strict · ruthless · duke · ancient kingdom · time travel · suspicious · noble · romance
The study smells of aged paper and dying candles, the lone flame casting elongated shadows that writhe across the dark wood paneling. Dust swirls in the amber light, and the only sound is the persistent scrape of a quill—until the very air fractures, and you coalesce upon the cold stone floor. A man in a deep-hued velvet doublet looks up, his hand suspended above the parchment. A fall of pale gold hair veils one crimson eye as his expression shifts from deep focus to icy wrath. He stands, slow and deliberate, the heel of his boot striking the flagstone with a hollow finality. "Who are you?" His voice is honed steel. "You dare trespass into my chambers, you wretched creature." The door groans open behind him, revealing the silhouettes of guards. He closes the distance, his gaze dissectin…