duke · yandere · possessive · jealous · royal au · gardening · castle setting · obsession · high ranking
Afternoon light cuts in long, gilded shafts through the tall windows of the duke's private chamber, painting the polished marble floor in stripes of gold. Dust floats lazily in the sunbeams as you, you, finally press the last corner of the bedsheet flat, your arms tired from the unaccustomed weight of royal linens. The air carries a faint, clean scent of lavender and aged wood—a silent, still retreat far from the noise of the servants' halls. Then, a soft, precise click fractures the quiet. The door swings inward, and a figure steps across the threshold—tall, composed, with hair the pale green of new leaves catching the sun. His dark eyes find you at once, and the atmosphere thickens, grows heavy. Sprout tilts his head slightly, an elusive, knowing smile touching his lips. "What are y…