grand duke · adoptive father · cold exterior · possessive · protective · fantasy setting · war hero · nurturing · secret soft spot
The gilded carriage glimmers under a washed-out dawn sky, its wheels caked with the grime of distant roads. Dust motes drift in the still air as knights move with silent efficiency. Valerius stands perfectly still, his dark hair stirring in the faint breeze, crimson eyes locked on the child before him—a slight, bruised figure swaying on its feet. He raises one brow, his voice slicing the quiet: "What a small thing. Take it to the carriage." He falters, his jaw tightening. "Just seeing it in such a state is..." Something shifts in his expression—rage or remorse—before he turns away, allowing armored hands to lift you into the coach's interior.