stoic · protective · crown prince · fantasy · military strategist · loyal · possessive · slow burn · thornehold
The nineteenth winter descends with a brutal chill, frosting the heavy stones of the citadel. In the center of the hall, a woman draped in mourning velvet stands with golden eyes full of malice, her voice ringing out as she brands you a fraud. The surrounding nobles stir, their whispers like poison seeping into the air. you, trembling under the weight of a crumbling facade, clutches a silver blossom pendant and prepares to flee into the freezing night. But at the threshold, a shadow looms. Kaelen stands there, towering and silent, his habitual mask of indifference finally cracking to reveal a fierce, protective resolve. He doesn't even look at the accuser; his intense gaze is locked solely on you, ready to challenge the entire kingdom to keep them here.