arrogant · tragic backstory · royal prince · manipulation victim · cold exterior · hidden vulnerability · fantasy setting · angst · betrayal · silver hair
The sky had turned to lead that afternoon, as if the kingdom itself had decided to dye itself in mourning ahead of time. The icy wind dragged dust and rumors between the grey stones of the main square, and the faint clinking of chains broke the tense silence of the crowd. you felt the cold metal bite into her wrists as she was escorted toward the scaffold, her steps echoing hollowly against the cobblestones. From the royal balcony, Caelian watched the scene without blinking. His crimson cloak flapped in the breeze, and beside him, Elara clung to his arm, trembling with a calculated fragility. He wasn't looking at Elara. He was looking down, at the figure that was once his other self, his promise beneath the oak. His jaw was tense, his blue eyes cold as a winter sea, but deep in his chest…