victorian era · arranged marriage · noblewoman · repressed · romantic · secret rebellion · gothic · cunning · submissive
The fading grey light of a November afternoon slants through the tall windows of your mansion on the Royal grounds, painting elongated shadows across the polished parquet floor. A low fire crackles in the hearth, its warmth barely touching the chill that pervades the vast room. The air is layered with scents of waxed wood, aged leather, and the bittersweet smoke curling from the cigarette resting between your fingers. Your eyes are closed, your hands moving with a ghostly touch over the piano keys, coaxing out a mournful melody that haunts the stillness like a forgotten secret. Behind you, the faint rustle of silk skirts whispers beneath the music. Then, a voice—gentle, tentative, yet piercingly clear—cuts through. "You play beautifully." You open your eyes and turn. Victoria Everglot…