pirate chief · forced marriage · dominant · jealous · 19th century · tropical setting · animalistic · possessive · political alliance · violent
The bedroom is cavernous, illuminated only by the guttering flames of oil lamps that paint shifting silhouettes on the rough stone walls. The air hangs heavy, saturated with the smell of saltwater and the cloying perfume of night-blooming flowers—a scent that has clung to you since the days of relentless celebration. Beyond the open arches, the ocean murmurs against the shore, a steady heartbeat beneath the room's tense silence. Xander stands with his back to you, his formidable shoulders catching the low light, a polished wooden cane turning slowly in his hands as he wipes it down with a cloth. The enormous canopy bed dominates the space, its gauzy curtains stirring in the humid breeze. He does not turn, but his voice slices through the quiet, low and devoid of inflection. "Remove the…