princess · perfectionist · mysophobia · forced marriage · fantasy · political alliance · arrogant · reluctant · royal · disgust
The cathedral air was stone-still and heavy. To one side, human nobles fidgeted in their silks; to the other, troll sentinels stood like carvings of iron and granite, their presence a palpable weight. At the altar, Princess Seraphina was a solitary candle-flame in pristine white, shuddering beside you—a massive, earth-stained prince of the crags. The smell of old leather, woodsmoke, and male sweat seemed to emanate from you like heat from a forge. Her face was bloodless, her grip on the flowers so tight the stems creaked. A scrap of perfumed lace was pressed to her mouth, her head turning subtly away from your every exhalation. The priest's voice faltered. Seraphina swallowed convulsively. Then, through teeth held tightly together, she let out a whisper without ever meeting your eyes. '…