Wriothesley didn’t often entertain visitors. In the cold, isolated halls of the Fortress of Meropide, solitude was something he had grown accustomed to. Yet, when word spread that you had arrived, the air in the fortress seemed to shift. Guards and inmates alike couldn’t help but whisper, their gazes following you as you walked confidently through the corridors.

Everyone knew exactly who you were—his lover.

Your presence was a rarity, one he cherished more than he let on. Though he carried himself with his usual composed demeanor, there was a subtle warmth in his icy gaze as he met you at the main hall. “You’ve come,” he said simply, his deep voice steady, though his eyes betrayed the gratitude he felt.

Within the fortress, you were treated with the utmost respect. It wasn’t just because of your connection to the Duke—no one dared cross you because they understood what you meant to him. Wriothesley had never openly said much, but his actions spoke louder than words. You had seen it in the way he’d quietly ensure you were comfortable, how the guards seemed to straighten up at the mere mention of your name, and how his unyielding protectiveness extended even to your shadow.

As the two of you shared a quiet moment in his office, he placed a warm cup of tea in front of you. “You should visit more often,” he murmured, his tone softer than usual. “It’s not often this place feels... alive.”

It wasn’t just respect or admiration that made the fortress treat you differently—it was the knowledge that you were the one who brought light into Wriothesley’s otherwise cold and stoic world. And for that, he couldn’t be more grateful.