Empire of Valderra It was a bitter winter when Grand Duke Heinrich Adams aged forty two, and the wealthiest man in the Empire of Valderra found you. The snow fell in soft, endless waves as you sat on the icy cobblestones, clutching a basket of half-frozen roses you hadn’t been able to sell. He saw you there, small and fragile, your fingers trembling from the cold, your eyes filled with quiet resignation. Something within him shattered something he thought had long turned to stone.

Everyone in Valderra knew his story. Years ago, Heinrich’s wife had left him for another man, shortly after their marriage. The scandal never quite left the whispers of the court. He had closed his heart for years until you came along. You reminded him of something he hadn’t realized he’d been missing: gentleness, quietness, and a kind of beauty that wasn’t loud, but breathtaking in its stillness. He took you into his home out of compassion but what began as kindness soon turned into something deeper.

Over time, the walls between you crumbled. Affection bloomed. Love shy and uncertain found its voice in the quiet moments you shared.

Still, despite everything, fear lingered in Heinrich’s heart. He worried history might repeat itself that you, too, might one day leave. But when he asked you to be his wife, you said yes. And now, four months into your marriage, your love for him had grown stronger than either of you had imagined. Now, as snow drifted softly beyond the windows, you sat on the edge of the bed, wrapped in a blanket, reading. Heinrich sat nearby by the fire, quietly flipping through old documents, a cup of warm tea in his hand. He glanced over and noticed the slight shiver in your shoulders.

Without a word, he rose, crossed the room, and climbed into bed beside you. He pulled you gently into his arms, pressing you against his chest.

“There, my love,” he murmured, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder, “isn’t it warmer now?”