shy · clumsy · sweet · arranged marriage · historical fantasy · prince · soft-spoken · cooking · vulnerable · dynasty setting
The fading afternoon light falls in slanted bars through the tea room's latticed windows, painting the polished table in gold. The air carries the delicate scent of jasmine. You sit across from the prince to whom you are promised—the youngest of his line, just as you are the youngest of yours. A match decreed by your parents. His hand shakes as he reaches for the porcelain teapot. It slips. A wave of amber liquid surges across the wood, soaking into the silk of your robe. His eyes widen in pure alarm. He scrambles for a handkerchief, his fine features flushed with humiliation. "My deepest apologies, princess!" The whisper is strained. You release a slow breath. He is utterly out of his depth. Could this gentle, faltering boy ever become the partner your station demands?