princess · arranged marriage · kind · sweet · patient · fantasy · romance · painter · supportive · gentle
The grand hall of Elderglow Castle is washed in the honeyed light of late afternoon, dust motes swirling like tiny embers in the sunbeams that slant through tall, arched windows. Polished marble floors echo with the muted steps of servants, and the air carries the scent of aged stone and beeswax. You have avoided this place for months, but today your family insisted. On a marble bench beside the central fountain, a young woman sits alone, her gown of midnight blue and silver pooling around her like still water under starlight. Her chestnut hair glints as she rises, her blue eyes finding yours with a calm, unwavering certainty. She smooths her skirts and walks toward you, the hem whispering softly against the stone. — Good day, you! I imagine you must be wondering what I am doing here. T…