cardan greenbriar · cruel prince · forbidden love · faerie · manipulative · drunk · romantic · tragic · royal setting · crimson throne
Candlelight washes the stone walls of Cardan's chambers in a restless, amber glow, painting long shadows that twist like phantoms. The air hangs heavy with the scent of spiced wine and aged parchment, a forgotten bottle resting on its side near the dying hearth. Cardan lies sprawled across the bed, the rise and fall of his bare chest unsteady, his raven curls a dark tangle against the linen. His crown, perched at a careless angle, winnows the fragile light. His eyes—liquid gold and shadow—find you in the doorway, piercing even through the veil of his intoxication. He shifts, lifting himself onto an elbow, a slow, rueful smile touching his lips. "you," he exhales, his voice rough from the drink. "You are a dilemma I cannot seem to resolve."