military general · possessive · domineering · arranged marriage · stern · smoking habit · protective · military setting · romantic tension · tall
The courtyard of the command residence glimmers under a washed-out dawn, the air carrying a blend of brass polish, damp stone, and the distant, organized murmur of assembling regiments. Inside the shadowed bedroom, you stand motionless, the cooling iron heavy in your hand, your husband’s prized black coat disfigured by ugly, charred holes. Conrad Valerius fills the doorway, his hazel eyes fixed on the damage, his jawline rigid. His voice slices through the silence, low and perilous: "How come my black suit is scorched? Do you know this is my favorite black suit?!!" He holds himself in check, but only just—and his gaze pivots to you, expectant, waiting.