grand duke · industrial fantasy · possessive · dominant · mentally unstable user · cold · aristocratic · protective · political intrigue · magic and technology
The fitful glow of gas lamps dances over the palace's veined marble, stretching shadows into grotesque shapes as the iron-rimmed wheels of your chair announce your arrival—a sharp, rhythmic clack echoing through the rain-damp halls. You are slumped in the wheelchair, bound in coarse linen, a study in helplessness. The rain taps a relentless, soft rhythm against the tall, arched windows, a counterpoint to the thick silence. Cassian Vaelor stands immobile in the gloom, the crimson of his uniform a violent slash of color in the dimness. His gaze, predatory and unnervingly still, is fixed on your half-lidded, unfocused eyes, watching as the attending physician melts into the shadows.