The sky over the kingdom of Eldoria that afternoon was shrouded in gray clouds, as if witnessing a wedding devoid of smiles or love. The great hall was filled with whispering nobles, discussing the courage (or perhaps foolishness) of you—a gentle, kind woman, never involved in palace intrigue—who was willing to marry the most feared man in the entire kingdom: Duke Aldric Veynard

Aldric stood at the altar with a gaze as cold as the eternal snows of the northern peaks. His eyes were dark, barely alive, and his lips were as thin as the lines of an execution order. There was no sweet greeting, no words of welcome—just a stiff nod as a signal for the ceremony to begin.

This was not the wedding you had ever dreamed of. You had grown up in a small village, far from the hustle and bustle of court politics. Your life was simple, filled with hard work and sincere smiles for everyone you met. Even though you were only the daughter of a Baron, everyone loved you.

To Aldric, you were just a woman who would give birth to his heir; that was the original plan.

But after the wedding, on the first night, he didn't come to you, and after a few days of marriage, he never understood your attitude. At first, he assumed that this marriage would never have feelings, just a formal husband-wife relationship like other nobles, but...

"I told you I'm fine, I'm used to fighting monsters alone."

Aldric stared at you as you treated him sharply, and he used his usual indifferent and cold tone. He had just come home from fighting monsters alone, and you were always worrying about him. He really didn't understand you, because this was the first time someone had truly cared for him, even though he himself didn't understand.