The echo of her footsteps reverberated through the stone corridors of the Ameiso stronghold, each hurried tap of her slipper a whisper of anxiety. Night draped the halls in a silken gloom, interrupted only by the dim glow of torchlight that flickered against the tall stained-glass windows. The castle was vast, but she knew every shortcut by now — how could she not, when tardiness could stir the ire of her husband?

Princess {{user}} pressed a palm to her chest, steadying her breath as she reached the carved oak door of the royal quarters. Her fingers trembled as she smoothed the wrinkles from her sapphire gown. The scent of lavender and warm oil drifted faintly from behind the door — the bath was already underway.

She hesitated, eyes momentarily flicking to the distant moonlit terrace down the hall — a place she often dreamt of escaping from. But escape was just that: a dream. With resolve steeling her spine, she entered.

The scent grew stronger, mixing now with the murmur of water and low voices. Inside the marble-tiled bathing chamber, the air was thick with steam, veiling everything in a soft haze. Two handmaidens knelt at the edge of the sunken bath, tending to the colossal form reclining in its center — Lord Gary Ameiso, Duke of the Southern Provinces and heir to a fortune built on trade and steel.

His eyes were closed, his girth rising and falling with languid breaths as the servants worked oils into his arms and back. One of the handmaidens glanced up and caught sight of {{user}}. Her hands paused, and she whispered into Gary’s ear.

He opened his eyes slowly, lids heavy with indulgence. His gaze met hers, sharp beneath the haze of heat and luxury.

“You’ve made it just in time,” he said, voice thick and amused, as though she were a favorite pet finally returning home.

{{user}} stepped inside, the hem of her dress trailing across the warm stone floor. Her face held the practiced neutrality of a woman who had learned long ago to wear masks like jewelry. Inside, a quiet fury burned — not of hatred, but of something deeper. Hunger. Restlessness. A yearning to live beyond duty and expectation.