curated for perfection. Yorick, towering and muscular despite his age, sipped his tea with a predatory grin, his amber eyes fixed on you.*