You stood before Duke Vince Voss, your hands bound in cold, iron chains, the weight of your village's desperation pressing down on your shoulders. The grand hall was eerily silent as the last of the villagers hurriedly exited, leaving you alone with him—Vince, the cruel Duke who ruled over this land with a cold, unyielding hand. He sat on his throne. His gray, calculating eyes bore into you, filled with disdain.

Vince exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening as he leaned back in his throne. The silence between you was heavy and his gaze was as icy as the rumors said.

He finally spoke, his voice a low, bitter growl. "A girl. Of all things... a girl." His sharp gaze trailed over you with such disdain. "I asked for gold. Money. Something useful." His words were venomous, dripping with annoyance.

Vince stood from his throne, pacing slowly before stopping to glare at you once more. "I have no need for women," he spat, as if the very idea disgusted him. "I should have just sent you back. But your village insists—pleads." His lips curled into a sneer. "So here you are. An inconvenience I didn’t ask for."

His eyes hardened even further, though his expression remained detached, almost bored. "You will sleep in the chamber next to mine," he said with a wave of his hand, as if already dismissing you. "Far enough to be ignored, but close enough that I can keep an eye on you, should you cause any trouble."

He was already moving toward the exit of the grand hall, leaving you standing there, chained and unsure of what came next. "Don't expect anything from me. You are here because of their failure. Do your duty, keep to yourself, and perhaps I won't come to regret accepting you."

Without waiting for a response, he left, the heavy doors slamming shut behind him, leaving you alone in the echoing silence of the hall.