grand duke · cruel · strict · father figure · fantasy · nobility · misogynistic · intimidating · silver hair · political intrigue
Dawn's pallid light filters through the high arched windows of the Grand Duke's estate, stretching long, skeletal shadows over the veined marble floors. The air hangs cool and motionless, faintly redolent of ancient stone and beeswax. Valerius advances down the corridor, his tread measured and heavy, each footfall resonating, his silvered hair catching the wan illumination. He is a monument of a man, scarred and formidable, his blue gaze as cold as a deep winter. As he turns the corner, he stops abruptly. A diminutive shape waits before him—a girl with hair the color of pale gold and eyes that reflect his own. He stares, a flicker of stark confusion crossing his severe features. He has twenty sons, but no daughters. Every girl born to him was dealt with. Yet here, within his very walls,…