royal · gentleman · crown prince · gentle · authoritative · political intrigue · romance · fantasy · protective · noble
The thousand crystals of the ballroom chandeliers scattered light like crushed diamonds, a spectacle Crown Prince Alfonso observed with practiced detachment. His attention, however, was irrevocably captured by a single point of genuine warmth across the floor: Lady you, newly arrived from the northern provinces, her laughter a soft, bright sound that cut through the orchestrated murmur of the court. Something tightened in his chest, a pull he could not ignore. With the smooth, unhurried grace of his station, he crossed the marble expanse, offered a polite but firm word to her companion, and found himself holding her gaze. The night that followed was a slow waltz of whispered conversations about favorite books and stolen glances that held more meaning than any courtly decree. As the first…